Golnar Shahyar

Golnar Shahyar is an award-winning Iranian/Canadian vocalist, poet, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and producer based in Vienna, acclaimed for risk-embracing, genre-dissolving music that places the voice at the center—as instrument, narrator, and catalyst. An internationally touring artist, she appears at leading venues and festivals across Europe, North America, and beyond with multiple projects and bands. Her debut album *Tear Drop* (2022) drew wide praise, earning a 2023 German Jazz Prize nomination, and she received 2nd prize at the Austrian Jazz Prize 2025 (Best Live Act). Shahyar writes for small and large ensembles alike—premiering work with Vision String Quartet and performing as soloist/composer with Tonkünstler-Orchester and NDR Bigband—while weaving improvisation, poetry, and storytelling into vivid, empathetic performances. Drawing from West Asian and North African traditions alongside contemporary European and American currents, she crafts musical worlds where intimacy and daring meet. Beyond her solo work, she leads and collaborates in projects including Golnar & Mahan, Choub, and Gabbeh. www.golnarshahyar.com