A singer/songwriter/pianist in the vein of Norah Jones, Sade, and Alicia Keys, Rana is a graduate of the acclaimed Berklee College of Music. Despite all of her formal training, she insists on furthering her education in the ‘real world’. From the smoky, grungy bars and dives across the country to 1500-plus-seat concert venues, this girl has seen it all; and anything less than ‘all’ is hardly her game.
A 2005 Finalist of the VH1 ‘Song of the Year’ Competition, Rana’s music ranges anywhere from pop to soul, R&B to adult contemporary, and at times, you’ll even hear subtle references to her Persian background as she yearns to unite the East and the West, globally and within herself. Her music has a purpose, a message, an international and universal appeal. If one takes the time to listen beyond the catchy melodies and easy-to-interpret lyrics, they will hear that what lies beneath the surface runs deeper than what a few sound bytes can convey. Her self-produced album was released on iTunes independently in January of 2009. This record, entitled ‘indYgYrl’, is a compilation of eight songs sequenced chronologically to tell the story of a young adult: her heartbreaks in love and the passionate pursuit of her musical dreams, her charmingly premature and naive need to express her deepest desires, her longing for the open road that contradicts with her soul incessantly begging to find home. For the sake of leaving some regard to mystery, you can read more about the inspiration and background of this project at www.indYgYrl.com.
Rana’s musical background is inspiringly impressive, at the very least. At three, she was picking notes out on the piano and singing. At five, she began her formal classical piano instruction, at fourteen she was writing songs, and at seventeen she was off to receive her Bachelor’s in Music from Berklee College of Music. Originally from the Washington, D.C. metro area, she has resided in New York City, Austin, Texas, and currently resides in Los Angeles, California. She has toured Oslo, Norway for two weeks, where she has written and recorded with Kim Bergseth (Courtesy of Warner/Chappell Music Scandinavia, European Idol) and has had write-ups in both online and hard-copy music magazines (Washington D.C.’s OnTap Magazine, The San Antonio Chronicle, DC North, Purestyle.com), interviews and air-play on radio stations in multiple states (Washington D.C.’s leading rock station DC101), written over 200 songs, performed countless times in notable venues across the nation, and has had the opportunity to also collaborate with reputable industry professionals in the music scene (Eric Bazilian – written songs for Clay Aiken, Ricky Martin to name a few, David Malloy – Reba McIntyre, Rob Fraboni – Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, and many others).
Though these above-mentioned experiences have been rewarding, not everything on her resume has been all fun and games. Insisting on making a living as a full-time musician, Rana also has years of experience playing in hotel lobbies, private events, corporate functions, cocktail parties, and wedding ceremonies. All of this has taught her that ‘paying her dues’ does indeed really pay off in the form of a big fat check made out to building character.
Currently, Rana lives in Los Angeles where she is working on her first solo Persian/International album with some of Iran’s top songwriters and producers and is continuing to pursue her music career in the American market as well.
