SHAB turns pop into protest with “Dance Til You’re Free”

With its glittering production and infectious energy, “Dance Til You’re Free” sounds like a pop anthem made for movement - but its message runs far deeper. For Iranian refugee and global artist SHAB, the track is both personal and political, blending a sense of overwhelming joy with defiance at a critical moment for her homeland.

As protests surge across Iran amid economic crisis and intense government repression, the song feels urgently current yet beautifully freeing. Described as the largest wave of demonstrations in over twenty years, the unrest mirrors the reality SHAB experienced growing up during the Iranian Revolution.



"We have had many periods of protest in Iran over the past two decades as Iranians have increasingly grown sick and tired of living under the thumb of corrupt self-proclaimed holy men and their suffocating security apparatus: but this current uprising feels different” SHAB shared bravely.

“As the numbers seem to increase daily, it is almost as if the Iranian masses have finally awoken to the fact that they will live under the yoke of their oppressors until enough of my brothers & sisters are willing to risk their lives in publicly standing against the Gangster Regime. And with the enlightened leadership of Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi and the steadfast American & Israeli support for the Iranian people, we can almost dream that we are on the verge of a new era of co-operation and prosperity in the Middle East. My homeland is on the cusp of freedom."

Long before her pop career in the US - one that has seen her tour with The Wanted and reach the US Top 40 - the simple joys of music and dance were banned during her childhood.Dancing with her sisters became a form of quiet rebellion - a fleeting moment of freedom in an otherwise oppressive environment. Years later, that memory fuels a song that celebrates coming together, resilience, and the power of expression.

Alongside the release, SHAB has been vocal in her support of protesters, sharing bold messages and videos on her Instagram that challenge a regime ruling through fear. Bright, empowering, and impossible to ignore, “Dance Til You’re Free” proves that pop music can still carry purpose - and inspire rapid change.