Fireside Stories: 20 Years of Lullabies from the Axis of Evil

“It was January 29, 2002”, recalls Erik Hillestad, founder of Norwegian label Kirkelig Kulturverksted (KKV). “I was in bed waking up to the news and a presentation of the State of the Union address by President George W Bush to the American people and he mentioned that there is an ‘axis of evil’ in the world: Iraq, Iran, North Korea and their allies. To hear a prominent leader of the Western world talk like this was very provoking and something started to burn inside me. Over the next couple of months, the idea of going to these countries to record was born.”

Hillestad’s venture culminated in an album of lullabies sung by 25 women from around the world – only female because he thought male voices were “far too dominant in the world, speaking the words of power and warfare” and that “the voices of women are hardly heard.”

That was particularly true of Iran, where women were severely restricted from public performances. “I had never been before. I just knew that there were a couple of Norwegian businesses there, so I asked if anybody would know some singers in Tehran. Then I got the email address of Mahsa [Vahdat] and asked her if she or her sister [Marjan] would be willing to perform a lullaby or two. They were at once very positive, so we decided to meet.”

That encounter proved to be a monumentous and life-changing one, particularly for the Vahdats, who eventually had to leave Iran and now both live in exile in the US. Despite all this, Mahsa recalls that first meeting with a smile: “It still feels very fresh, even the name: Lullabies from the Axis of Evil. It related to a specific time and a political phase in the world, but I feel that this project was visionary and very timeless.”

Mahsa’s younger sister Marjan agrees: “My first impression of Erik was of a very peaceful, calm, beautiful man – and that impression hasn’t changed at all! He’s very modest, but at the same time, he sometimes takes very radical actions. I also remember that he said the main thing is to show the world that everything is not only about politics. The countries that you [Bush] point at and accuse as being ‘the axis of evil’ – they have cultures, music, rich histories… So, he has been very inspiring for me all these years. He still is – and now he’s part of our family really.”

As Hillestad acknowledges, the album sadly continues to remain relevant: “When you look at what is happening in Gaza and also the way the US is confronting China and Russia, it’s more obvious that this term is now redefined as something that covers not just states that are suspected of hosting terrorists but also states that don’t share our values. It all makes me very frightened [of] the way the whole world is developing.”

“This album is a kind of monument of conscience”, says Mahsa. “The common sentiment that you find in all these lullabies – whether from Iran, Palestine or from Norway – is that they are not just for sleeping, but for awakening and awareness. Lullabies became so essential in many of our albums.”

“When we met Erik, we learned a lot from each other, so it has been a really inspiring journey, because our lives have been changed and are still changing. Music has been a very reliable companion for me and Marjan. It has uplifted us, helped us through our longing for our country, the injustices… whatever happened, music could always transform us.”

“I had no expectations, so it was a magical moment when they started to sing to me”, Hillestad recalls. “It’s very emotional for me just to talk about it because it was such a strong moment of discovery, and it led to so many projects with the sisters. They are the kind of singers that give their whole heart into the song… There are very few artists like that. What a chance and what luck… yes, it really changed my life when I met them.”

As told by Jo Frost