Biography
Who is Rostam Batmanglij?
Early life and education
Rostam Batmanglij was born on November 28, 1983, to Iranian parents. His mother is Najmieh Batmanglij, a cookbook author, and his father works as a publisher. The family moved to Washington, D.C., in 1983, where he grew up.
He attended Columbia University School of the Arts to study music. During his time at the university, he focused on classical harmony and practiced by recreating various songs. It was at Columbia in 2006 that he joined the group Vampire Weekend.
Musical career and Vampire Weekend
As a founding member of Vampire Weekend, Rostam Batmanglij contributed as a singer, guitarist, and keyboardist. He also served as a songwriter and producer for the group. He produced their self-titled debut album following his graduation. He later produced the album Contra, which reached number one on the Billboard 200 and sold 124,000 copies in its first week.
He worked on the 2013 release Modern Vampires of the City alongside Ariel Rechtshaid. This album earned him a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album. In 2016, he announced his departure from the band to focus on his own solo projects, though he remains open to future collaborations with Ezra Koenig.
Solo projects and collaborations
Rostam has released several solo albums, including Half-Light in 2017 and Changephobia in 2021. His solo discography also includes the upcoming American Stories, scheduled for 2026. He has released various singles such as Wood, EOS, and In a River.
Beyond his solo work, he is a member of the electro-soul group Discovery. He has also collaborated with Hamilton Leithauser in the duo Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam. His production and songwriting credits extend to artists like Haim, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Charli XCX. He earned a Grammy nomination for producing Haim's Women in Music Pt. III.
Film scores and family
The musician has composed music for various visual media. He created the score for the film Sound of My Voice and composed a piano piece for The East. He also provided the main theme and score for the television series The OA in 2016.
He has collaborated professionally with his brother, Zal Batmanglij, who is an independent filmmaker. Zal directed the film Sound of My Voice, which Rostam scored. Rostam Batmanglij also wrote the original music for the Broadway play This Is Our Youth in 2014.
Birthday and age
Rostam Batmanglij was born on November 28, 1983, which makes Rostam 42 years old today. That birthday falls under the Sagittarius sign. Rostam shares the date with 65 other famous people.
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