Homeyra

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حميرا Homeyra
Homeyra on an Album Cover (70s)
Background information
Birth name	Parvaneh Amir-Afshari (Persian: پروانه أمير افشری‎ )
Born	East Iran, Iran
Genre(s)	Pop Dance Religious Music
Occupation(s)	Singer
Years active	1970–present
Label(s)	Taraneh Records Avang Records Caltex Records

Homeyra (Persian: حميرا‎ ) is the stage name of Iranian singer Parvaneh Amir-Afshari (Persian: پروانه أمير افشری‎ ). She is a veteran celebrity of Iran’s Golden Years of music. Her voice has been measured to span six octaves. With her black hair and distinctive eyebrows, she is considered to represent the “typified Iranian look.”

She currently continues her music career from Los Angeles, her home since her exile after the Iranian Revolution. Despite age, she has maintained her looks and unlike other singers has refrained from bleaching her hair to fit more of a European look. She is also noted for her mellow personality that has contributed to her appeal as well.

1 Early life
2 Overnight fame
3 Personal Life
4 References
5 Disography
- 5.1 Compilations
6 References

[edit] Early life

An Album Cover from 70s

Homeyra was born to an aristocratic Iranian family in East Iran. Her family’s distinction is still evident as the name of Amir-Afshari is, to this day among eastern Iranians, synonymous with affluence. Her father was a Malek (Grand Landlord) who owned over 150 towns in Iran. Her family’s eminence was later to be an opposing factor in Homeyra’s passion for singing.

She was exposed to Persian music from an early age. Her family often hosted large dinner parties to which Iran's greatest musicians and singers were invited for guest entertainment. Revering other musicians and singers, the young novice became interested in singing. Her father took notice of this and diligently curtailed her exposure further. He also forbade her from performing in presence of non-family members and insisted if she must sing, then she do so only for him. He and the other matriarchs of the family saw her singing as a disgrace to the family’s name.

At age 16, Homeyra married a German-educated Iranian businessman. He allowed her more freedom and encouraged her to sing professionally. So she took music lessons and also signed up for voice training courses. She secretly attended composer Ali Tajvidi’s classes for two years, leading her father to believe she was learning to drive a motor vehicle.

[edit] Overnight fame

A Recent Album

Homeyra’s leads pulled her into the Iranian music scene soon after her participation in musical lessons. While attending Tajvidi’s classes, he composed a song for her and persuaded her to record it as a single for release. Despite her reservations, she agreed and when the song Sabram Ataa Kon was played on Iran’s radio stations, she became an overnight sensation, and this at age 18. However, in order to disguise herself from the exposure, she chose Homeyra as the name to which this song was to be attributed. It was said this was a first for a debutante singer to gain such quick renown throughout Iran with just a hit single.

The enthusiastic record companies were to soon vie for the copyright to the song for wider distribution. When it was officially released in an album, Homeyra’s father, recognizing her voice, tried a last minute effort to quell her career. He purchased every single album he could find-both legal and pirated copies-to remove the remnants of his daughter's voice from reach. However, some of the copies fell into the hands of loyal fans and he couldn't stop the furor of Homeyra's fame thereon. He has refused to speak to her ever since and the two became estranged.

[edit] Personal Life

Despite the initial bliss of her first marriage, she and her first husband have nonetheless divorced. Homeyra's second marriage was to the Iranian musician, Parviz Yahaghi. She currently lives in the United States. In one of her recent interviews she indicated she has written an autobiography but is hesitant to release for fear of backlash from certain elements of the Iranian music industry and other personalities whom she says have taken advantage of her.