Experiencing an Evolution in her Music is Singer Shirin

What is your Koh Phangan story?
I am here with my boyfriend Davoud who is also a musician, we decided to travel to see Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and every other country we could.

Before the trip we decided something, that for this trip we would not decide anything.

We bought our tickets and knew that the first place to go was Phangan as we had friends there, we didn’t know what it would be like but since we decided not to decide anything it’s now been a month and we’re still here! We don’t know how long we are going to stay.

It’s interesting, in this trip until now, we don’t talk that much about where to go and what to do, we just let go of everything and do it! and then  afterwards we say ‘bravo, this was exactly what we wanted to do’.
Koh Phangan is like this for us.

When did you start singing and what got you interested?
As a kid I played the piano then about ten years ago I went to see an Opera in Iran. I had heard opera on cds etc before, but this was the first time for me to see it live on stage! I loved it! When the opera singer (soprano) started to sing I had a feeling like I could feel her voice with every cell of my body, and it was when I realised I had to do the same! It was like an urge for me to sing, I cannot say I decided, I just had to do it.

I searched for good teachers and music academies, took courses,  joined some choirs then Tehran symphony Orchestra choir and then took some courses again and joined Tehran Opera ensemble and it goes on like that.

So is it mostly a classical style you do?
It’s funny actually, I started classical and up to one year ago it was mostly classical and sometimes rock or electronic music. In classical music as you know, things are mostly framed, planned and organised before, sometimes you practice for an opera performance for up to one year and even when you’re on stage you will feel the music and enjoy it of course but you have to follow rules all the time, you can’t do whatever you want to do.

So it was like this for me until nearly one year ago, when I felt that maybe I needed something more and in that time something started growing inside me that changed the way I felt about music, singing and maybe the way I felt about the whole universe.

I have friends who play mostly underground, not educated in music but they play with their heart and this inspired a turning point in my music. It was difficult at the beginning as I was used to getting music sheets beforehand and practicing it, but when your heart goes the music goes.

I tried to get passed it and could find a way to let go and feel the music more, it was an interesting point. Dav learnt music with his heart, he learnt from his father who is an important figure in the music scene of Iran. So the time our paths crossed in life, he was looking for something more framed and I was looking for a way to break free from the frames then we got to know each other and this suddenly got completed.

This trip fits well in the way we are going, at the moment all of our music is improvising and it is something new for me.

What are your musical influences?
When people ask me what music I listen to or like the most I cannot actually pick one, maybe before I would say a name, but these days every sound is music to me.

Phangan is a perfect setting for this, I look around and can hear everything in harmonies. Something deep is going on for me now.

Generally I pick my music depending on different moods I'm going through, different influences and different times. It moves all together but if I had to choose something that always inspires me then it is nature. When I’m close to nature I am close to myself, for example Tehran is a big city with pollution, traffic etc but even in that setting which is far from nature I still put a little garden on my balcony and when I'm in it then It's like a whole other universe.

So do you write your own music?
Before all my music was set sheets which I would sing but now I am just finding myself again, an evolution maybe?

For now I just improvise and mostly I don't even remember what I sang. I just remember the feeling of that moment.

And for the future I don't know yet. Maybe some day I will write them down.

Tell us about your project with Dav…
When we are together and play music the time flies. I don’t know how and I don’t want to know but it’s like an invisible connection, an invisible strength. It feels like we are two bodies and our souls become one with the power of the music.

I listen to his heart, he listens to mine, it is like ballet, two people dancing through the waves of emotion. This is my feeling and this is how I enjoy it.

What do you think of the Koh Phangan party and music scene?
I actually like it all. I’m not so much of a party person but I have been to some and enjoyed it a lot.

I was so lucky to get in touch with the right people and make great friends with great backgrounds, great souls full of love, it has been perfect until now.

What is your life philosophy?
Feel the floating love of life and live every moment respectful, grateful and in harmony.