Neda Mohamadpour

Neda Mohammadpour is a vocalist deeply rooted in Persian and Middle Eastern folk traditions, blending them with global influences. Originally from Tehran, Iran, she was trained in Persian traditional maqam music under the guidance of renowned artists Simin Ghanem and Malihe Moradi. Her singing embraces improvisation, microtonal nuances, and deep emotional expression, creating a bridge between the past and the present. She explores music as both a personal and collective storytelling medium, whether through fully improvised performances or reimagining rare vintage recordings from Tehran’s musical history. Since relocating to Canada, Neda has performed across various Toronto venues, collaborating with diverse musicians. Her work includes joining Link Music Lab’s Experimental Series, where she blends Persian folk vocals with electronic and experimental soundscapes. These performances have taken her to venues such as Tapestry, Small World Centre, and most recently, TD Music Hall. Her latest project, Persian Alchemy, is a fully improvised exploration of Persian maqam, experimental textures, and trance-like rhythmic cycles, drawing inspiration from Persian classical vocal traditions, Indian tala, and psychedelic folk. The project will be released as an album in the upcoming months.

She is also the vocalist for Opa Yala, a band where she feeds her love for vintage psychedelic Middle Eastern, Turkish, and Persian folk, bringing these sounds back to life with a fresh energy. This passion for rare and forgotten music led her to create Tehran to Toronto, an ongoing project in collaboration with Local Dish, a record label dedicated to reviving songs on 45 RPM vinyl. The project first began when Neda was still in Iran, playing music in secrecy as a female singer alongside other independent musicians in downtown Tehran. Now, she continues to build this bridge between artists from Tehran and Toronto, fostering collaborations that reconnect her to her hometown. So far, this project has resulted in three 45 RPM releases, with more in the works.