Hayedeh
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Image:Hayedeh72.jpg Hayedeh (also transcribed Haideh or Haydeh; هایده in Persian) (1942 - 20 January 1990) was a Persian pop and classical singer who died in exile.
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Early career
Hayedeh was born in the Persian (Iranian) capital Tehran. Her career began as a singer on a Tehran Radio program called Gol-ha-ye Rangarang (Colorful Flowers) directed by Davood Pirnia. She studied Avaz (Persian vocal music) with the great Persian violinist and composer Ali Tajvidi. "Azadeh" (music by A. Tajvidi, lyrics by Rahi Moayeri) became Hayedeh's first hit, performed on Radio Tehran with the Gol-ha Orchestra in 1968. Apalon Records in Tehran released "Azadeh". Image:HayedehRohani.jpg
In the 1970s Hayedah added pop-music to her classical Persian repertoire. In the course of her career Hayedeh worked with several composers and songwriters, such as Ali Tajvidi, Farid Zoland, Anoushiravan Rohani, Sadegh Nojuki, Andranik and Mohammad Heydari. Prominent lyricists she worked with included Esmaeel Navabe Safa, Bijan Taraghi, Leila Kasra (aka Hadieh), Homa Mir-Afshar and Ardalan Sarfaraz.
The 1979 Revolution and immigration to the West
Shortly before the Iranian Revolution in 1978, Hayedeh emigrated to the United Kingdom. She moved on to the United States in 1982 to continue her career.
From 1982 until the end of her life, Hayedeh lived in Los Angeles near her sister, Mahasti, also a well-known Persian singer. The growth of the Persian-American community in Southern California (due to the increasing number of Persians leaving Persia (Iran) to escape the fundamentalist government) bolstered Hayedeh's career in the 1980s. Hayedeh's political and nostalgic songs such as "Rouza-ye Roshan Khodahafez" ("Goodbye Daylight") and "Faryad" ("Cry") became very popular with the Persian exile community. Taraneh Records, Pars Video, MZM and Caltex Records - four California-based leading Persian music companies - released most of her songs.
According to Prof. Erik Nakhjavani in Encyclopedia Iranica: "Analogues to Delkash, before her, Hayedeh sang with technical authority and passionate energy. Her laryngeal control made it possible for her to produce a series of graceful vibrato and glissando vocalizations required by the Avaz [Persian voal music]. She could smoothly pass from the upper reaches of her alto voice to the lower, fuller, and darker range of the contralto. This mixture of strong laryngeal strength and learned vocal technique gave her alto-contralto voice a rare, powerful resonance and texture in the performance of the Avaz. Furthermore an acute sense for musical timing, the rhythmic flow of vocal music, affective musical phrasing, and poetic delivery enabled her to express and interpret effectively any songs she sang."
Hayedeh in exile
In the 1980s Hayedeh regularly appeared in programs on the Los Angeles-based Jaam-e Jam TV founded by Manouchehr Bibiyan and a few other Persian artists in exile. In addition to criticizing Iran's fundamentalist régime on the programs, she also receorded at Jaam-e Jam Studio more than 40 music videos which were secretly distributed in Persia (Iran). Hayedeh also twice traveled to London and gave two concerts alongside a complete orchestra (conducted by Farnoush Behzad) at the Royal Albert Hall. She also once appeared at UCLA with a Persian instrumental ensemble led by Manouchehr Sadeghi.
Death
Hayedeh died at the age of 47 from a heart attack some hours after a concert at the Casablanca Club in San Francisco, California. Khosrow Motarjemi, a Persian IT expert in California, reportedly made a video of this concert, which was realised privetly and ha reached the hands of many fans. Hayedeh told people that night, "The life is like an express train and we have to use our time... I am going to God's House; who knows what will be happened in future, perhaps I will not alive tomorrow...". Her last song of the performance was "Man Mikham Be Khoune-ye Khoda Beram" ("I am going to God's House"). The lyricist of this song, Leila Kasra (Hedieh), died of cancer a few months before Hayedeh's death.
Hayedeh's funeral took place in Los Angeles' Westwood Cemetery: thousands of her fans attended. Image:Hayedeh6.jpg
Hayedeh married three times and left three children named Kamran, Keyvan and Noushin Nouri. They all live in the US and are not active in the music industry.
References
- In Memory of the Persian Legendary Diva HAYEDEH (1942-1990) by Pejman Akbarzadeh (Payvand News)
- Goodbye Daylight' by Pejman Akbarzadeh, Persian Heritage Magazine, Winter 2005.fa:هايده
