Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Darvishi. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Darvishi, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I always knew I was going to become a singer. I just didn’t know when.

When I was younger, writing felt like therapy. Anytime I felt sad, I’d pick out a pretty journal and would write down all my feelings until I felt better. Sometimes they were stories listing everything that had happened to me that day, and other times they were songs. I preferred the songs. My science teacher agreed to teach me guitar after class each week and I was able to piece together a few chords for my songs. This took a few years to perfect, but by the time I’d turned 18, I’d written the first song I was ever proud of. My chorus teacher let me perform it in front of the entire school during morning assembly, and as I finished singing the last line of my song, I knew that this was a passion I needed to pursue.

Only one problem – reality. I had no idea who to contact or how to even distribute music. So, I decided to put my dream on hold. Just for a while. I moved from my home in Virginia to New York City for college and got my degree in computer science at NYU. And while that was an adventure in itself, I still didn’t feel satisfied. I still wanted to pursue music. But again, how?

After college, I found a full time job as a project manager for a tech company and decided to stay in New York for a little while longer. Just when I had thought all hope was lost and I was to forever be doomed working in a cubicle, an old friend, who funny enough I had met in a computer science class, called me saying he wanted to catch up over coffee. I later found out he graduated from the Clive Davis music program at NYU and that he was now a producer. MY LUCK HAD RETURNED! We ended up working on music every weekend, creating and recording demos for fun until one day, we made a song that I knew I had to release. He taught me how to release music through independent distributors and I immediately uploaded my first ever song. I finally felt that same rush I had felt back in high school.

Every day after work, I started working on more music, making more connections, and researching the business behind it all. Eventually, I had enough songs to release my first EP. Just one more problem – my job. I had held off quitting for a while because I was scared that if I tried to pursue music seriously as a career, I would no longer have a back-up plan in case I failed. But the pandemic had just hit the US, and I quickly realized that life was too short not to give it a try. I packed my bags and moved to California. Three and half years and a ton of songs later, I can now say it was best risk I’ve ever taken.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Bio: Darvishi is an Iranian-American pop singer-songwriter currently based in Los Angeles, CA. She began her music journey and released her first single, “Taste Like Summer,” in 2019. She has since released her EP, Colored Heart, her debut album, 14th and 4th, and her most recent EP, Mockingbird. Her projects range from contemporary American dance pop to Iranian influenced melodies, all the while telling captivating stories. When writing, Darvishi draws inspiration from artists such as Taylor Swift and Halsey, often writing her songs from a place of self-reflection in hopes that her music can relate to others. Having spent multiple years honing her writing skills, she is excited to play more live shows and meet new people as she shares her sound with the world!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I think the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is getting to perform my own music onstage in front of others. Though it can be scary, that thrilling feeling of getting to pour your heart out through lyrics that others are singing alongside you makes it all worth it! I especially love getting to hear about how some people connect with certain song lyrics of mine.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is to continue performing for as many people as I can while sharing stories that they can relate to. I especially want to give courage to other young women to write about their stories and experiences regardless of their background.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/darvishi3
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darvishimusic
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susandarvishiofficial/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY38uwa9i7iQLCDX8yLSTNg
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5fsTkcgagIWw0tMuyacIha?si=9gKhBnpbRN6JdD5rrKjV2w https://music.apple.com/us/artist/darvishi/1706879051 https://www.tiktok.com/@darvishi3

Image Credits
Mark Mendoza, Garrison Morev, Adrian Roup, Christina Bryson