Congratulations on the discharge of ‘One Suitcase!’ The album contains a mixture of private storytelling and broader themes like love, empowerment, and resilience. How do you stability vulnerability along with your radiant ‘world-pop’ sound?
The brief reply is: with nice problem!
To be severe, I actually didn’t actually assume a lot about such kinds of stability in regard to the compilation of songs that have been included on ONE SUITCASE. We now have a few dozen songs which can be close to completion however didn’t make it on to this album for quite a lot of causes…and certainly, a number of of these songs have been excluded merely and insofar as we didn’t need the album to be notably centered on one or two genres.
‘ALCHEMY’ speaks to your reinvention after fleeing fundamentalism. What have been some defining moments in your journey that formed the lady and artist you’re right this moment?
My journey to America and my gradual westernization over 20 years might be the defining side of each my life and my profession. Lots of the views that have been ingrained in me throughout my adolescence in Iran the place issues that I fairly consciously and intentionally needed to unlearn with a view to comfortably exist in America.
Turning into a mom with two great kids was additionally one other key second because it made me understand that I needed to set an instance for my kids that is perhaps a key studying expertise for them. It was within the aftermath of the start of my first baby that I decided to attempt to pursue music on a full-time foundation: so I suppose we’ve bought him guilty.
Lastly however not least, assembly my man and having a dedicated relationship with the person who’s my greatest pal, Quantity One supporter and around-the-clock confidante has given me the muse to pursue my musical goals.
‘ONE SUITCASE’ blends a number of genres, from fashionable disco to Latin and Center Japanese sounds. How do these various influences replicate your identification and inventive imaginative and prescient?
I actually don’t assume it’s any greater than a mirrored image of my musical style and the varied genres of music to which I’ve been uncovered through the years. Whereas rising up in Iran, we listened to all kinds of Western and Center Japanese music: however after I got here to Germany, Once I got here to America, I used to be uncovered to HipHop and myself favored lots of of hours of dance music as I used to be commuting in larger Washington DC. And eventually, after I got here to Texas a decade in the past I used to be launched with heavy publicity to Latino music by my Latino gal buddies right here in Dallas.
Whenever you come into my home, you by no means know what’s going to be enjoying on the sound system — it may very well be Frank Sinatra or Chet Baker or Morgan Web page or Unhealthy Bunny or Tiesto. I nonetheless Love the genius of Paul Oakenfold, the O’Jays, Sade and Miley Cyrus.
So it ought to be no shock to anybody that my musical output is a kaleidoscope of genres.
Some songs, like ‘AFTERGLOW’ and ‘EXOTICA,’ discover sensuality and romance, whereas others, like ‘NOSTALGIC,’ have a extra vengeful edge. How do you navigate these totally different emotional tones inside one album?
ONE SUITCASE represents a chronicle of my coming to America in addition to a few of the troublesome psychological transitions that have been needed to ensure that me to have a completely Westernized life.
An enormous a part of that transition was relearning what it was to be a lady and changing into snug with my femininity: and the way all of that megatopic rolls in to the ideas of romance and romantic relationships.
In that regard, songs akin to AFTERGLOW, EXOTICA, A LITTLE LOVE and ALIVE symbolize one facet of the coin on romance: whereas ALL I WANTED WAS YOU and NOSTALGIC show my very own expertise that not each romantic relationship is wine and roses.
The humanitarian side of your profession is as robust as your musical one, with you latterly becoming a member of Select Love as an envoy. Do you see your self increasing additional into activism sooner or later?
I don’t take into account myself an activist within the sense that most individuals affiliate with occasion politics within the West You aren’t going to see me protesting DOGE actions in America or arguing about whether or not you ought to be utilizing sure bogs.
Nonetheless, being a refugee from a regime that suppresses primary feminine human rights, I’ll all the time stand for feminine empowerment and equality. It strikes me as insane and unhealthy that we’re nonetheless arguing about these points within the twenty first century. However so long as my sisters throughout the globe are subjugated and threatened with punishments for nothing apart from the expression of their femininity, I’ll communicate out. And there may be nothing that in a political sense enrages me greater than a bunch of grownup outdated gangsters desperately clinging to energy and utilizing God and his supposed will as their excuse.
Out of your debut album ‘INFINITE LOVE’ to now, how do you’re feeling you’ve advanced as each an artist and a storyteller?
Oh, I believe that the distinction is profound.
On my INFINITE LOVE album, I nonetheless really feel that quite a few the songs are terrific — however the musical breadth is especially constrained to the EDM style. And a few of the songs are autobiographical: however nonetheless reserved in emotional affect.
On ONE SUITCASE, the album is replete with an array of non-public and deeply reflective songs which can be drawn from my very own expertise. And for instance, I’m unsure that I’ll ever be capable of write a track having a extra deeply and uncooked emotional texture than ALL I WANTED WAS YOU. Or should you assume that ALIVE is only a catchy little dance track, hear onerous.
Select Love has an unimaginable roster of high-profile supporters, together with Oprah and Benedict Cumberbatch. How do you see your self utilizing your platform to drive change?
I’m unsure that my function as a spokesperson for Select Love could have any significant affect, however I’d prefer to assume that consciousness of my very own expertise as a refugee would possibly open folks’s eyes to the truth of this example.
Cross-border migration is such a sizzling matter worldwide, particularly from the standpoint of unlawful immigration throughout borders. It took my household eight years Iran after which one other six years to legally immigrate all of my brothers and sisters into the US. And we’re nonetheless working for over a decade get different relations out of Iran and to America. So I are likely to chuckle out loud when somebody tries to lecture me on the subject.
However appears to get misplaced within the public discourse on immigration is the plight of refugees, you’re typically cod within the No Man’s Land that exists within the trek their native international locations and their meant locations. As a result of I’m so Americanized and haven’t any discernible accent, individuals who have heard my music however have no idea my background are persistently shocked to be taught that I got here to America as a teen with nearly nothing and with a household that suffered horrendous persecutions because of our political affiliations. And when folks be taught of my very own refugee story, it all the time appears to spark a sure diploma of admiration and empathy. So if I can do something on this regard for Select Love, I’m hoping that I can humanize within the minds of individuals the standing of numerous thousands and thousands of equally located people worldwide who’ve actual wants.
Are there any upcoming reside exhibits or excursions that followers ought to be trying ahead to in 2025?
We now have turned down a number of alternatives to date for 2025 just because we didn’t really feel that both the setting or different elements of the efficiency proposals have been acceptable. However we’re working onerous proper now to finalize some tour dates for the approaching 12 months as I’m wanting to carry out a few of the songs that you simply’ll discover on ONE SUITCASE.
With ‘ONE SUITCASE’ marking such a significant chapter in your profession, the place do you see your self headed subsequent musically?
Actually, I’m already at the least three songs into my third album, which I’m hoping to launch throughout 2026. Whereas I’ve not but chosen a theme for the album, a lot much less a working title, I can inform you that these new songs are pretty emotionally uncooked and extra stripped down at the moment than the tracks that you simply’ll discover on ONE SUITCASE.
However In the event you’ve completed studying this interview, go hearken to ONE SUITCASE. I can nearly assure that you simply’ll be glad that you simply did!
