Baku (Showbiz Desk):Azerbaijan’s Intellectual Property Agency has issued a clarification following reports that the popular folk song “Sari Gelin” was presented as Armenian.
The incident occurred when Iranian singer and composer Araz Torosian (aka Araz Dare) performed the song on Iranian television in Armenian and Persian, after which some Iranian online platforms labeled the song as Armenian. Torosian also uploaded the song on his YouTube channel, introducing it as the Armenian folk song “Sar Agcik” (YouTube link).
In its official statement, Azerbaijan’s Intellectual Property Agency emphasized that “Sari Gelin” belongs to the Azerbaijani Turkic people. The agency cited music expert Javan Shir Guliyev, noting that the song is composed in the Shur mode, one of the seven primary modes in Azerbaijani mugham music.
Shur mode has been widely used in Azerbaijan’s musical tradition, forming the basis of thousands of folk songs performed historically at public festivals and celebrations.
The agency’s clarification reinforces Azerbaijan’s cultural heritage claims and highlights the country’s rich folk music tradition.
