Meet Arvin Moti, the Afghan singer who shot a music video in Marilyn Monroe’s mansion in Hollywood
His song HalaBiaRaqskonba received a tremendous amount of attention within Afghan communities around the globe. For a long while, it was played at almost every Afghan wedding and celebration. And the man behind the song, the multi-talented Arvin Moti, singer, music arranger and composer, says from the moment he created the number, he knew it would be received well. “It is a modern ‘Qataghani’,” says Arvin, whose parents are originally from Herat, Afghanistan. Arvin was born in Iran, and later, moved to Sweden, where he grew up. He studied electronics and music there.
The Moti family was all about music, says Arvin, and adds that his elder brother Hashem played the keyboard, while his younger brother Kazem was a whiz at the tabla/drums. “I liked the keyboard, and the first piece I learned to play was “Bia ke Borem Ba Mazar”. Hashem assisted me,” says Arvin, who calls his brothers his inspiration.
Arvin performed with several musical bands in Europe. Soon enough he started composing his own melodies and then joined Afghan singer Halim Wasiq. His success led him to decide to think about going solo. He established his own studio, A.M, and started singing and taking professional lessons from a Swedish instructor. “I believe if any artiste is planning to enter the music world, they should get professionally trained,” says Arvin.
“My professional music career took off in 2008,” says Arvin, who shot his first three music videos — “Bia Halaraqs, Hamedunyay, and Enishqebenazam — in Marilyn Monroe’s mansion in Hollywood, USA.
“I would say my music style is a combination of modern Iranian, Afghan and European pop,” says Arvin, who has composed and arranged music for a few Afghan artistes including for the Nasheet Brothers, based in Melbourne. Besides music, Arvin works for a TV advertising company as well as owns his own advertising firm.
He will also soon be seen in collaboration with Shahinahmadi, an Afghan rapper.
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