# Mehrdad Asemani

Mehrdad Akhavan (Persian: مهرداد اخوان), better known by his stage name Mehrdad Asemani (Persian: مهرداد آسمانی), was born on July 16, 1967, in Tehran, Iran. He is an Iranian singer, composer, and musician currently living in Los Angeles.

## Early life and career

Akhavan was born in Tehran and spent his childhood in Hafez Street (Sanglej). He went to Hadaf Junior High and graduated from Hadaf High School. Despite being accepted to university, he enlisted for military service and served for 27 months in the Iran-Iraq War. While attending school, he learned music and singing techniques from masters in these fields in Iran.
When he realized he could not freely pursue his singing career in Iran, he left Iran in 1992 for Los Angeles. While in Los Angeles, Akhavan released his first album, Voice of Sun, becoming famous in the Persian community worldwide. With his second album called Pooste Shab, he became a household name in the Persian community.
Akhavan has written many songs for other famous Persian singers living in California; many of them are about Iran. In his album Ghazal, Akhavan sings "Mahak" for his child, Mehrzad.
Akhavan collaborated with Persian Diva Googoosh to work on her album Q, Q Bang Bang.

## Leaving Iran

In addition to his primary studies, Akhavan studied music with art professors. After performing several songs for Iranian radio and television, he decided to work independently.
Akhavan first achieved fame with the album Night Skin and the famous song "Chador" (Chador Nendaz Saret), with lyrics by Masoud Amini and composing by Hassan Shamaeizadeh. Mohammad Saleh Ala and Amini composed the songs performed in their first albums. After releasing these two albums and performing a concert in Los Angeles, Akhavan held concerts in different cities in America and Europe in 1999. He married Ghazaleh in 2000 and had two sons, Mehrzad and Mahan. The couple separated in 2010. In 2019, Akhavan married Shiva Rahimi and had a son named Milan.

## Artistic activity
### Composing for other singers

Akhavan worked with Googoosh, Shohreh Solati, Nooshafarin, Sattar, Mahasti, Shahram Shabpareh, Leila Forouhar, Shahram Solati, Toka, Behzad, Farrokh Turkzadeh, Nahid, Sheila, Susan Roshan, Mansour, Fataneh, Saman, and Arman.
Akhavan has collaborated with famous songwriters such as Iraj Janati Atai, Masoud Amini, Mohammad Saleh Ala, Shahyar Ghanbari, Homayoun Houshiarnejad, Masoud Fardmanesh, Zoya Zakarian, and Jacqueline, and with composers such as Jahanbakhsh Pazooki, Siavash Ghomayshi, Hassan Shamaeizadeh, Manouchehr Cheshmazar, and Babak Bayat.

### Collaboration with Googoosh

Akhavan's first collaboration with Googoosh was Q, Q Bang Bang, with a poem by Zoya Zakarian. It was arranged by Manouchehr Cheshmazar, and its total runtime was about 13 minutes long. This collaboration continued in the album Last News in 2003. Akhavan composed all the songs in this album (except "Pir Mashrekh"). The songs of this album were written by Shahyar Ghanbari and Zakarian, with arrangements by Akhavan, Andy J, and Manouchehr Cheshmazar, who performed the song Last News in two voices in this album. Googoosh appeared as a guest singer in Akhavan's snapshot album and performed three songs with Akhavan in two voices. Subsequently, Akhavan appeared in the next album of Googoosh, Akhavan's Manifest, as a composer and arranger with songs by Shahyar Ghanbari. He also performed the song of birth certificate in two voices with Googoosh; in 2008, after three years of silence, they jointly released the album Shab Speid.

### Collaboration with Shohreh Solati

Most of Akhavan's songs (after Googoosh) were performed by Shohreh Solati, including 14 songs, four of which are unreleased. One song, "Payam", had lyrics written by Masoud Fardmanesh and arranged by Manouchehr Cheshmazar. The song "Naamee", with music by Masoud Fardmanesh, was arranged by Amir Badakhsh. Akhavan was a singer of the two-voice song. Akhavan's collaboration with Shohreh was not limited to composing and singing; the two went around the world together to perform a tour in Europe and America.

### Cooperation with Sattar and Mahasti

This collaboration was titled Gol Gandam, produced jointly with Sattar and Mahasti. Akhavan wrote the lyrics of all the songs in this album, as well as Alireza Meibodi, Homayoun Hoshiar Nejad, and Masoud Amini; Gol Gandam was arranged by Manouchehr Cheshmazar, Schubert. Avakian and Saeed Ghorbani, published in 1998, had Mahasti and Sattar perform a two-part song called "Booye Noon, Booye Khak, and Booye Gandom".

## Discography
### The Voice of the Sun

This album was recorded underground in Iran and released in Los Angeles.
Khurshid Sound album, Taraneh Records, 1994 :
| Name | Songwriter | Composer | Arrangement |
| "Lisanse" | Mohammad Saleh Ala | Mehrdad Asemani | Ara Hairapatian |
| "Sag (Dog)" | Mohammad Saleh Ala | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar |
| "Mashtaqi" | Mohammad Saleh Ala | Mehrdad Asemani | Parviz Rahman Panah |
| "Zolfe Siah" | Mohammad Saleh Ala | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar |
| "Yadegari" | Mohammad Saleh Ala | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar |
| "On roza" | Mohammad Saleh Ala | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar |
| "Khanomi" | Alireza Meibodi | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar |
| "Aftab (Sun)" | Mohammad Saleh Ala | Mehrdad Asemani | Ara Hairapatian |

### Night Skin

Poost Shab album, Taraneh Records, 1995 :
| Name | Songwriter | Composer | Arrangement |
| "Chador" | Masoud Amini | Hassan Shamayizadeh | Mehdad Zand Karimi |
| "Pooste Shab" | Masoud Amini | Mohammad Heidari | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar |
| "Eyde Ghorbat" | Mohammad Barani | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar |
| "Baghe Atlasi" | Mohammad Barani | Mehrdad Asemani | Ara Hairapatian |
| "Safar Eshgh" | Mohammad Barani | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar |
| "Shabeston Cheshat" | Mohammad Barani | Mehrdad Asemani | Farhad Morafah |
| "Aman Aman" | Aref Ghazvini | | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar |
| "Mashin Abpash" | Masoud Amini | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar |
| Singer | Song | Songwriter | Composer | Arrangement | Release date |
| Googoosh | "QQ Bang Bang" | Zoya Zakarian | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar | 2003 |
| Googoosh | "Otaghe Man" | Shahriar Ghanbari | Mehrdad Asemani | Andi J | 2004 |
| Googoosh | "Chele Neshin" | Shahriar Ghanbari | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar | 2004 |
| Googoosh / Mehrdad | "Akharin Khabar" | Shahriar Ghanbari | Mehrdad Asemani | Mehrdad Asemani | 2004 |
| Googoosh | "Ahoye Eshgh" | Zoya Zakarian | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar | 2004 |
| Googoosh | "Eyde Eshgh" | Zoya Zakarian | Mehrdad Asemani | Andi J | 2004 |
| Googoosh | "Baham" | Zoya Zakarian | Mehrdad Asemani | Andi J | 2004 |
| Googoosh | "Del Kodak" | Shahriar Ghanbari | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar | 2004 |
| Googoosh | "Ay mardom" | Shahriar Ghanbari | Mehrdad Asemani | Mehrdad Asemani | 2005 |
| Googoosh | "Nejatam Bedeh" | Shahriar Ghanbari | Mehrdad Asemani | Mehrdad Asemani | 2005 |
| Googoosh | "Eshgh Yani Hamechi" | Shahriar Ghanbari | Mehrdad Asemani | Mehrdad Asemani | 2005 |
| Googoosh | "Sangar bi panah" | Shahriar Ghanbari | Mehrdad Asemani | Mehrdad Asemani | 2005 |
| Googoosh | "Khoobe khob" | Shahriar Ghanbari | Mehrdad Asemani | Mehrdad Asemani | 2005 |
| Googoosh | "Ghazal shisheyi" | Shahriar Ghanbari | Mehrdad Asemani | Mehrdad Asemani | 2005 |
| Googoosh | "Aftabi" | Shahriar Ghanbari | Mehrdad Asemani | Mehrdad Asemani | 2005 |
| Googoosh / Mehrdad | "Shenasname man" | Shahriar Ghanbari | Mehrdad Asemani | Mehrdad Asemani | 2005 |
| Googoosh | "Shak mikonam" | Shahriar Ghanbari | Mehrdad Asemani | Andi J | 2008 |
| Googoosh | "Shabe Sepid" | Shahriar Ghanbari | Mehrdad Asemani | Andi J | 2008 |
| Mahasti | "Mehman" | Alireza Meibodi | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar | 2000 |
| Mahasti | "Zanjire Eshgh" | Hoomayon Hoshyarnezhad | Mehrdad Asemani | Saeed Ghorbani | 2000 |
| Mahasti | "Not haye jodayi" | Hoomayon Hoshyarnezhad | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar | 2000 |
| Mahasti / Sattar | "Booye Noon Booye Gandom" | Alireza Meibodi | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar | 2000 |
| Sattar | "Ahoo" | Masoud Amini | Mehrdad Asemani | Schubert Avakian | 2000 |
| Sattar | "Az to che mondeh baghi" | Alireza Meibodi | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar | 2000 |
| Sattar | "Joone Jonam" | Masoud Amini | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar | 2000 |
| Shahram Shabpareh | "Anar Done Done" | Shahram Shabpareh | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar | 1998 |
| Shahram Shabpareh | "Mah az kodom var omade" | Shahram Shabpareh | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar | 1998 |
| Shahram Shabpareh | "Asheghetam Hanoz" | Shahram Shabpareh | Mehrdad Asemani | Schubert Avakian | 2001 |
| Shahram Shabpareh | "Bi Gharar" | Mehrdad Asemani | Mehrdad Asemani | Schubert Avakian | 2001 |
| Shahram Solati | "Gol khanom" | Hoomayon Hoshyarnezhad | Mehrdad Asemani | Schubert Avakian | 1998 |
| Shahram Solati | "Parvaz" | Masoud Fardmanesh | Mehrdad Asemani | Kazem Alemi | 2000 |
| Shahram Solati | "Jodayi" | Hoomayon Hoshyarnezhad | Mehrdad Asemani | Schubert Avakian | 2000 |
| Shahram Solati | "Didi saremon Chi omad" | Masoud Amini | Mehrdad Asemani | Kazem Alemi | 2000 |
| Shahram Solati | "Delbar" | Hoomayon Hoshyarnezhad | Mehrdad Asemani | Kazem Alemi | 2000 |
| Shahram Solati | "Be Dastham" | Masoud Amini | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar | 2000 |
| Shahram Solati | "Cheshmat" | Masoud Amini | Mehrdad Asemani | Kazem Alemi | 2000 |
| Shahram Solati | "Hichestan" | Masoud Fardmanesh | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar | 2002 |
| Shohreh | "Nasozi" | Hoomayon Hoshyarnezhad | Mehrdad Asemani | Farrokh Ahi | 1999 |
| Shohreh | "Peygham" | Masoud Fardmanesh | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar | 1999 |
| Shohreh | "Harki Ashegheh" | Mohammad Barani | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar | 1999 |
| Shohreh | "Atre Zan" | Masoud Amini | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar | 2001 |
| Shohreh | "Daryab Mara" | Masoud Amini | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar | 2001 |
| Shohreh | "Naameh" | Masoud Fardmanesh | Mehrdad Asemani | Amir Badkhash | 2001 |
| Shohreh | "Eshtebah Del" | Masoud Amini | Mehrdad Asemani | Amir Badkhash | 2001 |
| Shohreh | "Shekayat" | Hoomayon Hoshyarnezhad | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar | 2008 |
| Leila Forouhar | "Roozegar Eshgh" | Hoomayon Hoshyarnezhad | Mehrdad Asemani | Schubert Avakian | 1996 |
| Leila Forouhar | "Pishkesh" | Hoomayon Hoshyarnezhad | Mehrdad Asemani | Schubert Avakian | 1998 |
| Leila Forouhar | "Del Sadeh" | Hoomayon Hoshyarnezhad | Mehrdad Asemani | Schubert Avakian | 1998 |
| Leila Forouhar | "Neshoni" | Hoomayon Hoshyarnezhad | Mehrdad Asemani | Schubert Avakian | 2000 |
| Nooshafarin | "Age Bodi" | Alireza Meibodi | Mehrdad Asemani | Brian Ve | 1995 |
| Nooshafarin | "Eshghe Kamel" | Alireza Meibodi | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar | 1995 |
| Nahid | "Yad Ma kardi" | Hoomayon Hoshyarnezhad | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar | 1998 |
| Mansour | "Aghoshe to" | Yalda | Mehrdad Asemani | David Betsamo | 1997 |
| Susan Roshan | "Eshghe Rangi" | Masoud Fardmanesh | Mehrdad Asemani | Majid Ghorbani | 2000 |
| Sheila | "Nazok Del" | Hoomayon Hoshyarnezhad | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar | 1998 |
| Saman | "Bahar" | Hoomayon Hoshyarnezhad | Mehrdad Asemani | Schubert Avakian | 2000 |
| Arman | "Goli" | Hoomayon Hoshyarnezhad | Mehrdad Asemani | Schubert Avakian | 2003 |
| Farrokh | "Goli Jon" | Alireza Meibodi | Mehrdad Asemani | Mehdad Zand Karimi | 1996 |
| Farrokh | "Zang mardeseh" | Alireza Meibodi | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar | 1996 |
| Farrokh | "Seke Bahari" | Alireza Meibodi | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar | 1996 |
| Farrokh | "Bahar Khanom" | Alireza Meibodi | Mehrdad Asemani | Schubert Avakian | 1997 |
| Farrokh | "Dost daram kheyli kochik sham" | Alireza Meibodi | Mehrdad Asemani | Schubert Avakian | 1997 |
| Farrokh | "Non Ghandi" | Alireza Meibodi | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar | 1997 |
| Behzad | "Aziz Del" | Yalda | Mehrdad Asemani | Amir Badkhash | 2003 |
| Behzad | "Cheshm bad" | Hoomayon Hoshyarnezhad | Mehrdad Asemani | Amir Badkhash | 2003 |
| Toka | "6 minutes" | Iraj Janat Atayi | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar | 2013 |
| Toka | "Taboo" | Iraj Janat Atayi | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar | 2013 |
| Toka | "Zan Payan" | Iraj Janat Atayi | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar | 2013 |
| Shohreh | "Iran (Vatan)" | Masoud Amini | Mehrdad Asemani | Manouchehr Cheshm Azar | 1999 |
| Shohreh | "Pichak" | Paksima | Mehrdad Asemani | Amir Badkhash | 1999 |
| Fattaneh | "Eshghe Mondegar" | Sina Izadbin | Mehrdad Asemani | Meraj Mirzayi | 2019 |