Naghva, نغوا
فارسی

Artist

Mohsen Namjoo

محسن نامجو

On the timeline

Mohsen Namjoo is an Iranian singer-songwriter, setar player and music researcher, born in Khorasan in 1976. He combines Persian classical scales and singing with electric guitar and the vocal techniques of rock and blues.4 His songs circulated in Tehran’s underground music scene before he continued his career abroad, touring internationally and teaching Iranian and Persian music in the United States.64

Recordings

12 releases, oldest first. Select one for its details and sources.

  1. Cover of Toranj / Toranj
  2. Ay Yarom Biawith Kiosk
  3. Cover of Morgh e Sahar (Bird of Dawn)Morgh e Sahar (Bird of Dawn)with Kiosk
  4. Cover of Alaki / / Alaki
  5. Cover of 13/813/8
  6. Cover of PhantasmPhantasmwith Ehsan Matoori
  7. Cover of MotantanMotantan
  8. Cover of Restless / Restless
  9. Cover of Oula / Oula
  10. Cover of Kisti?Kisti?with Kābin
  11. Cover of MagnetismMagnetismwith Kābin
  12. Cover of NobahaariNobahaariwith Kābin
ReleaseClose
Cover of Toranj
Cover: music.apple.com15

2007

Toranj

ترنج

Apple Music 16Apple Music 15Spotify 17SoundCloud 18

Released
16
15
Sources give different dates; an edition date may differ from the original release.
Contributors
Mohsen Namjoo15
ReleaseClose

2008

Ay Yarom Bia

Released
19
Contributors
Kiosk and Mohsen Namjoo19
ReleaseClose
Cover of Morgh e Sahar (Bird of Dawn)
Cover: soundcloud.com20

2009

Morgh e Sahar (Bird of Dawn)

مرغ سحر

SoundCloud 20

Released
19
Contributors
Kiosk and Mohsen Namjoo19
ReleaseClose
Cover of Alaki
Cover: Apple Music21

2011 / 2012

Alaki

الکی

Apple Music 21SoundCloud 224Spotify 23YouTube 24

Released
4
10
21
Sources give different dates; an edition date may differ from the original release.
Label
Payam Entertainment10
Contributors
Mohsen Namjoo21
ReleaseClose
Cover of 13/8
Cover: Apple Music25

2012

13/8

Apple Music 25SoundCloud 26Spotify 27YouTube 28

Released
4
Contributors
Mohsen Namjoo25
ReleaseClose
Cover of Phantasm
Cover: Apple Music29

2019

Phantasm

سودای من

Apple Music 29YouTube 304Spotify 31

Released
4
Contributors
Ehsan Matoori (composer) and Mohsen Namjoo (vocals)2912
ReleaseClose
Cover of Motantan
Cover: music.apple.com2

2020

Motantan

مطنطن

Apple Music 2Spotify 32YouTube 33

Released
2
Contributors
Mohsen Namjoo (composer and setar)29
ReleaseClose
Cover of Restless
Cover: Apple Music34

2023

Restless

بی‌تاب

Apple Music 34Spotify 17YouTube 304

Released
4
34
Contributors
Mohsen Namjoo34
ReleaseClose
Cover of Oula
Cover: Apple Music35

2024

Oula

Apple Music 35YouTube 304Spotify 36

Released
4
35
Contributors
Mohsen Namjoo35
ReleaseClose
Cover of Kisti?
Cover: Apple Music37

2025

Kisti?

کیستی؟

Apple Music 37Spotify 40SoundCloud 38YouTube 41

Released
37
Label
Daf-Daf Production38
Contributors
Kābin (composer and arranger), Mohsen Namjoo (vocals) and هلالی جغتایی (lyricist)3739
ReleaseClose
Cover of Magnetism
Cover: Apple Music13

2025

Magnetism

مغناطیس

Apple Music 13YouTube 304Spotify 42SoundCloud 43YouTube 44

Released
413
Contributors
Mohsen Namjoo and Kābin13
ReleaseClose
Cover of Nobahaari
Cover: SoundCloud45

Nobahaari

نوبهاری

SoundCloud 45Telegram 46

Contributors
Kābin and Mohsen Namjoo45

Life & work

Early life and Maad

Namjoo began studying Persian classical music at twelve. He took up setar shortly before university, then studied theatre and music at the University of Tehran.78 While he was a student, his songs spread through the city’s underground music scene.6

During military service, a guitarist introduced him to the blues. In 2002 the two began performing with their rock band, Maad, but the authorities stopped the group’s activity.5 He went on to make Toranj with his friends from Mashhad in the band Maad. Released in 2007, it brought together pieces he had written in Iran in the year or two before recording.94

Work abroad

Namjoo moved to the United States in the late 2000s and went on to tour internationally.47 He released recordings of his university concerts: Alaki captures a February 2011 performance at Stanford, while 13/8, released in 2012, was recorded live at Berkeley.104 In 2014 he taught “Tradition and Protest: Iranian and Persian Music” as a visiting professor of Iranian Studies at Brown University.6

Later work

In 2019 Namjoo worked with the composer and santoor player Ehsan Matoori on Phantasm, singing music composed by Matoori.1112 For his own album Motantan, released the following year, he returned to some of his earlier compositions. He recalled playing “Khashm Kardam” on setar as a university student in his early twenties.49

On Motantan, Namjoo expanded his usual combination of guitar, bass, drums and setar with additional instruments.9 He wanted some words to convey a feeling through their sound without carrying a definite meaning.9

In 2025 Namjoo and Kābin released Magnetism together.134 Namjoo returned to Tehran in August 2026 after years in the United States.14

Sources

  1. 1
    ‎Mohsen Namjoo - Apple Music · music.apple.com
    2 quotes
    ‎Mohsen Namjoo - Apple Music
    Accessed 19 October 2026
    https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/AMCArtistImages211/v4/dc/7d/c4/dc7dc48f-1f30-05f1-0216-cc87c19c91e8/6a36f969-364b-4211-95b5-a2783e149edf_file_cropped.png/1200x630cw.png
    Accessed 19 October 2026
  2. 2
    Motantan - Album by Mohsen Namjoo - Apple Music · Apple Music
    4 quotes
    Motantan Mohsen Namjoo Rock · 2020
    Accessed 19 October 2026
    Motantan by Mohsen Namjoo on Apple Music
    Accessed 19 October 2026
    https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Music114/v4/d1/f9/db/d1f9dbe2-9e39-ac44-d2f6-412fa779e9d9/676868225055.jpg/1200x630bb.jpg
    Accessed 19 October 2026
    March 4, 2020 13 songs, 1 hour 9 minutes ℗ 2020 Mohsen Namjoo
    Accessed 19 October 2026
  3. 3
    Mohsen Namjoo | محسن نامجو – Telegram · t.me
    3 quotes
    Mohsen Namjoo | محسن نامجو – Telegram
    Accessed 19 October 2026
    https://t.me/s/Official_MohsenNamjoo
    Accessed 19 October 2026
    http://youtube.com/@officialmohsennamjoo
    Accessed 19 October 2026
  4. 4
    Bio — Mohsen Namjoo
    13 quotes
    http://soundcloud.com/mohsennamjoo
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    Born in 1976 in Khorasan province, one of epicenters of poetry and music north east of Iran, Mohsen Namjoo is a Singer Songwriter, Music scholar and Setar (traditional Persian lute) player currently based in New York City.
    Accessed 19 October 2026
    Seamlessly blending the Classical Persian music and scales with electric guitar,Rock and Blues vocal techniques with Persian Avaz (singing).
    Accessed 19 October 2026
    Since his arrival to the U.S. in 2009, Namjoo has been touring the world
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    2007 Toranj, Tehran: Barbad Music In.
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    2012 13/8, Live at University of Berkeley. California: Payam Ent. Inc.
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    2020 Motantan (Gtandiloquent) Daf-Daf
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    His latest album, Magnetism is released on December 21, 2025.
    Accessed 3 November 2026
    2011 Alaki, Live at Stanford University. California: Payam Ent. Inc.
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    2019 Sowday e man (Phantasm) (With Ehsan Matouri) Sheed Records
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf8EMYdv6DTYpqCjEGb83SA
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    2023 Restless
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    2024 Oula
    Accessed 23 October 2026
  5. 5
    Exiled Iranian singer Mohsen Namjoo makes Northwest debut · The Seattle Times
    2 quotes
    Namjoo and Abdi began performing with their rock band, Maad, in 2002, but the authorities shut them down.
    Accessed 3 November 2026
    Drafted, he met his most important influence in the army, the guitarist who goes by the name Abdi, who introduced Namjoo to the blues.
    Accessed 3 November 2026
  6. 6
    An exiled Iranian musician goes avant-garde · Brown University News
    2 quotes
    While at college in Tehran, his songs exploded onto the underground artists’ scene and he was proclaimed a rock star.
    Accessed 19 October 2026
    As visiting professor of Iranian Studies with Middle East Studies, he teaches “Tradition and Protest: Iranian and Persian Music.”
    Accessed 19 October 2026
  7. 7
    Iranian Singer-Songwriter Mohsen Namjoo: The Innovator · Qantara.de
    3 quotes
    Mohsen Namjoo began taking tuition in classical Persian music at the age of 12.
    Accessed 3 November 2026
    studied theatre and music at the University of Tehran.
    Accessed 3 November 2026
    Mohsen Namjoo has been living in the United States since 2008.
    Accessed 3 November 2026
  8. 8
    Mohsen Namjoo by Shirin Neshat · BOMB
    One quote
    I learned to play the setar eight months prior to university
    Accessed 3 November 2026
  9. 9
    از اعجاب «مُطَنطن»؛ گفت‌وگو با محسن نامجو · Radio Farda
    5 quotes
    فقط آلبوم «ترنج» بود که قطعاتش در ایران و در همان فاصله یکی دوسال قبل از ضبطش ساخته شده بود، که در واقع حاصل همکاری من بود با دوستان مشهدی‌ام در گروه «ماد».
    Accessed 3 October 2026
    ولی «خشم کردم» که قطعه آخر است، جزو قطعاتی است که من حدود بیست و یکی دو سالگی در همان زمان دانشگاه با سه‌تار می‌زدمش.
    Accessed 3 October 2026
    افزوده شدن سازهایی اضافه بر آن چهار ساز اصلی است که ما همیشه استفاده می‌کنیم، یعنی گیتار، گیتارباس، درامز و خود من با سه تار.
    Accessed 3 October 2026
    قرار است که اینها، دال‌ها یا لفظ‌هایی باشند که معنی مشخصی را منتقل نکنند، اما حسی را به ما انتقال دهند
    Accessed 3 November 2026
    «مطنطن» نام آلبوم جدید محسن نامجو است. این آلبوم مجموعه‌های از ساخته‌های این خواننده را در بر می‌گیرد که بین سال‌های ۷۵ تا ۹۸ نوشته و ساخته شده‌اند.
    Accessed 3 November 2026
  10. 10
    Evolution of Iranian Rhythms · Stanford University, Iranian Studies
    One quote
    Payam Entertainment released Namjoo’s latest album Useless Kisses in 2011, and Alaki in 2012, which live recording from a performance at the Stanford University in February 2011.
    Accessed 23 October 2026
  11. 11
    Ehsan Matoori | Bio · Ehsan Matoori
    2 quotes
    Ehsan’s debut album, “Phantasm,” a collaboration with Mohsen Namjoo, was released in 2019.
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    Ehsan Matoori (Santoor Player, Composer, Educator)
    Accessed 23 October 2026
  12. 12
    سودای من — معرفی آلبوم
    One quote
    «سودای من»؛ آلبومی به آهنگسازی احسان مطورى و آواز محسن نامجو
    Accessed 3 November 2026
  13. 13
    Magnetism - Album by Mohsen Namjoo & Kābin - Apple Music · Apple Music
    3 quotes
    Magnetism - Album by Mohsen Namjoo & Kābin - Apple Music
    Accessed 3 November 2026
    https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Music211/v4/e3/88/ae/e388ae02-4df4-3fd6-9c10-605df64dac5c/199900302564.jpg/600x600bf-60.jpg
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    December 21, 2025 9 songs, 33 minutes ℗ 2025 Daf-Daf Production
    Accessed 23 October 2026
  14. 14
    Famed singer returns to Iran after decades of exile
    One quote
    had been living in the United States, flew into Tehran late last week, with his arrival welcomed by official media.
    Accessed 3 November 2026
  15. 15
    Toranj - Album by Mohsen Namjoo - Apple Music · Apple Music
    4 quotes
    https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Music115/v4/2c/8e/de/2c8edef4-ffb6-4421-87a3-b761a39aad31/196006672270.jpg/1200x630wp-60.jpg
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    October 10, 2007 9 songs, 48 minutes ℗ 2007 Raha Records
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    Mohsen Namjoo
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    Toranj - Album by Mohsen Namjoo
    Accessed 23 October 2026
  16. 16
    Toranj - Album by Mohsen Namjoo - Apple Music · Apple Music
    2 quotes
    September 8, 2007 9 songs, 48 minutes ℗ 2007 Mohsen Namjoo
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    Toranj - Album by Mohsen Namjoo
    Accessed 23 October 2026
  17. 17
    Listen to Toranj - Album by Mohsen Namjoo | Spotify · Spotify
    5 quotes
    Listen to Toranj - Album by Mohsen Namjoo | Spotify
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    More by Mohsen Namjoo
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    Restless
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    Album • 2023
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    /album/59UuC85QgjBoUR6Xdr3C3x
    Accessed 23 October 2026
  18. 18
    Stream Mohsen Namjoo | Listen to Toranj playlist online for free on SoundCloud · SoundCloud
    One quote
    Stream Mohsen Namjoo | Listen to Toranj playlist online for free on SoundCloud
    Accessed 23 October 2026
  19. 19
    The Band | Kiosk · Kiosk (official site)
    2 quotes
    2008: Ay Yarom Bia featuring Mohsen Namjoo
    Accessed 19 October 2026
    2009: Morgh e Sahar (Bird of Dawn) featuring Mohsen Namjoo
    Accessed 19 October 2026
  20. 20
    Stream Morghe Sahar - Kiosk (Feat. Mohsen Namjoo) by KIOSK | Listen online for free on SoundCloud · soundcloud.com
    2 quotes
    Morghe Sahar - Kiosk (Feat. Mohsen Namjoo)
    Accessed 19 October 2026
    https://i1.sndcdn.com/artworks-000133220316-af18mu-t500x500.jpg
    Accessed 19 October 2026
  21. 21
    Alaki - Album by Mohsen Namjoo - Apple Music · Apple Music
    4 quotes
    https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Music124/v4/fb/1a/93/fb1a937f-ef85-d111-0d64-6918fe35cd45/195079768194.jpg/600x600bf-60.jpg
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    December 26, 2011 9 songs, 1 hour 11 minutes ℗ 2011 Mohsen Namjoo
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    Mohsen Namjoo
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    Alaki - Album by Mohsen Namjoo - Apple Music
    Accessed 23 October 2026
  22. 22
    Stream Mohsen Namjoo | Listen to Alaki الکی playlist online for free on SoundCloud · SoundCloud
    One quote
    Stream Mohsen Namjoo | Listen to Alaki الکی playlist online for free on SoundCloud
    Accessed 23 October 2026
  23. 23
    Listen to Alaki - Album by Mohsen Namjoo | Spotify
    One quote
    Listen to Alaki - Album by Mohsen Namjoo | Spotify
    Accessed 3 November 2026
  24. 24
    Alaki - YouTube
    One quote
    Alaki - YouTube Mohsen Namjoo • Album
    Accessed 3 November 2026
  25. 25
    13/8 - Album by Mohsen Namjoo - Apple Music · Apple Music
    2 quotes
    https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Music113/v4/3f/c7/05/3fc70593-ae1e-7c69-5828-91320bd239e6/195079768200.jpg/600x600bf-60.jpg
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    13/8 - Album by Mohsen Namjoo - Apple Music
    Accessed 23 October 2026
  26. 26
    Stream Mohsen Namjoo | Listen to 13/8 playlist online for free on SoundCloud · SoundCloud
    One quote
    13/8
    Accessed 23 October 2026
  27. 27
    Listen to 13/8 - Album by Mohsen Namjoo | Spotify
    One quote
    Listen to 13/8 - Album by Mohsen Namjoo | Spotify
    Accessed 3 November 2026
  28. 28
    13/8 - YouTube
    One quote
    13/8 - YouTube Mohsen Namjoo • Album
    Accessed 3 November 2026
  29. 29
    Phantasm - Album by Ehsan Matoori & Mohsen Namjoo · Apple Music
    2 quotes
    https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Music113/v4/6e/f6/7e/6ef67e9a-2dc3-061d-d47b-d96b7c01c7ee/0676868224720.jpg/600x600bf-60.jpg
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    Phantasm - Album by Ehsan Matoori & Mohsen Namjoo
    Accessed 6 October 2026
  30. 30
    Mohsen Namjoo - YouTube · YouTube
    11 quotes
    Phantasm
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    Ehsan Matoori, Mohsen Namjoo
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    OLAK5uy_lp7GGyBlfwCU1SPs5vY3BUKuIAPiBOtTM
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    Restless
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    Mohsen Namjoo
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    OLAK5uy_nlLozun5iQdSvVS4DreOsUqzECKVUMU5Y
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    Oula
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    OLAK5uy_kTksdfpU7931S_xlqkI6Rp2RouguFkCYA
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    Magnetism
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    Mohsen Namjoo, Kābin
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    OLAK5uy_k4gy1_QTSwanRU2kSkzFlq5aqYIH7a8xQ
    Accessed 23 October 2026
  31. 31
    Phantasm — Spotify album catalogue · Spotify
    One quote
    Phantasm Ehsan Matoori Mohsen Namjoo spotify:album:6BpNS2A9Tjat8gJxqLGrKi
    Accessed 23 October 2026
  32. 32
    Listen to Motantan - Album by Mohsen Namjoo | Spotify
    One quote
    Listen to Motantan - Album by Mohsen Namjoo | Spotify
    Accessed 3 November 2026
  33. 33
    Motantan - YouTube
    One quote
    Motantan - YouTube Mohsen Namjoo • Album
    Accessed 3 November 2026
  34. 34
    Restless - Album by Mohsen Namjoo · Apple Music
    3 quotes
    https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Music126/v4/18/6f/b1/186fb116-1a55-fb9e-6774-6d5d215c37fb/198025358562.jpg/600x600bf-60.jpg
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    June 1, 2023
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    Restless - Album by Mohsen Namjoo
    Accessed 23 October 2026
  35. 35
    Oula - Album by Mohsen Namjoo - Apple Music · Apple Music
    4 quotes
    https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Music221/v4/b3/98/49/b39849a7-61fa-27bf-a14d-4b52ffa7c690/198500863246.jpg/600x600bf-60.jpg
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    May 17, 2024 9 songs, 45 minutes ℗ 2024 Daf-Daf Production
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    Mohsen Namjoo
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    Oula - Album by Mohsen Namjoo
    Accessed 23 October 2026
  36. 36
    Listen to Oula - Album by Mohsen Namjoo | Spotify
    One quote
    Listen to Oula - Album by Mohsen Namjoo | Spotify
    Accessed 3 November 2026
  37. 37
    Kisti? - Single - Album by Mohsen Namjoo & Kābin - Apple Music · Apple Music
    2 quotes
    Kisti? - Single - Album by Mohsen Namjoo & Kābin - Apple Music
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    March 27, 2025
    Accessed 23 October 2026
  38. 38
    Kisti? | Mohsen Namjoo
    2 quotes
    Daf-Daf Production
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    Kisti?
    Accessed 23 October 2026
  39. 39
    کیستی؟: انتشار و عوامل ·
    3 quotes
    آواز: محسن نامجو
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    موسیقی و تنظیم: کابین
    Accessed 23 October 2026
    کلام: هلالی جغتایی
    Accessed 23 October 2026
  40. 40
    Kisti? | Mohsen Namjoo, Kābin | Spotify
    One quote
    Kisti?
    Accessed 23 October 2026
  41. 41
    Kisti? - YouTube
    One quote
    Kisti? - YouTube Mohsen Namjoo, Kābin • Album
    Accessed 3 November 2026
  42. 42
    Magnetism | Spotify · Spotify
    One quote
    https://open.spotify.com/album/0lcAcwonowblR2r5nciiZo
    Accessed 23 October 2026
  43. 43
    Magnetism | Kābin | SoundCloud · SoundCloud
    One quote
    Magnetism
    Accessed 23 October 2026
  44. 44
    Magnetism | YouTube Music · YouTube Music
    One quote
    Magnetism Album • Mohsen Namjoo en Kābin
    Accessed 23 October 2026
  45. 45
    Mohsen Namjoo feat. Kābin - Nobahaari.mp3
    One quote
    Mohsen Namjoo feat. Kābin - Nobahaari.mp3
    Accessed 23 October 2026
  46. 46
    نوبهاری — محسن نامجو و کابین
    One quote
    قطعه‌ی «نوبهاری»؛ همکاری محسن نامجو و کابین
    Accessed 3 November 2026
Mohsen Namjoo