“LET YOUR TRUE VOICE SHINE THROUGH”
Shawn Shahriar Zahedi’s Bio
There was a voice pounding my chest, screaming to come out. It was there for a long time, but I ignored it out of fear. It’s not easy to be vulnerable and let your true self show.
In 2010, while dealing with the emotional challenges of taking care of an ailing parent and while enjoying a successful career as a senior executive for a large digital marketing firm, I had an awakening. I realized that I could no longer keep the voice inside of me silent. I would, finally, allow “the true voice to shine through”. I didn’t know what form it would take but I had to take the first steps…
So in 2011, I started taking creative writing and music theory classes at a local community college. As a child, I had learned how to play the piano by watching my older siblings take piano lessons but I had never taken formal music lessons. I had also written poems and a few songs in 1997 (while in Toronto, Canada) and had done a demo-recording of three of them, but my subconscious fears had put a quick stop to that.
In the same year, I started a poetry blog and let spontaneous and unedited poems find their way out. Even though I think I was still self-censoring, but I was taking action towards empowering my inner voice.
In late 2013, I picked up an acoustic guitar for the first time and immediately fell in love with the sound. I’ve been taking guitar lessons and am gradually getting better.
One of my songs begged to be played on an electric guitar and another just wanted to be played on drums. So I started learning to play those as well. My electric drum set is good (and great for my limited space and neighbors) but I prefer the authentic sounds and feel of real drums and one day, I will upgrade!
Between a day job and taking care of family obligations, I’ve been able to write a ton of songs and in March of 2014, I started going to local open mics. It’s been a great experience and I’m getting better at performing in public.
I still have a long way to go but aspire that one day I can inspire and empower the voiceless, the lonely, the bullied, the harassed, the homeless and the hurt.
I was born in Isfahan, Iran and lived in several countries including Britain, France, Belgium, United Arab Emirates and Canada before making Southern California home. I’ve lived in Texas for several years as well. I speak English, French, Farsi and a bit of German and Spanish. As a result, my brain and soul have been exposed to many cultures and sounds. My current musical expression is minimalist and singer-songwriter songs with a hint of indie pop, alt. rock and alt. country.
Some of my musical influences are:
ABBA
Aerosmith
Amanda Marshall
Annie Lenox
Aretha Franklin
Barbara Streisand
Bee Gees
Blue Grass Music
Bob Dylan
Charles Aznavour
Cher
Classical Music (Beethoven, Bach, Chopin, Mozart, etc.)
Count Basie
Dariush
Dinah Washington
Dolly Parton
Donna Summer
Duke Ellington
Eagles
Edith Piaf
Elvis
Faramarz Aslani
George Michael
Googoosh
Hayedeh
Imagine Dragons
Jean Michelle Jarre
Kenny Rogers
Kraftwerk
Lady Gaga
Lenny Kravitz
Madonna
Mariah Carey
Michael Jackson
Miles Davis
Muse
Oasis
Olivia Newton-John
P!nk
Pink Floyd
Queen
Radiohead
Rihanna
Sade
Shania Twain
Sound Garden
Stereophonics
The Chemical Brothers
Tina Turner
Tracy Chapman
Whitney Houston
Willie Nelson
Yves Montand
