Marjan (singer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marjan
مرجان
Born	Shahla Safi Zamir (1948-07-14)14 July 1948 Tehran, Iran
Died	5 June 2020(2020-06-05) (aged 71) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Nationality	Iranian American
Citizenship	United States
Occupation	Actress, singer
Years active	1969–2012
Spouse(s)	Fereydoun Jourak
Musical career
Genres	Pop
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Taraneh Records
Associated acts	Saeed Rad, Khosrow Parvizi, Bahman Mofid, Morteza Aghili

Shahla Safi Zamir (Persian: شهلا صافی ضمیر), known by her stage name Marjan (Persian: مرجان), was a famous Iranian actress and singer. She was born on July 14, 1948, and passed away on June 5, 2020. A big change in Iran in 1979, called the Islamic Revolution, stopped her career for 27 years.

Early Life

Shahla Safi Zamir was born in 1948 in Tehran, the capital city of Iran. Her father, Ali Safi Zamir, worked for the Ministry of Transport. Her mother, Kobra Bahmani Tabari, was a primary school teacher.

Marjan went to Alvand High School for her early education. When she was just 12 years old, she became a teenage reporter. She worked for "Etelaat Koodkan," a weekly magazine for young people. She also narrated the magazine's TV show. After high school, she married Mehdi Ali-Mohammadi, who worked in radio. They had a daughter named Poopak.

Becoming a Star

Marjan started her acting career in movies when she was 21. Her first film was "The World of Hope" in 1969. At that time, another actress was also known as Shahla. So, she chose the stage name Marjan.

After her first marriage ended, she married Fereydoun Jourak. Marjan acted in many movies and played different kinds of characters. Her husband noticed her beautiful voice and encouraged her to become a singer. She became very famous with her song "Kavir Del," which was a cover of a Turkish song. She then performed many more songs and appeared on popular TV shows. Eventually, she decided to focus only on singing.

Life After the Revolution

The Islamic Revolution in 1979 changed everything for Marjan. It made it impossible for her to continue her singing and acting career in Iran. She faced many difficulties during this time.

In 1980, Marjan was arrested and held for performing a song. She was arrested again in 1982 and was held until 1990. After being released, she was not allowed to leave Iran for 17 years. She finally left Iran in 2001, first going to Dubai, and then moving to the United States. She settled in California in 2006.

After leaving Iran, Marjan became a strong voice for freedom. She spoke out against the government and supported groups working for change. She once said, "I decided to fight because I have a right to live freely in my own country." She performed many songs about freedom and hope, working with other artists. Some of her famous songs from this period include "Rooyesh Nagozir" and "Let's Build a Homeland."

Her Legacy

Marjan passed away on June 5, 2020, in Los Angeles. She had surgery and then had a heart problem. She spent her last years in the United States.

Many people remembered Marjan for her courage and her art. Maryam Rajavi, a leader of an Iranian opposition group, said Marjan was an example of female artists who fought for freedom. She said Marjan truly showed the struggles of Iranian women and their strong desire to be free. Reza Moeini, from Reporters Without Borders, also spoke about her death. He said her memory, her voice, and her strength against the system would always be remembered.

Music and Movies

Discography

Marjan's singing career included working with famous poets and composers. Some of them were Parviz Maghsadi, Fariborz Lachini, and Mohammad Shams.

Her song, "Kavir-e Del," was so popular that it was included in international music collections. These collections featured Iranian pop, funk, and folk music from the 1960s and 1970s.

Here are some of her albums:

• Kavir-e Del
• Golchin2
• Konsert-e Marjan
• Shabha-ye khatkhati
• Khatereha (These were new recordings of her old songs)
• Seke-ye mah

Filmography

Marjan acted in many films during her career. Here is a list of some of them: