Mixmag, a leading electronic music magazine, has named Iranian DJ, producer and composer Nesa Azadikhah among its top DJs for 2025, noting her expanding role in electronic music and her support for Iranian artists.
The magazine said Azadikhah has become a standout figure through her work on IDM and breaks-focused Makhunik Records and Apranik Records, which she co-founded with artist AIDA. It said she has released music that supports Iranian musicians and raises money for causes including women prisoners whose freedom of speech is restricted.
Mixmag said Azadikhah organizes events in Tehran, curates artists through her platform Deep House Tehran and continues to release a steady flow of productions.
The magazine described her as one of the hardest working figures in Iran’s electronic music scene as she gains recognition abroad.
Crackdown widens on women artists in Iran
The attention for Azadikhah comes as Iranian authorities increase pressure on women in music and public performance.
Iran’s cyber police, known as FATA, blocked the Instagram accounts of two female singers in recent days as part of a wider effort to limit women’s public roles in music and online platforms.
Authorities shut down the Instagram page of singer Niousha Mofidi after she performed solo at a concert by Iranian pop singer Hamid Hami. Officials said the page was removed for producing criminal content. Her posts, including videos of her singing, were deleted.
The Instagram account of rapper Evi, which had nearly 26,000 followers, was also taken offline after security agencies told her to delete the page. She said publicly she would not do so.
Long-standing restrictions on women vocalists
Women in Iran have been barred from singing in front of men since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, based on state-backed religious interpretations. Artists and activists say restrictions have tightened in recent months, especially for women who oppose compulsory hijab rules.
In April, more than 160 artists, civil activists and organizations, including groups inside Iran, condemned what they described as a systematic effort to quiet female singers.
