Roya Arab | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | 1967 (age 58–59) |
| Occupations | Musician, archaeologist, curator |
| Instruments | Vocals, piano, guitar |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Website | http://www.royaarab.com/ |
Roya Arab (born 1967) is an Iranian-British musician and archaeologist. Born in Tehran, she is an exile of the Iranian Revolution.
 | This biography of a living person includes a list of general references but lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (August 2022) |
Roya Arab was born in Tehran, Iran. She attended Maktabe Tarbiat school in Tehran, while also studying at summer schools in Montana, Switzerland, and St George's School, Ascot.
After the 1979 Iranian Revolution, she boarded at Ancaster House School in Bexhill-on-Sea in England, before taking her A-levels at North Westminster Community School in London. She then completed one year of a copywriting/advertising course.
She joined the Institute of Archaeology (University College London) in 2000 to complete an Archaeology BA and Public Archaeology MA and remained as an Honorary Research Associate from 2008 until 2015. She is undertaking research into music in Iranian films and what it reveals about society’s attitudes toward music and musicianship. Between 2020-2025 she was an Associate Member at LMEI CIS SOAS.
Feb 2026 Roya Arab was appointed Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by French Ambassador Hélène Tréheux-Duchêne.
Arab learned the craft of singing during jam sessions around London in the early and mid-1990s. She was the first Iranian woman to receive a publishing and recording deal from a major Western label, when she was signed as a member of Archive to Island Records in 1994, and the album Londinium was released in 1996. The band broke up shortly after. Arab went on to work with various artists, including Leila in Like Weather, Grooverider in Mysteries of Funk, followed by some work in Paris with Zend Avesta and Naab, before working on a project with Mike Figgis. Courtesy of Choice (2000) by Leila was the last album Arab appeared on before a hiatus to study archaeology.
In 2008, Arab sang on Blood, Looms and Blooms, before joining Leila on a European tour in 2009. Arab started working with young Iranian musicians leaving Iran including Hichkas and Ash Koosha, and performing live again. In 2011, the live recording of ‘Killing fields’ with Hichkas was made available to the public. ‘Mooye Parishoon’ was released in 2013 for raising awareness of domestic violence and abuse. She appeared on Rosko John 's debut solo album Call to Arms. Arab started collaborating with Arshid Azarine in 2018 and recorded a song for his 2019 album. A collaboration with Rone appeared in 2021.
During and after Arab's studies in public archaeology at the UCL she has catalogued historical documents including the Wertime Collection and the Campbell archives.
Arab promotes the cultures of the MENA region with a special interest in Iran. She has worked with organisations and festivals such as Nour (RBKC) and the London Middle East Institute at SOAS, University of London to curate cultural and educational events celebrating the heritage of Middle East and North Africa. In 2019, Arab co-edited an issue of The Middle East in London covering Iranian cinema.
| Authority control databases: Artists |
|---|
