Roqe Ep. 449 - IRAN RISES - Ramin Zamani

What does it mean to pursue art when even carrying a guitar can be an act of rebellion? In Episode 449 of Roqe, Jian Ghomeshi sits down with composer, producer, arranger and musical architect Ramin Zamani for a thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation about exile, creativity, craftsmanship, identity, and the future of music itself. Recorded several months ago and finally shared at a moment that feels particularly fitting, this conversation traces Ramin's remarkable journey from post-revolution Iran to Canada and eventually Los Angeles, where he became one of the most influential behind-the-scenes figures in modern Persian pop music. Topics include: • Growing up under the Islamic Republic and pursuing classical music • Leaving Iran and studying music in Canada • His dream of becoming a film composer • The chance encounter with Kamran that changed everything • Working with Hengameh, Shahbal Shabpareh and Dariush • Why so many great Persian pop composers come from classical training • The difference between craftsmanship and shortcuts • Autotune, authenticity and artistic integrity • The rise of AI-generated music • Whether technology is helping or hurting creativity Plus, Jian opens the episode with an essay titled: WE ARE BETWEEN CHAPTERS Sponsored by: • Stellar Law - stellarlaw.ca And don't forget... ROQE LIVE 6 returns Saturday, July 18, 2026 at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts featuring: Shahram Shabpareh, Tina Parsa, Shally Zomorodi, Captain Christopher Behnam, Dariush Azar, Pegah Ganji and host Jian Ghomeshi. Subscribe, share, and join the conversation. Instagram: @JianGhomeshi #IranRises #RaminZamani #Roqe #JianGhomeshi #Iran #PersianMusic #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #DariushAzar #ShahbalShabpareh #KamranAndHooman