Roqe

A new edition of Roqe with popular Iranian-British thinker, author and award-winning psychologist, Dr. Fathali Moghaddam, joining Jian for a feature hour to discuss his latest book entitled “The Psychology of Revolution” and to dissect why revolutions don’t always lead to better results and what does and doesn’t change with revolution, seen through a psychological lens. Dr. Moghaddam uses Iran and...

A jam-packed new edition featuring two returning favourites - this time in the Roqe Studio. Talented broadcaster, actor, writer and political satirist, Kambiz Hosseini, joins Jian as he prepares for the launch of his new nightly program on Iran International TV. And budding Iranian-German star singer, songwriter, pianist and Voice Persia finalist, Ayda Rastgoo, joins for a conversation and live pe...

A special new edition of Roqe featuring a living legend who was who has left an indelible mark on the Persian pop music scene. Shahbal Shabpareh joins Jian live in the Roqe Studio for his first ever feature-length English interview - a comprehensive, revealing and, at times, emotional conversation - to discuss his work over the course of the last seven decades and how he became the “Popfather.” Al...

A special bonus edition of Roqe (Ep.315.5), remembering the legendary Iranian-American singer-songwriter Faramarz Aslani. Jian is joined for an intimate and emotional interview by attorney and human rights activist, Crown Princess Yasmine Pahlavi, who, along with Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, has been a very close and dear friend of Faramarz Aslani and his wife, Marjan.

A special edition of Roqe: Rest in Peace Legend - Remembering Faramarz Aslani. As the first blossoms of Spring unfurl, and less than 24 hours after the news of the passing of an icon, Jian delivers a heartfelt tribute essay to the late Faramarz Aslani as a trailblazer who set a new bar for Iranian popular music. Plus, singer-songwriter and producer Peyman Salimi joins Jian to discuss this profound...

A new edition of Roqe featuring popular Iranian-American singer Sara Naeini. Sara joins Jian from LA for her first ever long-form interview in English, discussing everything from her formative years in Iran - where she could not legally release recordings as a solo female artist - to the development of her remarkable voice, to becoming a role model as a singer for many young artists today and spre...

A big new edition of Roqe packed full of dynamic conversations in two feature interviews with two prominent Iranian-American multimedia artists. First, Hamid Rahmanian joins Jian in the Roqe Studio for an enthralling (and fun) discussion about making art, Iranian history, claiming identity and his latest Persian Book of Kings (Shahnameh) inspired ‘shadow theatre’ production, “Song of the North.” T...

A new special edition of Roqe focusing on the question “Are Iranians INSIDE Iran more fashionable than those in the diaspora?” Acclaimed New York-based Iranian-American designer and fashion visionary Nima Behnoud (NIMANY) joins Jian in the Roqe Studio to discuss why he believes the answer is yes, that despite living in a more repressed society - or maybe even because of that - Iranians inside Iran...

The great Instagram filter debate! A new special edition of Roqe focusing on the negatives and positives of social media filters. It’s no secret that we increasingly live in a world where we are necessarily skeptical about the authenticity of images that we consume. But today we ask…are Instagram filters (and social media picture filters in general) a good thing? Photographer and popular lifestyle...

A new edition of Roqe including a feature interview with rising Iranian-Canadian singer-songwriter Navan, in the Roqe Studio, discussing his new album, “Mesle Ghabl” that comes out next week. But first, a very special Roundtable addressing the question: How important is the Persian language to defining Persian identity? Jian is joined by three distinguished guests: the Iranian-Canadian scholar, au...

Part Two of the “Roqe Live!” Special recorded at Theatre Aurora, Feb 7th, 2024. Jian is joined by Babak Amini for an interview and performance with his band, and voice actor and podcaster Banafsheh Taherian performs a moment from her one-woman show, From Lust to Loyalty. Plus Babak does a special surprise performance with popular Persian singer, Mazyar Fallahi.

Part One of the “Roqe Live!” Special recorded at Theatre Aurora, Feb 7th, 2024. Jian is joined on stage by Iranian-Canadian actress and model, Shiva Negar, and popular Persian singer and musician, Mazyar Fallahi - who improvises a new song on the spot. Plus the Roqe Roundup team of Pegah and Reza discuss the changing face of Canada and a porn star visit to Iran. And Jian opens the show with a new...

A new edition of Roqe beginning with an essay tribute to Manoto TV by Jian after the closing of the Persian language network this week. Also, a feature interview with the dynamic visual artist, Dana Nehdaran joining from New York. Dana discusses his life journey, from loving painting as a kid in Isfahan to becoming a beloved visual artist in the US - from portraiture (and self-portraits) to his re...

A new edition of Roqe including a feature interview with Iranian-Norwegian dancer, choreographer and “Persia’s Got Talent” winner, Navid Rezvani. Navid joins Jian from Oslo to discuss his bold perspective on the current state of Iran, his defiance of Iranian dance laws, and his inspiring life journey. Plus Jian opens the show with an audio essay entitled, “The Islamic Republic IS at war …against t...

A new edition of Roqe focusing on the legacy of the great Iranian songwriter, musician, singer and recording star, Habib. Jian is joined by the late musical icon’s son, Mohamad Mohebian, for a feature hour, to discuss the remarkable talents, famous songs, difficult story…and, in the end, tragic life of Habib - told for the first time in a comprehensive way in English. Jian begins with a meditation...

A new edition of Roqe featuring interviews with two creative Iranians who have each become viral online sensations for their entertaining videos. First up, Iranian-American content creator and entrepreneur Pouya Hashemi joins Jian from California, to discuss how he went from a successful business developer to a popular funny video presence on instagram with clips that are now in the millions of vi...

A new episode of Roqe including a feature interview with musician and producer, Arash Sobhani of the group Kiosk, in the Roqe Studio, discussing his band’s brand new album that is reflection on the uprising in Iran over the last couple of years and what he sees as the disintegration of unity and the movement. Plus Jian starts the show with words about how we might remember the past year, and is jo...

Part Four of a 4-part Roqe Original Series exploring the deep and surprising connection between Iranians and the legendary British rock band, Pink Floyd. This episode is entitled, “Storytelling, Classics and Conclusions” and features Loga Ramin Torkian (Los Angeles), Anoush Saboktakin (New York), Sanaz Sotoudeh (Dubai), and Arash Mitooie (Tehran).

Part Three of a 4-part Roqe Original Series exploring the deep and surprising connection between Iranians and the legendary British rock band, Pink Floyd. This episode is entitled, “Drugs, Access and Melancholy” and features Arash Sobhani (Stockholm), Siamak Shirazi (Portland), Maral Mohammadi (London), and Ehsan Sadigh (Toronto).

Part Two of a 4-part Roqe Original Series exploring the deep and surprising connection between Iranians and the legendary British rock band, Pink Floyd. This episode is entitled, “Sonics, Class, and Connection” and features Reza Moghaddas (Toronto), Amir Bahari (Tehran), and Sepp Osley (London).

Part One of a 4-part Roqe Original Series exploring the deep and surprising connection between Iranians and the legendary British rock band, Pink Floyd. This episode is entitled, “Fandom and Context” and features Ali Azimi (London), Dara Daraee (Tehran), Ramin Sadighi (Tehran) and Roya Arab (London).

A special new edition of Roqe focused on a feature-length interview with Iranian-born Armenian-American musician, producer and music arranger, Schubert Avakian. Schubert joins Jian from Los Angeles for a career-interview discussing his youth in Iran, his discovery at a Vigen gig in Germany as a teenager, and his evolution into one of the most sought-after composers and producers in Persian pop mus...

A new episode of Roqe focused on one of the Iran’s greatest cultural exports in recent decades: Cinema. The Roundtable convenes to discuss the recent movement to have state-sponsored or IRI endorsed films boycotted or omitted from prominent Western film festivals. Jian is joined by Pegah, Raha, and longtime TV producer and screenwriter Mostafa Azizi in the Roqe Studio to debate the question: Are b...

A new episode of Roqe featuring an animated Roundtable discussion about Iranians and sentiments towards Islam based on the regime in Iran. Jian is joined in the Roqe Studio by Pegah, Raha and Bahador, to tackle the heated question: “Is Iranian Islamophobia (sometimes) justified?” Plus a feature interview with Iranian icon of law and history, Mehrangiz Kar. The prominent attorney, author, activist...

A new episode (#300!) of Roqe featuring acclaimed environmentalist, academic and Director of the UN University Institute for Water, Environment and Health, Kaveh Madani, in the Roqe Studio as a major Climate Conference kicks off in Dubai. Kaveh joins Jian for a wide-ranging and eye-opening discussion both about the intensity of the environmental crisis around the world and the dire situation in Ir...