Sepideh (Persian: سپیده; born 14 January 1976) is an Iranian-born singer. She has recorded and toured around the world multiple times, performing songs in multiple languages including Persian, English, Armenian, Arabic, Kurdish and Turkish.[1]

Sepideh
سپیده افشار
Background information
Birth nameSepideh Afshar
Born (1976-01-14) 14 January 1976 (age 48)
Tehran, Iran
GenresPersian Pop, Dance Music, International Music
OccupationSinger
InstrumentVocals
Years active1998–present
LabelsCaltex Records (1998–2007), Avang Music (2008–present)
Websitesepidehmusic.com

Personal life

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Sepideh was born in Tehran, Iran and is of Kurdish descent on her father's side. She moved with her family to the Washington D.C. area in the late 1980s. She started singing in a band called Setareh while still in high school. After graduating, she joined another band called Mask. The band did shows all along the east coast of the United States for several years before Sepideh moved to Los Angeles, California in 1997 to pursue a career in music full time.[2] She still lives in Los Angeles area with her husband.[3]

Career

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After moving to Los Angeles in 1997, Sepideh got her break upon meeting the Persian music industry producer Shahbal Shabpareh. Sepideh started working with Shahbal in 1998 when he asked her to join as lead singer of the all-female Persian singing group Silhouettt (aka Silhouettte).[4] Soon after, in 1999, the album "Beauty and the Beat" was released with Sepideh having recorded all vocals for the album. Silhouettt opened that year for Shahbal's band Black Cats, performing concerts around the world in support of the album. A few years later, in 2004, Sepideh released her first solo album entitled "Girl in the Mirror" with music producer Ramin Zamani. She followed that album in 2007 with her second solo album "No Fear," produced by Schubert Avakian. The book Soundtrack of the Revolution mentions that Sepideh is a "Shakira-esque pop singer".[5] Although she has released no full albums since 2007, Sepideh has released multiple singles since then.

After the death of the Persian female music icon Mahasti in 2007, Sepideh was one of only four Persian female singers asked by the Tapesh TV Network to record and perform a tribute song in Mahasti's memory.[6][7] The other singers involved in the project were Leila Forouhar, Helen, and Hengameh.

In 2016, Sepideh gave a live performance as the musical guest star for the finale of the Manoto TV talent show Stage.[8]

Sepideh has developed a large online social media presence where she has accumulated millions of followers on various platforms like Facebook,[9] Instagram,[10] Twitter, and Telegram. In addition, her music and videos have garnered over 100 million listens and views on various streaming platforms like YouTube,[11][12][13][14] iTunes,[15] Spotify,[16] Radio Javan,[17] Bia2.com,[18] and others.

Discography

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Albums

Beauty and the Beat[19]

  • Released: 1999
  • Format: CD
  • Label: Caltex Records
  • Producer: Shahbal Shabpareh
  • Singles:
    as part of Silhouettt
    No.TitleLength
    1."Aroosiye Tou"4:34
    2."Shaparak"4:54
    3."Setareh"4:52
    4."Hasood"4:26
    5."Ham Koocheh"4:02
    6."Barg"5:29
    7."Eastgah"4:10
    8."Aroosiye Tou (Instrumental)"5:27

Girl in the Mirror (Dokhtare Tooye Ayeneh)[20]

  • Released: 2004
  • Format: CD
  • Label: Caltex Records
  • Producer: Ramin Zamani
  • Singles:
    No.TitleLength
    1."Mikham Barat Bemiram"4:05
    2."Keesh"4:15
    3."Yadet Miad"4:07
    4."Dokhtare Tooye Ayeneh (Girl in the Mirror)"4:42
    5."Dele Divooneh"4:11
    6."Kafshe Noghrehee"3:35
    7."Ageh Besheh Chee Misheh"3:46
    8."Keesh (Club Mix)"3:42
    9."Medley"1:46

No Fear[21]

  • Released: 2007
  • Format: CD
  • Label: Sepideh Music
  • Producer: Schubert Avakian
  • Singles:
    No.TitleLength
    1."Be Ham Miresim"3:23
    2."Baa Siyaasat"3:10
    3."Vaaseh Chee"3:43
    4."To Ham Nabaashi"3:02
    5."Nagoo Aasheghetam"4:05
    6."To Kee Hasti"3:51
    7."Doos Daaram"3:13
    8."Shab"4:09
    9."Schubert On Piano (Nagoo Aasheghetam)"4:08

Singles

Divaneh Shodam

Shoghe Parvaanegi

Nimkat

Nazanin

Dastaye To

365

Modara Mikonam

Zepyuri Nman

Zendegi Khoobeh

Nazdar

Labkhande Masnooie

Sharteh Booseh

Faseleh

Mimiram

Awards and nominations

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  • 2017 – Best Iranian Female Act, daf BAMA Music Awards[22]
  • 2016 – Best Iranian Female Act, daf BAMA Music Awards (Nominated)
  • 2009 – Best Middle Eastern Song, The JPF Awards (Nominated)[23]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Farsi 1 TV interview with Sepideh". YouTube.
  2. ^ "OurStage artist bio".
  3. ^ BBC Persian, 12:20 mark, بلور بنفش: کشتی تفریحی مدیترانه – قسمت دوم, retrieved 10 December 2018
  4. ^ "Silhouettte on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  5. ^ Siamdoust, Nahid (18 January 2017). Soundtrack of the Revolution: The Politics of Music in Iran. Stanford University Press. ISBN 9781503600966.
  6. ^ Tapesh TV Network, Beh Yaad Mahasti – Leila Forouhar, Helen, Hengameh and Sepideh, retrieved 8 February 2019
  7. ^ Leila Forouhar, Helen, Hengameh, & Sepideh – Memories (Mahasti Tribute), 5 October 2010, retrieved 8 February 2019
  8. ^ تو, Manoto من و. "Sepideh's performance at 1:20:10 قسمت ۲۲ – نتیجه نهایی". Manoto TV (in Persian). Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  9. ^ "Sepideh". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  10. ^ "Sepideh (@sepidehmusic) • Instagram photos and videos". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  11. ^ Avang Music, Sepideh – Nazanin OFFICIAL VIDEO HD, retrieved 8 February 2019
  12. ^ Avang Music, Sepideh – Mimiram OFFICIAL VIDEO HD, retrieved 8 February 2019
  13. ^ Avang Music, Sepideh – Zendegi Khoobe OFFICIAL VIDEO HD, retrieved 8 February 2019
  14. ^ Avang Music, Sepideh – Dastaye To OFFICIAL VIDEO HD, retrieved 8 February 2019
  15. ^ "Sepideh on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  16. ^ "Sepideh". open.spotify.com. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  17. ^ "Sepideh MP3s, Videos, Albums, Events- RadioJavan.com". www.radiojavan.com. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  18. ^ "Sepideh - Persian Music – Bia2.com". www.bia2.com. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  19. ^ "Beauty and the Beat, Amazon digital music". Amazon.
  20. ^ "Girl in the Mirror, Amazon digital music". Amazon.
  21. ^ "No Fear, Amazon digital music". Amazon.
  22. ^ "2017 daf BAMA Winners".
  23. ^ "2009 JPF Awards".
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