Andranik Madadian (Persian: آندرانیک مددیان, Armenian: Անդրանիկ Մադադյան; born April 22, 1958), better known by his stage name Andy, is an Iranian singer-songwriter and actor.[1] He immigrated to United States and currently lives in Los Angeles. He sings in several languages including Persian, Armenian and English.

Andranik Madadian
آندرانیک مددیان
Անդրանիկ Մադադյան
Andy at a Washington, D.C. concert, January 2009
Andy at a Washington, D.C. concert, January 2009
Background information
Birth nameAndranik Madadian
Also known asاندی
Անդի
Andy
Born (1958-04-22) April 22, 1958 (age 66)
Tehran, Iran
GenresPop, dance-pop, rock, soft rock
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, actor
Instrument(s)Guitar, bass guitar
Years active1977–present
LabelsPars Video, Caltex, Taraneh Records, Avang Music, Cherokee Music Group
Websiteandymusic.com

Career

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Duo in Andy and Kouros

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Andy first gained recognition when he joined Kouros Shahmiri and they formed the successful duo Andy & Kouros, going on to release 4 albums together: Khastegary (1985), Parvaz (1987), the hugely successful album Balla (1990), and Goodbye (1991). The two split in 1992, with both Andy and Kouros going on to have successful individual solo careers. The two reunited several times after that point. In 2002 and 2004, they performed together for a sold-out audience in San Jose, California. In 2009, Andy & Kouros they went on an international tour together in the Iranian diaspora, and performed together again in May 2010. They also appeared together on a music video by Farez remaking their hit "Niloufar".

Solo career

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Andy has released 16 albums as a solo artist. His last three singles have ranked No. 1 in the charts. In 2013, Andy was nominated for Best Male Artist, Best Live Act, and Best Entertainer of the Year at the World Music Awards. The following year, he was presented with the "Millennium" award at the Big Apple Music Awards in New York City. On January 17, 2020, Andy was honored by the Hollywood Walk of Fame With his star being the 2,684th star.

Other collaborations

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On June 24, 2009, Andy, Richie Sambora and Jon Bon Jovi recorded a version of the Leiber and Stoller standard Stand by Me,[2] described by producer Don Was as a "worldwide solidarity with the people of Iran". The Persian introduction is done by both Andy and Jon Bon Jovi, and the rest of the song continues in English. The record was produced by Don Was and John Shanks and was registered at Henson Studio C, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. He participated in a prestigious recording session for World Peace One, which featured some of the world's most successful artists uniting to promote peace. In 2014, Cherokee Music Productions released the humanitarian single, We Hear Your Voice[3] which brought together 15 international stars from 11 countries to inspire fans and followers to find common ground and heal the divide between nations.

In March 2016, Andy released a duet with La Toya Jackson called "Tehran".[4][5][6]

In April 2019, Andy released a duet with Algerian singer Khaled called "Salama So Good".[7]

In January 2020, Andy released an English song titled "The Good Fight", which was featured in the motion picture "American Fighter“.[8] 

Personal life

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Andy married his longtime girlfriend and artist Shani Rigsbee on November 11, 2011.[9][10] Around 1992, the couple began working and touring together. Soon after, they discovered Shani had ovarian cancer,[11] and she had an early hysterectomy in 1992.[11] The couple is associated with cancer-related charities and has performed together for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life.[12]

Awards and honors

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On January 17, 2020, Madadian was awarded the 2684th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame,[13] becoming the first Iranian to receive the honor.[14] His star is located at Highland Avenue at 6810 Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles.[15]

Discography

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Albums

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Andy & Kouros

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Year Title Notable Tracks Notes
1985 Khastegary Three of Us
Madar
Duo album
1987 Parvaz Chi Mishod
Restless
Niloufar
Topoli
Duo album
1990 Balla Balla
Leila
Negah
Sheytoon Bala
Khodaye Asemoonha
Don't Go Away
Duo album
1991 Goodbye Strange Love
Yasaman
Duo album

Andy

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Year Title Notable Tracks Notes
1977 Future Features * Eshghe A Issar

* Walking in the Rain
* Today's Just Like Tomorrow

First solo album
1992 Beegharar * Beegharar
* Entezar
* Dokhtar Irooni
* Sheytanat
* Ghasre Kaghazi
* Shabgard
Solo album
1993 Laili * Yeh Roozi Tange Ghoroobe Asemoon Collaboration, featuring Bijan Mortazavi and Hassan Shamaizadeh
1994 Tanhaee * Tanhaee
* Cheshmaye Naaz
* Naaze Naaz
Solo album
1996 Devoted * Sarsepordeh
* Dokhtare Bandar
* Tavalod
Solo album
1998 Silk Road * Az Khod Gozashteh
* Orere Seero
* Melli Poosha
Solo album
1999 Ghahremanane Vatan * Ghahremanane Vatan Collaboration/Single, featuring Leila Forouhar and Dariush
1999 Nune * Chera Ashegh Shodam Single
2000 And My Heart... * Yalla
* Rayhan
Solo album, includes 7 songs in Persian, 1 in English, 1 in Spanish, 1 in Armenian, 1 in Arabic, and 1 in Urdu
2000 And My Heart... * Yalla
* Rayhan
* Hotel California
Solo album, American Edition – includes 7 songs in Persian, 3 in English, 2 in Spanish, 2 in Armenian, 1 in Arabic, 1 in Urdu, and a Persian version of the Eagles' "Hotel California" is included.
2001 Yaran Collaboration, featuring Pyruz, Paksima, and Hamid Nadiri
2002 Khalvate Man * Che Khoshgel Shodi
* Negahe Aval
* Shaghayegh
Solo album, includes 4 remixes of the 2000-hit "Rayhan"
2003 Orere Seero * Orere Seero
* Garoun Garouneh
Solo album, Andy's first all-Armenian album
2004 Platinum * Aroosak
* Salame Asheghouneh
* Ghesseye Baran
Solo album, "Salame Asheghoone" and "Sahraei", written by Leila Kasra, were featured in the motion picture House of Sand and Fog.
2006 City of Angels * Mohem Nabood
* Gole Bandar
* Daram Miram Beh Tehran
Solo album, 11 original songs and 5 remixes on 2 CDs, a cover of the song "Marde Tanha" originally sung by Farhad as well as a remix by Nami are found on the first and second CD, respectively. An edited version of the song "Tanine Solh" written by Leila Kasra and sung by Andy, Kouros, Fataneh, Moein, and Morteza is included. "Daram Miram Beh Tehran" is featured as the soundtrack of the animated film "Babak and Friends – A First Norooz".
2007 Airport * Foroudgah
* Salam
* Deltang
* Zamooneh
Solo album, 13 original songs and 3 remixes
2021 Love Songs Solo album

Non-album singles and collaborations

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Year Title Notes
2009 Stand by Me With Richie Sambora and Jon Bon Jovi[2]
2014 We Hear Your Voice Humanitarian track and collaboration with 15 other artists[3]
2014 Far and Away "Guardian Angel" Movie Soundtrack with Shani[16]
2015 Parya khanoom Humanitarian track and collaboration with 15 other artists[3]
2016 Tehran Duet With La Toya Jackson[4]
2019 Salama So Good Duet with Algerian singer Khaled[7]
2020 The Good Fight From motion picture "American Fighter"[8]

Videos/DVDs

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  • The Journey
  • Orere Seero
  • Platinum
  • City of Angels
  • Balla!
  • Andy Live at the Kodak Theatre

Filmography

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Year Title Role
2003 Irangeles Andy
2003 House of Sand and Fog Wedding Singer
2005 The Keeper: The Legend of Omar Khayyam Ali Ben-Sabbah
2005 Our Yard 3 (Armenian: Մեր Բակը 3) Cameo
2010 Lost Journey: Lost Journey Mr.Zand
2013 Shirin in Love Andy
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See also

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References

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[17]

  1. ^ "Weekend Forecast". Los Angeles Times. 2007.
  2. ^ a b "BBC فارسی – ايران – بون جووی و اندی در حمایت از تظاهرکنندگان ایرانی خواندند (Bon Jovi & Andy Supporting Iranian Demonstrators)". BBC. June 28, 2009. Retrieved October 14, 2013.
  3. ^ a b c We Hear Your Voice. July 31, 2012. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021 – via YouTube.
  4. ^ a b "La Toya Jackson To Drop Farsi Duet With Iranian Singer Andy Madadian". idolator.com/. idolator.com. October 6, 2015. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
  5. ^ "YouTube". Retrieved April 11, 2018 – via YouTube.[dead YouTube link]
  6. ^ "La Toya Jackson on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
  7. ^ a b "Khaled & Andy - Salama So Good". April 17, 2019. Archived from the original on February 26, 2022. Retrieved February 7, 2020 – via Facebook.
  8. ^ a b "The new music video out today". Twitter. January 16, 2020. Retrieved February 7, 2020.
  9. ^ "Andy and Shani Wedding Pictures and Video". Armenian Pulse. Armenian Pulse Radio & Entertainment. 2011. Archived from the original on October 16, 2014. Retrieved October 9, 2014.
  10. ^ "Report: Andy & Shani's Wedding (Photos)". Nabz.com. November 14, 2011. Archived from the original on July 16, 2012. Retrieved October 14, 2013.
  11. ^ a b "Andy Madadian - interview with Lia Martirosyan and Chet Cooper". abilitymagazine.com. June 2013. Retrieved January 22, 2020. Around 1992, we started working together, began touring everywhere in the world and then, suddenly, she was sick. We found out that she had ovarian cancer; she had a hysterectomy at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and since then she's been doing unbelievably great.
  12. ^ "ANDY – Music + Charity = Millions of Fans". ABILITY Magazine (Andy Madadian Issue). June–July 2013.
  13. ^ Minazad, Orly (January 20, 2020). "Op-Ed: A Walk of Fame star may seem silly, but it means a lot to us Iranians". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
  14. ^ Levin, Sam (January 16, 2020). "'An American dream': singer Andy Madadian becomes first Iranian on Hollywood's Walk of Fame". The Guardian. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
  15. ^ "Iranian-Armenian music star Andy Madadian gets star on Hollywood Walk of Fame". ABC7 Los Angeles. January 19, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
  16. ^ Pirhamzei, Vahik (October 17, 2014), Guardian Angel (Action, Drama), Richmond Media Entertainment, retrieved April 8, 2022
  17. ^ "Andranik Madadian And Nematollah Aghasi in Concert Ameneh song matching" – via YouTube.

Sources

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  • Tehran Magazine. Choose the Best: Andy, Mansour, or Shahram Kashani Issue 476. Page 72-76
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