
Leila Forouhar |
Background
information |
Birth name |
Leila Forouhar |
Born |
April 16, 1961 (1961-04-16) Isfahan,
Iran
|
Genre(s) |
Soft, Rock Pop, Dance |
Occupation(s) |
Singer, Actress |
Years active |
1965 – present (Films)
1974 – present (Music) |
Label(s) |
Height = 152 cm (5'0")
Weight = 47 Kg (105 Lbs)
Hair = Dark Brown
Eyes = Brown Skin = Olive
|
Recent
Involvements
Leila
often performs in concerts around the world, and this she
has continued since the early 90s. Her recent trip to Tajikestan
for a concert is the latest update on her career. There
she performed with Tajik singers Manija Dawlatova and Shabnam
Suraya where all three were well received. Since her popularity
among Tajiks, and specially Afghans, parallels that of the
native singers of these two nationalities, her performances
are celebrated events resulting in sold out avenues.
Legacy
Thirty
three years (as of 2007) after stepping into singing and
forty two years (as of 2007) since her acting debut, Leila’s
fame has survived the Islamic Revolution of 1979, the Iran-Iraq
War, the subsequent exile of Iranian celebrities to the
West, and the eventual obscurity of the firsts as a result
of time. Unlike other exiled artists of her era who’ve become
bitter and showed open resentment due to the misfortunes
of political turmoil of the 70s, Leila’s resignation has
made her one of the few who’ve accepted the ordinance of
destiny. Material that has been written about her speak
of her as one of the few artists who’ve refrained from artistic
reproductions and based her style on originality since the
start of her career. Despite the fact that the black-and-white
films she acted have become prized classical archives, particularly
among the new generations of the Persian speaking countries,
her songs have retained their timeless lure (according to
various radio stations who play some of her three decade
old songs). She is referred to as an immortal figure in
the realm of music and hence attributed such epithets as
Fantasy Mistress, Queen of Pop (this title
also attributed to Googoosh)
and more recently The Iranian Sphinx.
Top
Songs
Leila's Top Songs-People's Choice
RANK |
SONG |
ALBUM |
YEAR |
1 |
Ey Dil |
Hedieh |
1989 |
2 |
Cheshma-e-Nour |
Leila Forouhar |
1974 |
3 |
Bazar-e-Makareh |
Hamsafar |
1993 |
4 |
Kalagha-e-Khabar Cheen |
Leila Forouhar |
1974 |
5 |
Vadeh |
Hamsafar |
1993 |
6 |
Ay Yaar |
Hedieh |
1989 |
7 |
Gol Hai Lala-Abbasi |
Attal Mattal |
1994 |
8 |
Tapesh |
Tapesh |
1995 |
9 |
Shaans |
Shaans |
1991 |
10 |
Pishkesh |
Love Story |
1998 |
|
Leila
Forouhar (Persian:
لیلا فروهر , born April 16, 1961 in Isfahan, Iran)
is an Iranian singer and actress who is popular in Iran,
Tajikestan and Afghanistan. She moved to Los angeles after
the Iranian Revolution since solo female singers were banned
from singing.
Career
Leila
is the daughter of the latest Iranian actor Jahangir Forouhar.
He had already established a solid background in the Iranian
entertaintment industry by the early 70s. Her father was
to have a great influence on the future singer and she has
spoken of this in detail in her interviews. She started
following the foot steps of her father to movies, with her
initiation beginning with the minor roles she played in
various movies that were based mainly on the social issues
of the Shah era. With time, she was able to secure a child
star title and especially with the release of Soltaneh
Ghalbhaa (King of Hearts), her fame had already spread
to all three Persian countries. By her teenage years, she
was already posing modeling shots for top fashion magazines
along her work as an actress. Playing such various roles
from the girl next door Ezteraab to a wanderer Three
Sisters to a drug addict The Thirsty Ones, her
image was well cemented in Persian society.
In
1974, Leila began a new direction to her career when she
announced her break into the music industry. After a few
voice tests, Leila was immediately given an opportunity
to record an album. The instant best-seller titled Leila
Forouhar recorded in Iran flew off the shelves in Afghanistan
in less than a day. The music videos accompanying this album
were TV stations' most requested for months, and to this
day remain classics. Particularly the songs "Cheshma-e-Nour"
and "Eshgh Mesle Atisheh" made headlines in distinct
entertainment publications which raved about the new singing
sensation. A huge success, it was praised as the greatest
album introduced to the Afghan society by a female singer.
So well was its reception that she immediately unseated
the then favorite singer Googoosh as the most popular female singer.
The young Leila which had been seen as a child star was
dancing rhythmically to tunes that absorbed her early fans
but critics as well.
A
favorite of columnists who followed her every move to report
to the enthusiastic public, she was the face of all glossy
magazines in Afghanistan. Her hairstyle from "Cheshma-e-Nour"
became for years the most sought after look in Kabul. This
was the first time a patriarchal society had bestowed a
female artist such affection. A survery conducted in the
70’s named Leila as every Afghan man’s Fantasy Mistress.
A round of performances followed until Iran became entangled
in political turmoil.

The
Iranian Revolution based on religious ideology opposed any
form of art that it deemed corrupt. A revolutionary court
order named popular singers and actors (both male and female)
to show up for a court hearing. In this Leila was the third
person listed. It was well ingrained that these artists
must renounce their careers or face legal consequences.
Without any choice, many singers accepted the orders and
withdrew to oblivion.
Move
to France
With
the outbreak of war with neighboring Iraq, the Iranian movie
and music industry was debilitated. Initially Leila's family
decided to stay in Tehran in hopes of end of fighting a
return to the pre-revolutionary era. With the elongation
of the war, Leila decided to leave the country. Due to the
constant vigilance of the Islamic government to stop the
flow of people out of the country, Leila and her family
were taken to Afghanistan. With the aid of Afghan government
they were flown to Europe, and finally in 1986, she and
her family arrived in France.
Up
until 1988 Leila she remained in Paris; however, passive
as an artist. During this time, much of the press speculated
about Leila's possible comeback to singing. Afghan journalists
even traveled to France to interview with the diva but were
unsuccessful, as a result of her desire to keep a low profile.
But her silence was soon to break.
Move
to the United States
In 1988
Leila and her family moved to the United States quickly
establishing contact with Los Angeles based Iranian artists
who had fled at the outbreak of the revolution. That same
year, she released Makhmal-e-Naz and in 1989 Hedieh
(The Gift). A phenomenal success, Hedieh was received
with equal acclamation from both critics and fans. The hit
song "Ey Dil" (Oh My Heart) became immensely popular,
rekindling a craze similar to that brought on by pre-revolutionary
favorite "Cheshma-e-Nour." Soon after an album a
year kept fans on their edge. During the 90's she re-established
her reputation as favorite female singer, often teaming
up with other Persian artists to deliver numerous notable
albums.
In
2005, Leila married a Los Angeles based Iranian-American
businessman in a ceremony that included many colleague singers
and entertainers. She is said to maintain a balance between
her marriage and career. Covering three generations of admirers
now, she is popular among fans of all ages, some of whom
weren't even born when her first album was released.
Her
two songs, "Cheshma-e-Nour" (1974) (Persian: چشمه
نور ) and especially "Ey Dil" (1989) (Persian:ای
دل) have been marked as immortal melodies, contributing
to the enduring popularity of the singer.
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