All-Female Pop Band from Iran Breaks Ground with Australian Tour, Having Previously Performed Only for Women

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Iranian pianist, singer and music teacher Bahar Ilchi has spent more than two decades breaking barriers in her country’s music industry.

In 2009, she founded Polaris, an all-female band that plays a blend of contemporary pop and traditional sounds.

“It started as a dream, I wanted to create a space where women could perform, collaborate and be heard,” she told SBS Persian.

Despite encountering many talented female musicians, she said she was frustrated at the lack of opportunities to perform live.

Since the establishment of the Islamic Republic in Iran in 1979, women have faced significant restrictions on solo singing and public performances.

Bahar Ilchi founded the all-female pop band Polaris in 2009. Credit: Bahar Ilchi

According to The Guardian, these restrictions initially banned all forms of women’s singing but later evolved into a prohibition on solo performances in front of mixed-gender audiences.

While women are allowed to sing as background vocalists or perform for all-female audiences, solo public performances remain largely forbidden, as noted by Iran International.

Through Polaris, Ilchi looked to take advantage of a loophole that allowed women to perform on stage if they were part of a band.

With inspirations as diverse as Backstreet Boys and Metallica, Ilchi said she has always valued the “powerful energy” of group performances.

Bahar Ilchi with her band Polaris. Credit: Bahar Ilchi

After three and a half years of rehearsals, rejections and bureaucracy, Polaris finally gained permission from the the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance to perform on stage.

“We rehearsed for years, never knowing if we would ever receive official permission to perform,” Ilchi recalled.

“When that permission finally came through, I screamed with joy.”

A band like no other

What began as a modest ensemble evolved into a nationally recognised act.

Polaris has since performed more than 50 times at major venues in Tehran like Vahdat Hall and the Niavaran Cultural Center, and Iran’s Fajr International Music Festival.

Every stage we stepped onto was a statement.

Bahar Ilchi

Polaris’s lineup has fluctuated over the years, ranging from 16 to 36 members, from seasoned performers to young learners.

Currently, the band features four singers and a full ensemble of instruments — bass guitar, trumpet, violin, saxophone, flute, keyboard, drums, electric guitar and tombak (goblet drum).

Polaris is an all-female pop band whose members play instruments including guitar, drums and violin. Credit: Polaris Band

“I wasn’t concerned about the numbers,” Ilchi said. “What mattered was including instruments people rarely see women play.”

Her vision was to build a band that could harness pop music’s broad appeal to challenge stereotypes.

Polaris’s performances feature Iranian folk songs, showcasing distinct dialects and cultures, including Gilaki from the northern Caspian region, Kordi from the western Kurdish areas, Lori from central Iran, Azari from the northwest, and Jonubi from the southern provinces.

Polaris has released more than 20 original Persian singles, but due to Iranian laws, they are not permitted to publish their music online or distribute it publicly.

Under the Islamic Republic’s regulations, women are banned from performing solo vocals in mixed-gender settings, and this extends to recorded music made available to the general public.

As a result, Polaris can only perform their Persian songs in private, women-only concerts inside Iran.

The band also performs popular songs in languages like English, Arabic and French, with Ilchi saying “music is the common language of the world — a language of communication and peace.”

Another significant hurdle for her band, she said, has been the constant turnover of band members due to migration.

Many members kept leaving the band as they migrated in search of greater freedom and the chance to perform without restrictions, which was very difficult for me at first.

Bahar Ilchi

However, Ilchi now embraces this challenge as a responsibility.

“I see it as my duty to discover new talent and create a rare space where young women can grow and showcase their skills,” she explained.

“I’m proud that Polaris can be that opportunity for them.”

Women-only concerts

Despite these restrictions, many female artists have turned to social media to share their voices, often defying the official ban on women singing solo.

Ilchi explained that performing exclusively for women also holds its own rewards.

Polaris is only permitted to perform for female audiences in Iran. Credit: Polaris Band

“Women are incredibly attentive to every detail of our performance and always provide thoughtful, meaningful feedback,” Ilchi shared.

“That’s why we love performing for them!”

After years of obstacles, Polaris is now preparing for its first overseas concerts, an achievement Ilchi describes as “nothing less than reaching the moon”.

The group will kick off its Australian tour with shows in Brisbane and Melbourne (Dandenong).

‘Raising their voices’ for Iranian women

Azadeh Davachi, an Iranian-Australian researcher, writer and women’s rights activist, views Polaris’s international performances as a groundbreaking moment for Iranian women.

Azadeh Davachi. Credit: Azadeh Davachi

“This is a huge step forward, not just for women in Iran, but for women everywhere who are standing up for themselves — especially Gen Z and Millennials,” she said.

“They’re not just raising their voices within Iran; they’re travelling abroad, showcasing their talents, and asserting their place in the world.”

Davachi said the women are challenging stereotypes by stepping onto global stages.

“They’ve already broken so many barriers — performing on stage, with or without the hijab, is a powerful statement.

“It’s important that we, especially within our own (Iranian) community, focus on the act itself — the fact that they are performing, is a significant movement.”

Quoting one of her favourite Iranian scholars, Farzaneh Milani, Davachi said: “The more a society restricts women, the more creative they become.”

Art, in its purest form, is a peaceful act of civil resistance.

Azadeh Davachi

Davachi also expressed pride in the resilience of Iranian women.

“For those of us living outside Iran, it’s incredibly heartening to see how women are thriving and refusing to give up,” she said. “It fills us with hope.”

Looking ahead, Davachi is increasingly hopeful about the future of women in Iran.

“I believe we’ve reached a tipping point where women will become the leading voices in protest art. After all, they’re the ones most oppressed, and their creative resistance is powerful.”

Bringing Polaris to Australia

Natasha Nasiri is an Iranian-Australian event organiser whose passion for promoting female talent led her to bring Polaris to Australia.

Nasiri said she always looks for ways to bridge cultural gaps and elevate Iranian female talent globally.

Natasha Nasiri. Credit: Natasha Nasiri

Captivated by the band’s energy and professionalism during a trip to Iran, she questioned why such talent should remain confined.

But bringing Polaris to Australia was no small feat.

“It was a mix of stress and excitement,” she explained. “The first challenge was timing. We couldn’t confirm anything until their visa came through just a week before the performance.

“Not being a known band due to the lack of video footage of their performances was both a hurdle and a bonus for us,” Nasiri said.

“It was a hurdle because people who had never seen them live couldn’t find any footage, as they’re not allowed to share their performances. But it was also a bonus because it sparked people’s curiosity — they wanted to see what Polaris was all about.”

She also faced logistical hurdles in bringing the entire band to Australia.

While she could have chosen to bring only a few members, Nasiri insisted on bringing the whole group.

Although it was expensive, she believed it was essential to maintain the band’s unity.

“This concert is not just about music — it’s about showcasing the talents of women who have been restricted for so long. This is about encouraging other women to follow their dreams,” she said.