Nooshafarin

Nooshafarin
Birth name	Fatima Abdi
Born	March 2, 1956 (1956-03-02) (age 55) Gilan, Iran
Genres	Pop, dance
Occupations	Singer, actress
Years active	1972–present
Labels	Avang Music Taraneh Records

Nooshafarin (Persian: نوش آفرين, also spelled Noosh Afarin) is a popular Iranian singer. She is part of a large network of Iranian singer, composer, and songwriter exiles of the 1970s era who live and work in Southern California. Her name means "creator of joy" in Persian.

Early years

Nooshafarin started her entertainment career as an actress. While going to school one night in Tehran, she spotted a newspaper advertisement from Payam Studio that called for an open movie role audition for young women between the ages of 18 to 20 years old. Trying her luck, Nooshafarin auditioned for the role. The director, Mirlohi, ended up choosing Nooshafarin to be his next talent from hundreds of hopefuls who had taken part in the call.

Her career was immediately launched with the commencement of her work as an actress. Over the next two years, she made 12 films. Working with such acclaimed actors of the Reza Shah era as Naser Malek Moteii, Behrooz Vosooghi, Saiid Rad, Beyk Imanverdi, Manouchehr Vossogh, Bahman Mofid and Morteza Aghili she gained notability for the roles she played. Magazines tended to the youth of Iran also gave exposure to the rising starlet.

When exactly, before or after her acting career, Nooshafarin decided on singing is not known. Although initiated into acting, she always dreamt of becoming a singer - according to her own personal account. Whether her involvements with actors which led her to become acquainted with singers (both of these professions were closely connected in 1970s Iran) led her to music is also not clear. However, she maintains she wanted to pursue singing as her primary interest from the beginnings.

Some sources state that the meager financial compensation of her acting career, along with the notoriety associated with female actors of the 70s Iran, forced her to look for other avenues in entertainment. Therefore she stepped into singing, trying her luck there.

After her introduction to Fereydoon Khoshnood, also a musician starting his singing career, the two agreed on a joint partnership to create music. Her first song Ghebleh was the result of this collaboration. The first airing of this song was on Fereydoon Farokhzad’s show: Mikhak Noghreyi. The song ranked high on music charts and garnered the two notability. This was Nooshafarin’s formal introduction to the public.

She says she will always remain indebted to Khoshnood for his contributions that led her to fame with this hit single.

Exile to India

After the Iranian Revolution in 1979, Nooshafarin initially stayed in Iran in hopes of a quick end to the war. However, in 1986 with the deterioration of the country’s political situation she decided to leave Iran. By this time, she had been credited to have 27 hit songs on her resume. Leaving behind her career, she immigrated to India, a country closely related to her native homeland.

Nooshafarin, despite the cultural differences, adjusted well to the new lifestyle in India. She learned the language, studied the culture and acquainted herself with the Indian commoners. This time was to have a big impact on the singer as it raised her professional maturity, and a reflection of this can be seen in her music to this day. Due to the strong tradition of music in Indian culture, Nooshafarin became acquainted with the rich cultural heritage of that country.

She says her dream is to return back to India and make an entire music CD in Hindi.

Move to America

In 1990, Nooshafarin headed for Canada, where she eventually decided to settle in Toronto. Although reconnecting with her old entertainment colleagues who were also living in exile in that country, she did not become active in singing. She made new friends and continued her accustomed simple lifestyle that she had acquired in India. However, with the encouragement of the larger Iranian community, she decided to move to Los Angeles in 1994. After many years of silence, she stepped back into the spotlight, much to the delight of the awaiting fans.

Since her residence in Los Angeles, she has recorded several notable albums. Many of the songs in her CDs are renditions of songs from her own collections but others' as well.

Nooshafarin has credited Mehdad Zand Karimi, Ahmad Massoud, Koji Zadoori, and Brian Wayy for their contribution and assistance that once again revived her embattled career. She has since re-established her status and performs regularly in concerts.

Quotes

• "When I stepped back into music after 17 years off, I felt like a new singer. It felt very good."

• "This is where many important Iranian companies and Iranian media are, so I felt I needed to be in Los Angeles."

• "I will always be grateful for the kindness, help and inspiration Khoshnood showed me. I could not have done all this without him, and I want him to know that all the songs I sing are a gift from me to him."

• "The Hindi people are very good in nature, very thankful for what they have. I have always been moved by their music."

• "Singing is my passion in life. When I sing, I feel free, I feel loved, and I am truly alive. I hope I never have to quit this passion for any reason."

Discography

Albums

• Faryad (?)
• Dokhtar Shah Parioon (1994)
• Oxygen (1995)
• Nazanineh Ashegh(1997)
• Sabzeh Be Naaz (1999)
• Khatereha (2001)
• Haft Darya (2001)
• Our Night (2003)
• Attash (2006)
• Koocheye Rangi (2008)

References

• "Zenith of Fever, Love & Music with Nooshafarin’s Attash Album", Tehran Magazine (509): 72–73 .
• "Nooshafarin's Lengthy Interview Regarding New Faces, TV Stations & Record Companies", Tehran Magazine (490): 72–73 .

External links

• Official website
• Online Fanclub

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