On October 8th, a highly treasured Iranian singer, Mohammad Reza Shajarian, lost his battle with kidney cancer. Shajarian was more than just a singer of traditional Persian songs: he was an artist, one who could melt hearts with his incredible voice. Every Iranian knew his name and in times of deep political turmoil, Shajarian stood with the Iranian people, even though it cost him his voice.

On September 21, 1940, Mohammad Reza Shajarian was born. Even at a young age, he showed signs of incredible musical ability. His talents continued to prosper as he looked up to other renowned musicians for inspiration. Shajarian’s official music career began in 1959 at Radio Khorasan where he captured the attention of many with his majestic vocal power. From there, his successes quickly multiplied. Shajarian taught at countless institutions and worked at various national radio stations. All the while, he was releasing and recording new songs.

As a result of his hard work, Mohammad Reza Shajarian received numerous awards. UNESCO granted him the Picasso Award in 1999 and just one year later, Shajarian was named Iran’s best traditional singer following the Revolution. However, he was skilled in many other areas as well. Shajarian won many titles for his outstanding ability to recite the Quran.

In 2009, Iran had a highly controversial election. The results were unexpected and rather suspicious, which caused a large portion of the population to suspect fraud. After Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was named president, Shajarian supported the Iranian people and requested that his music no longer be played on the national radio. From this point on, Shajarian could never perform within his home country again. While he held concerts outside of Iran, no foreign audience could fill the void that had been created. With his decision to stand beside the Iranian population, Shajarian ultimately lost his voice.

On October 8, we did not just lose a singer. We lost a musical prodigy. We lost the voice of Iran. Thousands of heartbroken Iranian citizens lined the streets in the memory of this beloved man. No one will ever take the place of Mohammad Reza Shajarian. May he rest in peace.