Highly acclaimed singer-songwriter and Choose Love Ambassador SHAB proudly shares the release of the highly anticipated album, “ONE SUITCASE”. This 21-track album is a powerful narrative of her journey – from escaping fundamentalism to forging a new life in America – celebrating freedom, independence, and the empowerment of femininity.
This latest album stands as a profound reflection of SHAB’s incredible personal journey. A refugee from the authoritarian regime in Iran, she arrived in America speaking only Farsi and German, learning English as a teenager while working three different jobs. Yet SHAB not only graduated from university but also briefly attended law school before leaving to pursue a full-time career in music. She has since become a leading voice in the entertainment industry for women’s rights in Iran.
SHAB has also been embracing her new role as an ambassador for Choose Love, a UK-based charity dedicated to supporting refugees worldwide. Her personal history aligns perfectly with Choose Love’s mission, making her a compelling and authentic voice for the organisation. In a powerful show of solidarity with the refugee cause, SHAB will donate all profits from “ONE SUITCASE” to Choose Love. While advocating for female empowerment and the women of Iran, she will also raise awareness for Choose Love
SHAB has kindly taken the time to chat with Fierce & Fabulous Revolution regarding “ONE SUITCASE” and her ambassador role for Choose Love. You can find the full interview below.
Hey SHAB, thank you so much for this interview. Could you introduce yourself to readers who might be unfamiliar with your music?
SHAB: Well, let’s start at the beginning!
I am a Persian American artist who was raised during her first 8 years in Tehran as the youngest of 13 children and escaped Iran. Accepted into Germany as political refugees, I spent my next five years mainly in Germany, where I was in boarding school. Thereafter, My entire family was serially granted political asylum in the United States: and I came to America at the age of 14, speaking now English and traveling alone while having all of my possessions in a single handcarried suitcase.
And my new album is called ONE SUITCASE for that very reason!
When did you first discover your passion for music?
SHAB: My family was always passionate about music, as that was one of the means by which we sought peace of mind during our time in Iran. My sisters and some of my brothers would hold impromptu dance parties to all types of music – mainly Western but also tracks from other parts of the globe — towards giving some relief to the oppression that surrounded us as women.
However, my interest in becoming a singer was spurred by one of my older brothers, Shahab, who is a concert singer for the Iranian expatriate community here in the United States and Canada.
How would you currently describe your musical style?
SHAB: I’m really not sure that I have a particular style! I am personally partial to electronic dance music, although given my background and my travels I have grown up enjoying music from all parts of the world.
I think that my love of varying types of music definitely evidences itself in my discography: and I was particularly proud when the Irish outlet HotPress labeled me as its Genre Buster Of The Year.
I know that it is quite easy to get pigeonholed in this business and that’s probably the last thing that I want for my musical career. In that regard, my inspirations are female singers such as Lady Gaga and Madonna, who refused such limitations.
Not long ago, you shared your second album, “ONE SUITCASE”. What inspired you to create this album?
SHAB: In ONE SUITCASE, I wanted to tell my story about my multi-decade transformation from a scared little Iranian girl to that of an independent and empowered woman of the West. I also wanted to highlight for the world the inequities that women still face around the world, and particularly in Iran. It was out of that mindset that the 21 songs from ONE SUITCASE came together.
The album includes 21 songs that reflect your personal journey. What did it mean to you to include that emotional and physical journey in your music?
SHAB: It was everything. It’s my life so far and I wanted to tell the world from where I had come.
What are some of your favourite songs from the album?
SHAB: I love PULL UP, as I performed the song live on my 2023 arena tour of Britain to enthusiastic crowds, yet I did not find the right opportunity to release it until now.
LIPSTICK is a favourite as well, which is a 1980s Guilty Pleasure Power Pop track. I also love ONE SUITCASE, which I co-composed with legendary producer Dallas Austin: and even thought it sometimes makes me cry when I sing it!
Are there any songs that did not make the album that we could see released later?
SHAB: Yes, actually we have probably something like another two dozen songs that we had produced to various stages of completion that did not make it on to the album as I had not deemed them sufficiently personal or relevant to the aims of ONE SUITCASE. And while some of them will never make it beyond a demo stage, we have been thinking about releasing some of these other songs on an EP that we might call BESIDES.
What does this album personally mean to you?
SHAB: If I never did another album, I will always be proud of what my team and collaborators helped me to achieve on ONE SUITCASE. The output is sufficiently diverse in its qualities that I think everyone can find something to like within this volume.
What message would you like listeners to take from this album?
SHAB: I’m not sure that I want to send any messages with my music other than to highlight the struggles that women are still facing around the world and particularly under the Gangster Regime that enslaves the vast majority of my Persian brothers and sisters in Iran. I am not a political person in the sense of political parties, but strongly believe that my voice can help shine a light upon the inexcusable hardships that are faced by women living as second-class citizens during this 21st Century.
Alongside being an incredible musician, you have become a Choose Love Ambassador. What does it mean to you to possess such a role?
SHAB: I myself twice have been accepted into Western countries as a political refugee — so I know exactly what challenges and difficulties are faced by people caught between borders and seeking a permanent home.
While all of my sovereign exits and entries have been legally accomplished, I was extremely lucky in regard to the reality that the political persecution unfortunately faced by my family in Iran was easy to demonstrate. However, a vast percentage of the worldwide refugees do not have the same story as myself, yet they are still trapped between worlds and in need of our assistance.
What are some of the things you hope to achieve as a Choose Love Ambassador?
SHAB: I am hoping that through my role with Choose Love to bring greater prominence and light upon the situations that refugees face worldwide. These are people who need hope and answers for their state of limbo: and I am hoping that my own struggles can serve to illuminate their circumstances and bring some empathy for their plight.
What is something you believe we can all do to help make the world a better and more inspiring place?
SHAB: What did Burt Bacharach say?
“What the world needs now
Is love, sweet love.
It’s the only thing that
There’s just two little of.”
We need more love and we need more positivity in this fractured world. And it is love and positivity that will heal the fractures over time.
What advice would you offer to someone looking to pursue a career within the music industry?
SHAB: I would first say that it’s an extremely tough business in which to be recognized — so one would need a lot of perseverance, patience and dedication when starting.
I guess the other thing that I would advise is that young artists surround themselves with first class collaborators and team members, as one thing that the general public doesn’t understand is that a particular artist’s contributions are usually but a small percentage of the overall work.
Finally, is there a message that you would like to share with the readers of Fierce & Fabulous Revolution?
SHAB: Yeah, I would love for them to listen to ONE SUITCASE!
And if they’ve heard a better double album by a female artist over the last couple decades, please reach out to me and let me know what it is — because I will immediately go and absorb the beauty of their suggested work!
You can check out “ONE SUITCASE” on Spotify below or via further platforms here.
Fierce & Fabulous Revolution 