The Shah, also known as Shahin Najafi, is a trailblazing musician who brings together the best of different worlds in his music. With a background in rap and rock, he's now carving out a fresh path in electronic music, blending Persian sounds with Middle Eastern and Afrobeat influences. As a DJ, The Shah's sets are more than just music—they're experiences. He creates powerful, danceable rhythms filled with energy and excitement, making every performance a journey through sound and storytelling.
His creativity shines through in how he mixes beats and melodies, always aiming to connect with the audience on a deeper level. Whether it's through epic rhythms or innovative soundscapes, The Shah invites his listeners to move, dance, and feel the music. He also believes that the future of music lies in the fusion of technology and art, where dance, visuals, and sound come together to create something truly extraordinary. So when you hear The Shah, you're not just listening—you're experiencing a new world of music, designed to make you move.

Shahin Najafi is a musician, poet, singer, and social activist. He was born in 1980 to a middle-class family in Bandar-e Anzali, Iran, the youngest of eight children. He started writing poetry and learning to play classical and flamenco guitar in his teens. He turned to rock music, often performing as an underground musician.
​
As a young activist, Shahin's lyrics often conveyed strong and controversial messages about Iranian society. This attracted the disapproval of Iranian authorities and in 2004, the threat of persecution forced him to leave Iran.
In 2005, Shahin moved to Germany. Dubbed the "angry bard", he continued to write and perform music that was critical of conditions in Iran: poverty, oppression of women, homophobia, censorship, ideological dogmas, violence and cultural taboos. For a time, his career veered into rap and hip hop, bringing him fame among young fans back in Iran. These days, Shahin's music fuses rock, jazz, and blues with lyrics that demand change.
​
In 2012, Shahin released his most controversial song: Naghi. In it, he exhorts a Shiite Imam named Naghi to help solve some of the problems plaguing Iran. But religious hardliners called the song an insult to Imams, a crime severely punished in Iran, and used Fatwas (religious edicts) to demand his death. Around the world, politicians, scholars, musicians, and devoted fans rose to Shahin’s defence, propelling him into the limelight as a proponent of free speech.
​
In 2013, Shahin Najafi's book Wenn Gott Schläft (When God is Asleep) was published. This collection of his original poems, lyrics and observations tell of his personal struggles with religion and provide searing insights into the true nature of Iranian society.
​
Shahin Najafi lives in Germany, and is still at odds with Iranian authorities. He remains a dedicated and defiant artist who refuses to be silenced, delivering his message to enthusiastic audiences wherever he tours. His fan base continues strong in Iran and has spread around the world.

Mehdi Faridzad is following