Salam En Mosahebeye Shahrzad Sepanlou ba Radio eshgh iran hast ke baraye 1 sal 5 mah pish hast Emrooz tasmim greftam matn mosahebye shahrzad ba radio eshgh irano bezaram. omidvaram khoshetoon biad ba Tashakor Ali Yazdanijoo


Face to face with Shahrzd Sepanlou
Shahrzad Sepanlou is one of the best singers of the new generation of Persian music. She released her first solo Album (Our Story) in Summer of 2000 and the tender-velvet-voiced singer described her emotions and feelings through her songs which captured the attention and heart of her audience, and made her fans and critics agree on one thing, she has lots of talent. She is going to release her second album in August 2003 ("1001 Nights" by AVANG Music Co), and we contacted her to ask her few questions about this event. First thing that we noticed is that she does not have only a great talent but she also has a great character, very humble and nice. eshgh e iran: Shahrzad Khanoom salaam, Could you please introduce yourself?
Shahrzad: I was born in Tehran where I grew up in a household where music and the arts were very important to us. My fondest memories are from my childhood in Iran and all the great artists, poets and musicians that I met through my parents. From early on, the arts, particulary music became a focal point of my life. I realized that I loved to sing and entertain and I was encouraged as well by my teachers and friends. I left Iran for America with my family in 1985 during the war between Iran and Iraq. On our way to America, we had to stop over in London and Paris (my favorite city) for a year for residency issues and then we came to California where I started Junior High.
eshgh e iran: What was your feeling when you left the country? What is your feeling in general about your life far from your country?
Shahrzad: I felt very sad and scared and yet I felt relieved and elated in other ways. As a young girl I wanted to have freedom which for me at that time was dressing the way I wanted and listening to the music I wanted without feeling afraid for my life. Now of course I realize that there is a lot more to freedom than just the way you can dress. Freedom ultimately is the luxury to think and express yourself the way you wish in every aspect of life without having to censor yourself for fear of punishment. I had a very hard time the first few years I left Iran especially when things would get difficult for me as a teenager. I missed Iran, my home and my friends tremendously. I felt that I had lost my identity and confidence and felt as though I lived in a daze. Yet, I really appreciated the fact that I enjoyed freedoms and the kind of lifestyle that many other people wish for. So I am always grateful at the same time. Time tends to heal all wounds but I have a strong connection to Iran and always will.
eshgh e iran: I heard that you work at UCLA, are you still there?
Shahrzad: I no longer work at UCLA. With the support of my husband, I actually quit my job a few months ago to concentrate on my music and my second album due to be released this summer. I received my Bachelor's in Sociology from UCLA and worked at the UCLA International Studies office while I was a student. After graduation, I stayed at that office while working on my music career. My work environment was very relaxed and pleasant and my co-workers were very supportive of my music projects so it was a great fit.
eshgh e iran: What was your feeling about your first album? Were you satisfied with it? Tell us about Bolvard Mirdamad and Eteraz. What is the story behind them? When I listened to these two songs I felt I was hearing my heart talking, and I am sure lots of Iranian around the world had the same feeling.
Shahrzad: I like my first album "Our Story" very much because I was able to share my feelings and hopes with people in a medium that I am good at. The songs you hear were picked because they spoke what was really in my heart and I did not think of its commercial aspect at all when I was collaborating on the songs with Mr. Farzin Farhadi. Mirdamad and Eteraz are two songs which really come from the heart. Mirdamad's lyrics are written by my father, Mohammad Ali Sepanlou. It is about Iran and the feelings associated with its cities and streets and people. It's a very nostalgic song. Eteraz, written by Zoya Zakarian voices the frustrations of an immigrant living outside of Iran who is complaining about the wrong judgements that some people inside Iran may have formed about him or her. It's about all of us living outside of Iran and going through our own difficulties and wanting other Iranians inside the country to know that we too don't have the easiest life unlike what they may think.
eshgh e iran: None of your songs has a "Persian Style", why is that?
Shahrzad: Well, I think what we tried to do is to combine middle-eastern/persian sounds and style with more western/jazzy sounds. This came naturally to us, because both me and the producer/song-writer I work with (Farzin Farhadi) have lived both in Iran and America and our music education has consisted of western music. I myself appreciate more eclectric music that uses various instruments and sounds and I like the marriage of eastern and western music very much. In my new album, "1001 Nights", which is to be released in August of 2003 by Avang Music Company, you will see much more of that.
eshgh e iran: Who did you work with for preparing this album?
Shahrzad: The lyricists consisted of Zoya Zakarian, Partow Nooriala (my mother), Mohammad Ali Sepanlou (my father), and Paksima Zakipour who are all wonderful poets/lyricists. The songs were written by Mr. Farzin Farhadi who is a very talented and experimental musician. The direction and the overall sound of the album of course was my own choice and decision. I work very closely with Farzin and provide input throughout the whole process of music making.
eshgh e iran: Who are the singers that you use to listen to? What is your musical taste?
Shahrzad: I listen to a wide and varied range of singers and music. Here are only some of my favorite singers and music in no particular order: The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Googoosh, Dariush, Farhad, Marjan, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Francoise Hardy, Marc Lavoine, Madredeus, Amalia Rodriguez, Paris Combo, Putumayo World Music Series, Cirque du Soleil series, Stan Getz, Joao Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Portishead, Olivia Newton-John, Sting, Madonna and many more. I also have a deep appreciation for Classical Music and Jazz and I really enjoy music from around the world. I do listen to contemporary pop music as well to keep in tune with what is in demand and topping the charts but I prefer more alternative and less commercial music myself.
eshgh e iran: I saw that you are working on your new album. When do you think it will be released?
Shahrzad: Yes, my new album should be ready for release in August of 2003 by Avang Music Company. The lyricists I work with will be pretty much the same as last: Partow Nooriala, Mohammad Ali Sepanlou, Paksima Zakipour. I am also working for the first time with Mr. Kambiz Mirzaei who writes lovely lyrics and I was lucky enough to get my hands on one of them. Also, I am using one of the poems of Forough Farrokhzad whose work I love and admire. Of course, I asked for Permission from Ms. Pourran Farrokzad who is Forough's sister. I am working with Farzin Farhadi again on this album. The new album will be somewhat different from "Our Story" in that it will use more ethnic and middle-eastern sounds and instruments and will still combine it with western music. Also, the album consists of a few groovy dance songs as well some beautiful love songs. On the whole, it's a more feminine and uplifiting album.
eshgh e iran: What are the messages that you would like to give to our visitors?
Shahrzad: I just want to thank your viewers for taking the time and reading this interview. I hope that they will enjoy my new album and I look forward to hearing from them by email if they get a chance to visit my web site: Shahrzadmusic.com Finally, from the bottom of my heart, I wish all Iranian people and all people of the world freedom and better times.