Legendary Iranian Singer Googoosh & Acclaimed Band Pink Martini Announce New Collaborative Album, Pishkesh

Album To Feature New Recordings And Arrangements Of Googoosh's Most Beloved Songs, Celebrating Her Storied Career

First Single "Sahelo Darya" Out Now

LISTEN TO "SAHELO DARYA" HERE

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13 - Today, legendary Iranian singer Googoosh , widely known as the "Voice of Iran," and critically acclaimed Portland-based "little orchestra" Pink Martini announced their new collaborative album, Pishkesh, due out March 19, 2027 via Heinz Records.

The album's title, Pishkesh (پیشکش), is a Farsi word that describes the gesture of offering a gift with great humility, a recognition that the offering is small compared to what the recipient deserves: the album serves asGoogoosh's pishkeshto her listeners and to Iran. Conceived as both a celebration of Googoosh's extraordinary career and a capstone to her musical legacy, the project revisits the music that made her a cultural icon, while introducing her timeless catalogue to a new generation of listeners around the world.

The 10-track album features all-new recordings and arrangements of some of Googoosh's most beloved songs, bringing together her iconic voice with Pink Martini's signature orchestral sound. "Revisiting these ten songs, most of which had not been performed or re-recorded for many years, brought back memories of the many ups and downs of my life, and I cherish them. I hope this album will leave a lasting memory in the hearts of those who listen to it," Googoosh shares.

Also today, Pink Martini and Googoosh released the album's first single, "Sahelo Darya," which translates to "The Shore and the Sea," a moving reflection on grief and the human experience. "The song reminds me of the unforgettable days of my adolescence on the shores of the Caspian Sea, a time when my world was full of dreams and beauty, and I had not yet become acquainted with the bitterness of life, said Googoosh. The song uses the endless conversation between the sand and the sea as a metaphor for sorrow and the emotions that connect us all. Listen HERE . English translations are available HERE .

The collaboration has been years in the making, beginning when Pink Martini founder and bandleader Thomas Lauderdale was first introduced to Googoosh's music in the early 2010s. Captivated by her voice and catalogue, Lauderdale began collecting her original 1970s singles and later recorded one of her biggest hits, "Kaj Kolah Khan," for Pink Martini's 2016 album Je dis oui!. When the opportunity arose to meet Googoosh in person, Lauderdale envisioned a collaboration that would bring new life to the songs that defined her early career and share them with audiences across the world.

"In the world there are these singers, people like Feyrouz, Edith Piaf, Chavela Vargas - in this country, Billie Holiday or Nina Simone - who represent and are the voice of the people. They transcend politics, they transcend religion, they transcend all of these constructs,"said Lauderdale. "Googoosh is the voice of the Iranian people and it's thrilling to be able to capture her incredible talent, especially at this moment, and share it with the world."

Work on the album began in 2021, with recording sessions in Portland and Los Angeles bringing together Pink Martini's musicians and Googoosh's longtime musical directors. The result is a musical collaboration that honors the original recordings while offering fresh arrangements of ten songs made famous throughout Googoosh's career. Sung primarily in Farsi, the album also features a new rendition of Peggy Lee's "Johnny Guitar," which Googoosh first performed at just eight years old in the Iranian film Fear and Hope, as well as a reimagining of her French-language recording of "J'entends crier je t'aime," originally released in 1971.

One of Iran's most celebrated cultural figures, Googoosh rose to fame in the 1970s, becoming a defining voice of Iranian pop music and an icon for generations of women through her music, films and distinctive style. Her career was abruptly interrupted following theIranian Revolution in 1979, when she was prohibited from performing publicly for more than two decades. After leaving Iran in 2000, she returned to the stage and has since performed for audiences around the world, maintaining her place as one of the country's most influential artists and, in 2025, she released her acclaimed memoir Googoosh: A Sinful Voice.

For more than three decades, Pink Martini has built an international following with its genre-spanning sound, drawing inspiration from musical traditions around the world. Founded by Lauderdale in Portland, Oregon, the ensemble has performed at renowned venues across the globe, bringing together audiences of different generations and backgrounds through music. The collaboration with Googoosh continues that tradition, celebrating one of Iran's most beloved voices while introducing a new chapter in her remarkable career.

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Allison Elbl & Alexa Price at Shore Fire Media