By Avin Salah



ERBIL, Kurdistan Region -

A recent clip of Kurdish female singer Helly Luv, which went viral overnight, has put the singer in hot water among some critics who accuse her of Freemasonry because of some symbols appearing in the video.

“I am not a Mason and I have no information about Masons,” Helly Luv told Rudaw.

After the release of her clip Risk it All which was mostly filmed at the Erbil Citadel, Helly Luv has been under harsh attacks for allegedly showing a version of a Masonic flag in her clip.

In an interview with Rudaw, she rejected the allegations and said that before releasing her clip she knew that she is going to be criticized and praised simultaneously. But she admitted she did not think the criticism would get to a point where she would be accused of Freemasonry.

Part of her video clip shows an inverted pyramid containing the picture of a black cat’s head, which has been interpreted by some as the depiction of a Masonic flag.

“If my clip shows a form of Masonic symbols then anything that has a triangular shape such as triangular cheese, triangular houses and many other stuff must be forbidden,” she said.

“I used an inverted pyramid with a photo of a cat which is more like a symbol of feminism not Masonry,” added the singer, who is in Erbil for some humanitarian and musical work.

Responding to online criticism of her name – saying Helly Luv really means Hell Love – she explained that her real name was Helan. “Some people call me Helly to show their affection. Helly Luv is my nickname and we all know what love means and I couldn’t find any better and stronger word than love.”

The singer, who was born in Urumiyeh in Iranian Kurdistan, is originally from Duhok. She grew up in Finland and lives in the United States of America.

Commenting on her video, she said she “wanted to do something different and to show the world that Kurdish women are capable and have participated in wars alongside Kurdish men.

“The title of the song (Risk it All) is very clear, it means that we enter the war without knowing that we will survive or die,” she said.

Rudaw