Biography
Who is Ebi?
Early life and real name
Ebrahim Hamedi was born on June 19, 1949, in Tehran, Iran. He is the eldest of six siblings born in Khorramdareh, with his father originating from Arak and his mother from Karaj. During his youth, he sang to people at home, schoolmates, and children in his neighborhood, and also began practicing his singing skills by reciting the Quran.
Inspired by The Beatles, he formed a beat band known as The Rebels with Shahram Shabpareh and Siavash Ghomayshi in the mid 1960s. He also participated in the Sunboys and Black Cats bands before transitioning to a solo career.
Career highlights
Ebi left Iran to tour the United States in 1977, prior to the Islamic Revolution of 1979, and remained there in exile. Over a career spanning more than 50 years, he has released nearly 200 singles and over 30 albums. In 1990, he released the joint album Noon O Panir O Sabzi with Dariush and performed a joint concert at the Universal Amphitheater.
His famous song Khalij-e Hamishegi-ye Fars features lyrics by Adel Hassani and composition by Mohammad Shams. In 1995, he released the album Setarehaye Sorbi, which included popular tracks such as Kee Ashkato Pak Mikoneh and Setarehaye Sorbi. His later musical releases included the album Jan-e Javani in 2014 and Lalehzaar in 2019.
Political activism and controversies
Ebi has recorded several social and protest songs throughout his career. His track Shekar was banned from radio broadcasts for two years before winning an award at an international music festival in Turkey. In 1999, he released the politically charged song Hala, produced by Esfandiar Monfaredzadeh. Prior to the 2009 Iranian presidential election, he released the protest song Tasmim.
In 2019, his song Koocheye Nastaran from the album Lalehzaar addressed the Iran Iraq war and proved controversial. He also faced backlash following a Dubai concert after omitting his patriotic song Khalij-e Hamishegi-ye Fars from his setlist to avoid having his performances canceled by local authorities.
Family and personal life
Ebi was previously married to Firouze Meghdadi, with whom he shares three daughters. After 25 years of marriage, the couple divorced. He later lived in Sweden in the early 2000s and eventually settled down to divide his time between Marbella, Spain, and Los Angeles with his second wife, Mahshid Boroumand, with whom he has a stepson.
In July 2020, he launched a fundraising campaign through his Ba Tou Foundation to urge fans to donate to UNICEF. He promised to shave off his beard for the first time since 1971 if the campaign reached its ten thousand dollar goal. The financial target was met rapidly, prompting him to share a video of himself shaving his face clean.
Birthday and age
Ebi was born on June 19, 1949, which makes Ebi 77 years old today. That birthday falls under the Gemini sign. Ebi shares the date with 61 other famous people.
Explore more
