Mehrdad Badie Soviet and English singer of Iranian origin. Date of Birth: 14.03.1954 Country: Iran

1. Biography of Mehrdad Badie
2. Family Background
3. Life and Career

Biography of Mehrdad Badie

Mehrdad Badie was a Soviet and English singer of Iranian descent. He was also known as a Persian singer in Britain and Russia. He gained fame as the vocalist of the group "Arsenal" from 1973 to 1977. Some of his well-known songs include "I mentally enter your office" and "Goodnight" from the album "Through the Waves of My Memory". In the Soviet music scene, he was also referred to as "Makar" and "Mark". In 1977, he moved to London, where he studied at a music college and became a professional musician. Despite being born in the USSR, he did not hold Soviet citizenship. In 2005, 2006, and 2008, Mehrdad Badie participated as a vocalist in the recording of albums by Vyacheslav Gorskii, who was also a member of the "Arsenal" ensemble from 1974 to 1983.

Family Background

Mehrdad Badie was the younger son of poetess Jaleh Esfahani, also known as Badi Jaleh Abulgasem, and military pilot Shams-al-din Badie. His father, Shams-al-din Badie, was an Iranian communist who fought against the Pahlavi dynasty regime and was subsequently arrested by the Iranian authorities. In 1947, the couple fled Iran to the USSR, initially settling in Baku. Over time, both spouses became successful specialists and scholars, eventually moving to Moscow. Jaleh published more than 20 volumes of poetry and defended a dissertation on Persian literature, while Shams was a prominent expert on Iran and defended a dissertation in economics.

Life and Career

After the overthrow of the Shah's regime in 1979, Shams Badie attempted to return to Iran. However, the new authorities were also hostile towards him, leading him to leave the country again. He returned to Moscow before eventually seeking treatment in London. Jaleh returned to Iran in 1981 but relocated to London two years later. Mehrdad Badie's older brother, Bijan Badie, was married to Natalia Ivanova, the sister of Seva Novgorodtsev, until her passing in January 2007.