{"id":126089,"date":"2026-07-22T16:11:36","date_gmt":"2026-07-22T20:11:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=126089"},"modified":"2026-07-22T16:11:36","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T20:11:36","slug":"interview-parisa-karimi-molan-talks-growing-iran-learning-sing-upcoming-toronto-show","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2026\/07\/22\/interview-parisa-karimi-molan-talks-growing-iran-learning-sing-upcoming-toronto-show\/","title":{"rendered":"INTERVIEW | Parisa Karimi Molan Talks About Growing Up In Iran, Learning To Sing &#038; Her Upcoming Toronto Show"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_126093\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-126093\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-126093\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/Copy-of-Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-07-22T161016.951.jpg\" alt=\"From the album cover and single image for Parisa Karimi Molan &amp; Tehrani Drom\u2019s album Unveiled (Paintings by Marjane Saidi)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/Copy-of-Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-07-22T161016.951.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/Copy-of-Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-07-22T161016.951-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/Copy-of-Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-07-22T161016.951-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/Copy-of-Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-07-22T161016.951-768x402.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-126093\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">From the album cover and single image for Parisa Karimi Molan &amp; Tehrani Drom\u2019s album Unveiled (Paintings by Marjane Saidi)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Parisa Karimi Molan was born and grew up in Iran, where she had to learn how to sing in secret. She found a group of women who had been legendary performers in pre-revolutionary Iran, and studied for two decades in hiding from authorities.<\/p>\n<p>Parisa came to Canada in 2017, and settled in Montr\u00e9al. Her debut album Unveiled was released in April 2026 on Toronto\u2019s Lulaworld Records label, and she\u2019s playing a live show on <strong>July 25, 2026<\/strong> at the <strong>Scarborough Folk Festival<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>In the liner notes for her album, she writes,<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis album, UNVEILED, is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream, and it could not have come into being without the generosity, trust, and artistry of may people.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>LV caught up with Parisa to talk about the music, her album, and more.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_126091\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-126091\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-126091\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/Parisa.jpg\" alt=\"Vocalist Parisa Karimi Molan (Photo: Leila Afraz)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"763\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/Parisa.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/Parisa-300x191.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/Parisa-1024x651.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/Parisa-768x488.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-126091\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Vocalist Parisa Karimi Molan (Photo: Leila Afraz)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Parisa Karimi Molan: The Interview<\/h2>\n<p>Parisa wrote a poem about her decades long dream to sing, which is also part of the album\u2019s liner notes.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Unveiled<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I learned to sing where voices were meant to disappear.<\/p>\n<p>In basements with closed windows,<br \/>\nin closets where breath became melody,<br \/>\nin silence that listened back.<\/p>\n<p>I come from East Azerbaijan, from Arasbaran \u2014<br \/>\na land of mountains, echoes, and songs that travel mouth to mouth,<br \/>\neven when they are forbidden to rise.<\/p>\n<p>For years, I sang only in secret,<br \/>\nnot knowing if my voice would ever meet the open air.<br \/>\nStill, I learned \u2014<br \/>\nso the songs would survive,<br \/>\nso memory would not be lost.<\/p>\n<p>This album is not only sound.<br \/>\nIt is time reclaimed.<br \/>\nIt is a voice stepping out of hiding,<br \/>\ncarrying the weight of silence<br \/>\nand the joy of finally being heard.<\/p>\n<p>Sizeh Salam Getirmishem, the first single from Parisa Karimi Molan\u2019s album Unveiled:<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/U1TF5uP3v34?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<p>Parisa recalls growing up in a home filled with music. Her father was a talented musician, a tar player and singer, though it wasn\u2019t his profession.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cActually he was a primary school teacher, but he was at the same time a semi-professional musician,\u201d she says. Along with his playing, he conveyed his love of music to Parisa. \u201cHe was one of the greatest collectionists of music,\u201d she says. Without the internet, he exposed her to the traditional music of Iran in various forms. \u201cHe had a rich archive of music from the past. It was inspiring to hear that kind of music at home. I believe he is my first music teacher.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Much of that traditional material, she says, wasn\u2019t published, and existed only in performance or on old vinyl records.<\/p>\n<p>In that environment, she discovered her own love of music early. \u201c[In] my childhood, I found that I was in music, and I wanted to sing. I repeated every song that I was listening to.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But, the Iranian Revolution of 1979 had imposed a strict code of conduct. \u201cWomen were not allowed to sing in public,\u201d Molan explains. Musicians of any gender faced many restrictions. \u201cMusicians do not have that much space,\u201d she adds, \u201cthey needed permission even to carry their instruments in public. For women, the situation was even more critical.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Her father enjoyed the fact that she had picked up on his own love of music, but understood the dangers. \u201cHe was encouraging, but he said I had to be careful.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Learning To Sing In Iran<\/h3>\n<p>Parisa\u2019s love of music could not be extinguished, even by an oppressive environment.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI found some girlfriends, like me, who loved singing,\u201d she explains \u201cI found there are some legendary singers from before the revolutionary time,\u201d she says. They included legendary singers like Parissa and Pari Maleki. After the Iranian Revolution, those artists began teaching music and singing to women at home. \u201cParissa is one of the most famous Iranian singers,\u201d she continues.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was very lucky to be part of that training, but it was in secrecy,\u201d she says. \u201cMost of the time, we were in the basement, closed windows. We didn\u2019t want to attract any attention to our activities, because if it was revealed, it would be finished.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It was an important task, not only to develop her own skills, but to keep those musical traditions alive for future generations. \u201cI think it\u2019s a treasure. It has come from centuries, 2,000 years ago,\u201d Molan says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe need to keep it and pass it to the next generation. It\u2019s so beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Poem of Atoms performed by Parisa Karimi Molan as part of a recital of at Montr\u00e9al Vocal Arts Studio on April 13, 2025, with accompanist Julian Shively.<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/0wxhxEUINrw?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<h3>Collaborators<\/h3>\n<p>Once in Canada, she was able to develop her skills both in singing and performance.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI needed to discover my voice again. As Molan explains, she had learned to sing under pressure, in hiding. It resulted in a restrained voice. \u201cI want to hide my voice, I need to clip it.\u201d She explains that it took time to develop her vocal skills in order to be able to express herself freely. \u201cTo wash out from my mind that you can freely sing. It took a while to refind my voice.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Even as she learned, Parisa connected with many Iranian musicians in Montr\u00e9al. \u201cI was lucky to meet a lot of musicians here in Montr\u00e9al. I was inspired by them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As she discovered, not everyone who was interested in Iranian music came from an Iranian background.<\/p>\n<p>Collaborators on the album include <strong>Segiu Popa<\/strong>, a Romi accordionist, who serves as musical director and arranger for the album. Cellist <strong>No\u00e9my Braun<\/strong>, a native of Switzerland, earned degrees from HEM Geneva\/Lausanne before moving to Montreal in 2015 to study at McGill\u2019s Schulich School with Matt Haimovitz.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pouria Pournazeri<\/strong> comes from a family of musicians in Iran. He contributes setar to the musical mix. Toronto-based <strong>Mohammad Aman<\/strong> is a master tar player, a music graduate of National Conservatoire of Azerbaijan. He performs with a number of ensembles in Toronto, included a few he founded.<\/p>\n<p>Kurdish singer and artist <strong>Srwa Hassani<\/strong> contributes vocals, including the lead vocals on one of the tracks.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe cultural richness here is really important,\u201d Parisa says of her Canadian home. \u201cSergiu Popa, he is a great musician. He is from Moldava.\u201d As she explains, he was attracted to Iranian music from a young age. \u201cOne day in Montr\u00e9al I met him. It was very easy to get connected to him,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo\u00e9my is from Switzerland, and she plays the cello. She is very into that music,\u201d she says. \u201cYou cannot recognize that she is not Iranian.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Pouria\u2019s background made his contributions to the ensemble a natural fit. \u201cHe is from a musical family,\u201d Molan explains. \u201cIn Iran, they are musicians. He knows all these melodies by heart.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Toronto-based Mohammad Aman is known for his musical skill. \u201cOne of the greatest tar players that I\u2019ve ever met,\u201d Parisa says.<\/p>\n<h3>The Album<\/h3>\n<p>Parisa gives a lot of credit to producer Dan Rosenberg. \u201cI wish to thank Daniel Rosenberg, who made it happen,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>As she points out, the songs she sings on Unveiled come from a range of traditions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSrwa Hassan, she sings in Kurdish,\u201d Molan explains. Iranian culture includes Kurdish, Persian, and Azeri cultures, all of which are represented in the tracks. \u201cIt was a mix of all beautiful music and cultural diversity that we have in Iran. I think that makes it even more precious,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe arrangements are new.\u201d They were created largely by Sergiu Popa and No\u00e9my Braun. One of the tracks is an instrumental featuring setar and cello.<\/p>\n<h3>Final Thoughts<\/h3>\n<p>\u201cI didn\u2019t know that one day I would be able to sing in public. But, I was learning. It was also very rich. Learning has its own sweetness.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The musical spark that began in childhood has finally found its expression.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt happened, and it\u2019s beautiful,\u201d Parisa says.<\/p>\n<p>Of her childhood friends who were united in their love of music, she reports that some have left the country, while others continue to study in secret in Iran.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m very lucky to have the opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Listen To The Music<\/h2>\n<p>Parisa has some concerts planned for Quebec later this year. Scarborough Folk Fest will be her only Ontario date.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Find Parisa Karimi Molan\u2019s album Unveiled [<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/parisakarimimolantehranidrom.bandcamp.com\/album\/unveiled\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HERE<\/a><\/strong>].<\/li>\n<li>She\u2019ll be performing at <strong>5:30 p.m.<\/strong> on <strong>July 25, 2026<\/strong> at the <strong>Scarborough Folk Festival<\/strong> at Thompson Memorial Park in Toronto; details [<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/scarboroughfolkfest.com\/pdf\/Schedule_SFF2026.jpeg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HERE<\/a><\/strong>].<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><em>Are you looking to promote an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/advertising\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #0e101a;\"><u>event<\/u><\/span><\/a>? Have a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/masthead\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>news tip<\/u><\/a>? 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