Muluk Zarabi

Muluk Zarrabi (1910-1999)

Vocalist specializing in Persian classical singing (avaz) as well as popular songs (tasnif). She began her artistic activities at the age of thirteen. She was one of the first female vocalists in early twentieth-century Iran to have her voice recorded on gramophone records. She was born into a religious and mercantile family in Kashan and despite the objections raised by her family, she studied with early vocalists like Iqbal al-Sultan, Husayn Tahirzada, and Hajikhan Zarbgir, working alongside eminent artists like Isma‘il Mihrtash, Saba, the Nay-Davud brothers, Mahjubi, and Amir Jahid from her early youth. She also performed on stage in dramatic performances held by the Barbad Society under the directorship of Isma‘il Mihrtash. A number of her performances were recorded on five series of gramophone records in the years 1924-54 (the albums entitled Ra‘na, Sukhani ba dil, Kisti, Bihtarin-ha-yi 1 and 2) and some recorded radio programs including Barg sabz 200 featured her as a vocalist. Although she ceased appearing in public from 1979 onwards, her entire long life was spent absorbed in music at all times. She was the most prominent female vocalist performing during the years 1920-1950 in Iran, a singer, who at same time never desisted from engaging in charitable activities. 

Sayyid ‘Ali Riza Mir‘alinaqi