Faranak Shahroozi is an Iranian-American concert pianist and composer whose emotional performances and melodic compositions have landed her music on platforms amongst top instrumentalists such as Yo-Yo Ma, George Winston and Chad Lawson.
Where are you from, and how does that affect your work?
My life story has been full of twists and turns that I can write a whole book about. I was born in Abadan, Iran. Abadan is located in the south of Iran, neighboring Iraq. Abadan has the largest oil refinery in the country. Growing up in Abadan, I had a very comfortable life. I was a pampered, sweet innocent girl knowing nothing about the harshness of life, until one day, the revolution of 1979 happened, and soon the Iran/Iraq war pulled the rug from under me and my family. Life, as I knew it, changed forever. We left our home and all our belongings behind, and escaped Abadan and moved to the capital city of Tehran. My house, my bed, my clothes, school, friends and everything and everyone was gone. I didn’t like my new life. On top of all that, the new Islamic regime was forcing mandatory hijab on women and girls. I hated it. After three years in Tehran, three homes and three schools later, my parents decided to bring me to America. In the early years, life wasn’t easy here either since I was away from my parents and sisters, who I missed immensely. It took me many years to finally feel like I belonged and to call America home. I’m telling you all this so the readers understand what led me to write such emotional melodies! There has been a giant hole in my heart, ever since I left my birthplace of Abadan. Unfortunately, I never had a chance to go back to visit.
Who are your biggest artistic influences?
Piano music of Romantic composers like Chopin, Debussy, Ravel, Satie, Beethoven, Brahms and Schuman have definitely influenced my writing. As far as pianists of modern times, my biggest influences have come from the music of Ernesto Cortàzar, Richard Clayderman and Yanni.
Where do you find inspiration?
I find inspiration from LIFE itself! My newest song is called Rhythms of My Life. Anything and everything can trigger the urge for me to compose. Love, death, nostalgia, broken heart, loneliness and happiness. Sometimes even a great movie or a song can ignite my creative sparks.
When is your favorite time of the day to create?
I’m a night owl. A great bottle of wine and the quiet and tranquility of my house at night is definitely the time for me to create. Somedays, if I’m lucky and have had a good night’s sleep, waking up to a beautiful rainy day, sipping on hot tea in front of the fireplace can definitely put me in a creative mood.
Describe how music is important to society.
I don’t think human beings can live without music. There is evidence that the Neanderthals made sounds that resembled some form of music. In this day and age, music has become the fabric of our society. We can communicate and get our messages across through music. For example, right now, with the uprising of protests in Iran and the worldwide movement of Woman Life Freedom, my music has become my voice. I have used my song, “Persia,” in countless videos and reels, which have been shared by so many on social media. Now Persia is streaming constantly and is being pushed both by the Spotify algorithm and editorial playlists. I also wrote “Bright Lights in the Night” for the brave Iranian women and men fighting for justice and freedom. I dedicated My song, Waltz of the Doves, to all the young men and women who lost their precious lives to free Iran.
What first got you into music?
When I was a baby, my mom used to put the radio on classical stations for me to sleep. I also grew up with three much older sisters who listened to a lot of music. Music was definitely a constant in our house. They listened to everything from Iranian pop music of Googoosh and Kourosh Yaghmaii to Santana and Cat Stevens. I grew up listening to French oldies like Mireille Mathieu, Dalida and Charles Aznavour. I loved and listened to Greek, Arabic and Italian music as well. First memories of my childhood revolved around trying to figure out by ear how to play a song on the piano. I always wanted to perform. After receiving my Bachelors in classical piano performance from San Jose State University in California, I knew I would one day make a name for myself. The journey wasn’t easy, but here I am now.
How do you describe the music you create?
A new project is the best motivator! I always play the melody first, after that, I hear the complete thing in my head. There is so much you can do digitally to layer sounds and add other instruments. My style of music encompasses a wide range of classical, neoclassical, new age and crossover. I have a simple personality. I’m not complicated. I’m very positive, love wholeheartedly, and that resonates in my music. People describe my music as lyrical, romantic, peaceful, cinematic and easy to remember. Fans always tell me that my music caresses their souls. That, to me, is the ultimate compliment!
Where do you see your music going?
I work really hard. I take one step forward each day, and I thank God for my blessings thus far! I have collaborated with great artists such as Lenny Williams, the late Syreeta Wright, Preston Glass, and so many others. I’ve had a few song placements in movies and television. I’m interested in introducing my music for films and collaborating with other artists for music tours. There are many possibilities for me to spread my wings. My ultimate goal is to cross over to the mainstream just like Kenny G and Chris Botti did.
Where can we find your music?
Please tune in to your favorite platform and type my name, Faranak Shahroozi. There is a wide range of music to listen to, from my originals to all-time favorite cover tunes.
My music is distributed worldwide by Symphonic Distribution.
For more information, please visit my website:
Website: www.Faranakmusic.com
Spotify: Faranak Shahroozi | Spotify
Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9tY0BWXOZFvjy91akxuB96bR14q5H1ZV
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9tY0BWXOZFtsZxhQ-oRNHOvAViewimvY
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/faranakmusic/?hl=en
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/100068136602375/
