Shadi Amini
Performing 28 (TEHRAN)
Farhang Foundation presents
Shadi Amini
Farhang Foundation welcomes artist Shadi Amini performing 28 (TEHRAN) written by Fatemeh Ekhtesari. In 2015, after reading Ms. Ekhtesari’s poem about Tehran, Shadi fell in love with the lyrics and this original song was born. The song is about someone who is going to leave all her memories behind and already misses her beloved city. “I love my home and I hope one day I can visit it again” - Shadi Amini
Shadi Amini - Vocals and Guitar
Ali Azizian - Guitar
Misaq Eshaghi - Kamancheh
Mher Gregorian - Cajon
Lyrics by Fatemeh Ekhtesari
About Shadi Amini
Growing up in Iran, art and poetry were integral parts of Shadi Amini’s life. She has always longed to be an artist who can inspire others through her voice and vision. As she went through her journey of self-discovery, she found music a powerful way of expression. Art has a crucial function, especially in conservative societies like Iran, where directness can cause serious problems. Shadi’s passion for music started to develop when she learned how powerfully it could give her the ability to inspire people, challenge taboos, and encourage society to improve itself.
She began writing poems and songs when she was twelve, and that was the conduit by which she chose to express her deep feelings. She learned to play acoustic guitar, and music became an essential part of her life very soon. Then she started composing her songs and writing lyrics for them; Shadi’s work is not limited to acting and producing; it involves creating ideas and storyboarding, filming, and other production processes such as set designing and video editing. She has specific social and political concerns and dedicated her time to researching women’s issues, human rights, and the LGBTQ community to talk about these social issues in her works. Shadi comes from a country where not only do women have to fight for most of their fundamental rights, but as a female singer, she has to face many threats and limitations because of the Islamic Law in Iran.
Becoming an artist seemed an unattainable dream for a young woman like her. Confronting all the limitations and obstacles hindering her, pursuing her vision has never been easy. She feels that she’s obligated to help women find their voice most of the time. She believes that art has the power to change the world as it has changed her world. The first music video she made was about a girl who was trapped in a hypothetical prison, and she changed the world around her by drawings on the walls of the cell. She gradually found a way out by imagining a big window open to freedom. This is how Shadi believes art can touch hearts and souls.
At the age of twenty-four, she left her country and spent three years in Thailand, filled with years of loneliness and despair. Then, she started writing more poems and composing more songs to live her dreams. She worked hard, and the result came up in her first album named “28.” This was an honest attempt to reflect all her pains, feelings, and hopes. After immigrating to the United States in 2013, she got her degree in Fine Art Design and currently lives in Los Angeles, working as a media artist and art director.
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