Shams

Biography

Shams (ca. 1931-2002), nee Shamsi Shams, vocalist of Persian popular lyrical songs (tarana) from 1948 onwards. She began her vocal profession by performing in Shir u khurshid (“The Lion and the Sun”) programmes, then performing anonymously on various radio programmes, and lastly under the stage-name ‘Shams’ with the help of her first husband, Habibu’llah Badi‘i, who cooperated with her in performing on radio programmes. A number of Gilaki lyrical songs were performed by her that were later broadcast on the Yik Shakh-i gul programmes. She ceased all musical activities from 1976 onwards and died in the summer of 2002 in seclusion and solitude in the United States. No independent album was ever released by her.

Siyamak Bana’i