Hassan Shamaizadeh

Hassan Shamaizadeh (, also Romanized as Hasan-é Šamâ'izâde; born January 15, 1943, in Isfahan) is an Iranian pop music composer, singer, and instrumentalist.

Initially, Shamaizadeh played the clarinet and other wind instruments before transitioning to composition, during which he also engaged with the piano and other instruments.

Some of the most significant Iranian pop songs, performed by artists such as Googoosh, Shohreh Solati, Dariush, Moein, Homeyra, Hayedeh, Mahasti, Leila Forouhar, and Aref, among others, were composed by Shamaizadeh. Following the 1979 Iranian Revolution, he immigrated to the United States with his family, where he continued his career in composition and singing. Most of his works have been arranged by other Iranian musicians.

Early life and Career

Childhood and Entry into Music Hassan Shamaizadeh was born on 22 November 1942 in Isfahan, Iran. He began his artistic career at the age of 13 as an instrumentalist in the orchestra of a theater in Isfahan. A graduate of Adab High School in Isfahan in 1962, he moved to Tehran to further his musical career. After working in theater for some time, he joined Radio Iran in 1966. Simultaneously, he performed in jazz and pop orchestras for younger audiences and collaborated with several Spanish orchestras, while also playing in Tehran’s radio and cultural centers. He briefly played the saxophone for the Black Cats band.

Beginning of Composition Shamaizadeh started composing in 1972. He attributes his shift to composition to a neck disc condition caused by the physical strain of playing heavy brass instruments for extended periods (15–16 hours daily), which made it difficult to continue as an instrumentalist.

His singing garnered significant attention, leading to the creation and performance of other popular songs, including Aghaghi (with lyrics by Shahyar Ghanbari), released in 1975. In 1975, a poll by Zan-e Rooz magazine named Shamaizadeh the best male singer and best composer of the year, with approximately 50,000 votes.

Post-revolution, although a few works with Shamaizadeh’s music and Sarfaraz’s lyrics were released, their collaboration soon ceased. According to Sarfaraz, their professional paths had already diverged before the revolution. Shamaizadeh has expressed regret and surprise over Sarfaraz’s lack of communication in an interview with Behnood Mokri on the Shabahang program, without elaborating on any specific disputes. He returned to Iran four months later, stayed for five months, and then left permanently, settling in Los Angeles.

Shamaizadeh’s compositions for Shohreh, such as Tolo, Kaghaz-e Sefid, and Kelid, are characterized by emotional and soaring melodies. These works were enhanced by collaborations with lyricists such as Bijan Samandar, Masoud Fardmanesh, Homayoun Hoshiyarnejad, Hoda Kordbagh, and Iraj Razmjoo. During this period, Shamaizadeh explored diverse and sometimes contrasting musical styles compared to his pre-revolution works, focusing increasingly on upbeat, rhythmic songs suitable for dance, such as Bishtar Bishtar, Damad, Yek Dokhtar Daram Shah Nadareh, Tavalod, and Aroosi. The popular song Pariya, performed by Shahram Shabpareh, was also composed during this time.

Collaboration with Babak Sahraei In the 2000s, Shamaizadeh collaborated extensively with Babak Sahraei. Their most notable joint work was Hayahoo, released in the winter of 2011 with Shamaizadeh’s vocals. Other collaborative works include Sakhreh, Mamnoonam, Mahtab-e Naz-e Man, Az Koja Miay, To Cheshay-e Man Nega Kon, and Avazekhan Na Avaz (performed by Shamaizadeh); Jashn-e Ayeneh (performed by Pouya); To Ro Mikham (performed by Sheila); Eshgh-e Toofani and Atishbazi (performed by Susan Roshan); and Delhoreh (performed by Soroush).

In an interview on the Greatest Hits program on Manoto TV, Shamaizadeh stated that many of his compositions were never performed due to the inability of lyricists to provide suitable lyrics. However, he noted that this issue was resolved through his collaboration with Babak Sahraei, who wrote lyrics that perfectly complemented his compositions.

Ceasing Composition for Other Artists In 2006, Shamaizadeh announced that he would no longer compose for other artists and would only perform his own songs, citing feelings of being exploited and having his rights disregarded in his compositional work.

Renewed Collaboration with Googoosh In an interview with Javanan magazine in the United States, Googoosh shared that she was deeply moved by Shamaizadeh’s Hayahoo and requested to perform it herself. Shamaizadeh agreed, and Googoosh recorded the song in his studio, marking their first collaboration in 34 years.

Googoosh provided several lyrics for Shamaizadeh to compose, but he found them unsuitable for an artist of her stature. that Shamaizadeh perceived as mocking and distorting their shared history, causing him distress. In a Shabahang interview, he elaborated on his disappointment but also expressed his deep admiration for Googoosh, stating,“I love Googoosh passionately. My love for Googoosh is not that of a man for a woman; it is the love of Hassan Shamaizadeh, the composer, for Googoosh, the singer.” Their first joint concert, titled Memories Triangle, was held in late October 2017 in Toronto, launching a global tour. In February 2018, their first collaborative single in nearly 40 years, Memories Triangle, was released, featuring a duet by Googoosh and Shamaizadeh. The tour later included Manouchehr Cheshmazar and Martik.

Musical Style

Composition As a composer, Shamaizadeh believes: Before 1979, his compositions were often melancholic, reflecting the mood of the era, and sometimes carried a grand, epic quality, as seen in songs like Jaddeh and Mordab. After the 1979 Revolution, his immigration to the United States, and the Iran-Iraq War, his music shifted toward upbeat, dance-oriented songs to meet the public’s need for joy during difficult times. Shamaizadeh noted that societal challenges, such as war, create a demand for uplifting music to counter distress. He strives to ensure that music remains central in his works, rather than being overshadowed by lyrics, a common tendency in Iranian music.

Personal life In 1968, he married Fatemeh (Noushin). They have a son, Afshin, a dentist, and a daughter, Aghigh (known as Nikki in the U.S.), who works in real estate. Shamaizadeh has composed songs for his family, including Pesaram for his son, Yek Dokhtar Daram Shah Nadareh for his daughter, and Hamsaram and Madyoon for his wife. He also performed the songs Rap and Doost Daram as duets with his daughter Aghigh. He considers his son’s university graduation to be the most cherished moment of his life.

Political views Before the 1979 Revolution, Shamaizadeh was not politically active. Post-revolution, he expressed opposition to the Islamic Republic through songs like Shahr-e Khali. He believes Iran needed reform rather than a revolution.

In January 2024, he released a single titled Zan, Zendegi, Azadi in support of the Woman, Life, Freedom movement.

In December 2024, he declared, “Until now, I was a political activist; from now on, I am a political fighter.” His wife traveled to Iran three times in the early 1990s, each time for six months, to attend court proceedings.

Shamaizadeh has repeatedly stated that the property was purchased with his wife’s paternal inheritance and registered in their children’s names, unrelated to him personally. On 5 April 2018, he raised the issue again on Instagram, accusing Nayeri, a deputy of Iran’s Supreme Court and a key figure in the 1988 political prisoner executions, of confiscating and occupying the property for personal gain and attempting to sell it through forged documents.

The song Khooneh from the 1996 album Akharin Savar was composed and written about this property and its confiscation.

Shamaizadeh shared the complete address and map of the property on Instagram as follows: Bahonar (Niavaran) Street, Feizieh (Jamshidieh) Street, 24th (Jebeli) Street, Maryam Alley, first white door on the right.

Discography

1973 – Mordaab ( "Maarsh") 1973 – Safar ( "Journey") 1973 – Naraftan Moondan – 45 rpm single (Lavi Records) 1974 – Ojagh ( "Four") b/w Hobab – 45 rpm single (Caspian Records) 1974 – Esm-eh To ( "Your name") b/w Gharib-e Ashenaa – 45 rpm single (Caspian Records) 1974 – Hamoomi b/w Kalakat(instrumental) – 45 rpm single (Ahang Rooz Records) 1975 – Benevis ("Write") b/w Seda – 45 rpm single (Ahang Rooz Records) 1975 – Deh ( "Village") / Chel Cheleh – 45 rpm single (Ahang Rooz Records) 1975 – Aghigh ("Jewel") / Sojdegah – 45 rpm single (Ahang Rooz Records) 1975 – Gol-E Naz-E Par Pare Man – (Cassette-only release) 1976 – bad az to ( "After You") 1976 – Aghaghi ( "You are a jewel") 1977 – Bumi 1977 – Talaaye Kaaghazi (With Paajuki) 1978 – Mehmuni ( "Party") 1980 – Avaz-e Parvaaz ( "Flight Song") 1981 – Gol Aftab Gardoon 1982 – Golhayeh khis 1984 – Bishtar Bishtar 1985 – Kamtar Kamtar ( "Fewer") 1985 – Kooch (With Homeyra ) 1986 – Dokhtar-e Mardom 1987 – Ghasalak 1988 – Hafteh Shab 1988 – Zende Bad Eshgh 1992 – Atash Rooyeh Khakestar 1993 – Ye Dokhtar Daram Shah Nadareh 1994 – Bolooreh Mahtab 1996 – Akhareen Savaar ( "Last knight") 1997 – Parvaz Eshgh-o 1998 – Parastesh ( "Adoration") 2001 – Morvarid ( "Pearl") 2002 – Dooshizeh Khaanum ( "madam") 2006 – Singer not the Song 2012 – Hayahoo (Digital-only Single) 2018 – Mosalase Khatereha (The Memory Makers) (ft. Googoosh) 2018 – ghafas 2018 – Tanhaei 2020 – Aghaze Parvaz