Andy (singer)

{{BLP sources|date=December 2025}}{{short description|Iranian singer and actor}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Andy | image = Andy Madadian Live in Armenia August 5th 2025 Hamalir.jpg | caption = Andy Live in Armenia 2025 | birth_name = Andranik Madadian {{lang|fa|{{Nastaliq|آندرانیک مددیان}}}} {{lang|hy|Անդրանիկ Մադադյան}} | native_name = {{nobold|{{lang|fa|{{Nastaliq|اندی}}}} {{lang|hy|Անդի}}}} | alias = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1958|4|22}} | birth_place = | genre = Pop, dance-pop, rock, soft rock | occupation = Singer, songwriter, actor | instrument = Guitar, bass guitar | years_active = 1977–present | label = Pars Video, Caltex, Taraneh Records, Avang Music, Cherokee Music Group | spouse = Shani Rigsbee | website = {{URL|andymusic.com/}} }}

'''Andranik Madadian''' ({{langx|fa|{{Nastaliq|آندرانیک مددیان}}}}, {{langx|hy|Անդրանիկ Մադադյան}}), better known by his stage name '''Andy''', is an Armenian-Iranian singer-songwriter and actor.<ref>{{cite news|title=Weekend Forecast|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|year=2007}}</ref> He sings in several languages including Persian, Armenian and English.

== Career ==

=== Early life === Andy was born on April 22 1958.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Andy Madadian age, hometown, biography |url=https://www.last.fm/music/Andy+Madadian/+wiki |access-date=2026-05-01 |website=Last.fm |language=en}}</ref> Not much is known about his early life.

===Duo in Andy and Kouros=== Andy first gained recognition when he joined Kouros Shahmiri and they formed the duo Andy & Kouros, going on to release 4 albums together: ''Khastegary'' (1985), ''Parvaz'' (1987), the album ''Balla'' (1990), and ''Goodbye'' (1991).{{Citation needed|date=December 2025}} The two split in 1992, with both Andy and Kouros going on to have successful individual solo careers. The two reunited several times after that. In 2002 and 2004, they performed together for a sold-out audience in San Jose, California.{{Citation needed|date=December 2025}} In 2009, Andy & Kouros went on an international tour together in the Iranian diaspora, and performed together again in May 2010.{{Citation needed|date=December 2025}} They also appeared together on a music video by Farez, remaking their hit "Niloufar".{{Citation needed|date=December 2025}}

===Solo career=== Andy has released 16 albums as a solo artist, one of his first was Beegharar which he realsed in 1992. His last three singles have ranked No. 1 in the charts.{{Citation needed|date=December 2025}} In 2013, Andy was nominated for Best Male Artist, Best Live Act, and Best Entertainer of the Year at the World Music Awards.{{Citation needed|date=December 2025}} The following year, he was presented with the "Millennium" award at the Big Apple Music Awards in New York City.{{Citation needed|date=December 2025}} On January 17, 2020, Andy was honored by the Hollywood Walk of Fame, with the 2,684th star.{{Citation needed|date=December 2025}}

===Other collaborations=== On June 24, 2009, Andy, Richie Sambora and Jon Bon Jovi recorded a version of the Leiber and Stoller standard Stand by Me,<ref name=":4">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/persian/iran/2009/06/090628_si_ir88_bonjovi_andy |title=BBC فارسی – ايران – بون جووی و اندی در حمایت از تظاهرکنندگان ایرانی خواندند (Bon Jovi & Andy Supporting Iranian Demonstrators) |publisher=BBC |date=June 28, 2009 |access-date=October 14, 2013}}</ref> described by producer Don Was as a "worldwide solidarity with the people of Iran". The Persian introduction is done by both Andy and Jon Bon Jovi, and the rest of the song continues in English. The record was produced by Don Was and John Shanks and was registered at Henson Studio C, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. He participated in a prestigious recording session for World Peace One, which featured some of the world's most successful artists uniting to promote peace. In 2014, Cherokee Music Productions released the humanitarian single, ''We Hear Your Voice''<ref name=":5">{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfPlWL9T-cU |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/PfPlWL9T-cU |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=We Hear Your Voice|date=July 31, 2012|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> which brought together 15 international stars from 11 countries to inspire fans and followers to find common ground and heal the divide between nations.

In March 2016, Andy released a duet with La Toya Jackson called "Tehran".<ref name=":1">{{cite web|url=https://www.idolator.com/7610595/la-toya-jackson-duet-andy-madadian-farsi |title=La Toya Jackson To Drop Farsi Duet With Iranian Singer Andy Madadian |website = idolator.com/|publisher=idolator.com |date=October 6, 2015|access-date=February 6, 2020}}{{dead link|date=August 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/latoyajackson/status/705463569169514496?lang=en|title=La Toya Jackson on Twitter|publisher=Twitter|access-date=April 11, 2018}}</ref>

In April 2019, Andy released a duet with Algerian singer Khaled called "Salama So Good".<ref name=":2">{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/KhaledOfficial/posts/khaled-andy-salama-so-good-listen-my-new-song-with-andy/2435742339782699/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/453552738001679/2435742339782699 |archive-date=2022-02-26 |url-access=limited|title=Khaled & Andy - Salama So Good |via=Facebook|date=April 17, 2019| access-date=February 7, 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

== Personal life == Andy married his longtime girlfriend and artist Shani Rigsbee on November 11, 2011.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.armenianpulse.com/2011/11/congratulations-andy-and-shani-11-11-11-wedding/|title = Andy and Shani Wedding Pictures and Video|year = 2011|access-date = October 9, 2014|website = Armenian Pulse|publisher = Armenian Pulse Radio & Entertainment|archive-date = October 16, 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141016103421/http://www.armenianpulse.com/2011/11/congratulations-andy-and-shani-11-11-11-wedding/|url-status = dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://nabz.com/news/andy-shani-wedding-report-photos/ |title=Report: Andy & Shani's Wedding (Photos) |publisher=Nabz.com |date=November 14, 2011 |access-date=October 14, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716054051/http://nabz.com/news/andy-shani-wedding-report-photos/ |archive-date=July 16, 2012 }}</ref> Around 1992, the couple began working and touring together. Soon after, they discovered Shani had ovarian cancer,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://abilitymagazine.com/Andy-Madadian-Martirosyan.html|title=Andy Madadian - interview with Lia Martirosyan and Chet Cooper|date=June 2013|website=abilitymagazine.com|access-date=2020-01-22|quote=Around 1992, we started working together, began touring everywhere in the world and then, suddenly, she was sick. We found out that she had ovarian cancer; she had a hysterectomy at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and since then she’s been doing unbelievably great.}}</ref> and she had an early hysterectomy in 1992.<ref name=":0" /> The couple is associated with cancer-related charities and has performed together for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life.<ref name="ABILITY Magazine">{{cite journal|title=ANDY – Music + Charity = Millions of Fans|journal=ABILITY Magazine|date=Jun–Jul 2013|issue=Andy Madadian Issue|url=http://abilitymagazine.com/Andy-Madadian-Martirosyan.html}}</ref>

==Awards and honors== On January 17, 2020, Madadian was awarded the 2,684th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2020-01-20/hollywood-walk-of-fame-star-may-seem-silly-but-it-means-a-lot-to-us-iranians|title=Op-Ed: A Walk of Fame star may seem silly, but it means a lot to us Iranians|last=Minazad|first=Orly|date=January 20, 2020|website=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2020-01-20}}</ref> becoming the first Iranian to receive the honor.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jan/15/andy-madadian-iran-hollywood-walk-of-fame-star|title='An American dream': singer Andy Madadian becomes first Iranian on Hollywood's Walk of Fame|last=Levin|first=Sam|date=January 16, 2020|website=The Guardian|access-date=2020-01-20}}</ref> His star is located at Highland Avenue at 6810 Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abc7.com/5859642/|title=Iranian-Armenian music star Andy Madadian gets star on Hollywood Walk of Fame|date=January 19, 2020|website=ABC7 Los Angeles|language=en|access-date=2020-01-22}}</ref>

* Best International Album, Armenian Music Awards (2004){{Citation needed|date=December 2025}} * Best International Album, Armenian Music Awards (2006){{Citation needed|date=December 2025}}

==Discography==

===Studio Albums===

====Andy & Kouros====

{| class="wikitable" ! style="width:125px;" | Title !! Year !! style="width:250px;" | Notable tracks{{According to whom|date=December 2025}} |- | ''Khastegary'' | 1985 | • Madar • Three of Us |- | ''Parvaz'' | 1987 | • Topoli • Ma Hame Irooni Hastim • Niloufar |- | ''Balla'' | 1990 | • Balla • Sheytoon Bala • Negah • Leila • Khodaye Asemoonha |- | ''Goodbye'' | 1991 | • Atish Pareh • Yasaman • Ameneh |}

====Andy====

{| class="wikitable" ! style="width:125px;" | Title !! Year !! style="width:250px;" | Notable tracks{{According to whom|date=December 2025}}!! Album details |- | ''Future's Feature'' |1977 | • Eshgh o Issar • Walkin' in the Rain • Today's Just Like Tomorrow | |- | ''Beegharar'' | 1992 | • Dokhtar Irooni • Sheytanat • Beegharar • Entezar | First solo album following his split of duo with Kouros |- | ''Tanhaee'' | 1994 | • Naaze Naaz • Tanhaee • Cheshmaye Naaz | |- | ''Devoted'' | 1996 | • Dokhtare Bandar • Ghesseye Eshgh • Sarsepordeh • Tavalod | |- | ''Silk Road'' | 1998 | • Be Kasi Nagoo • Az Khod Gozashteh • Orere Seero • Melli Poosha | |- | ''And My Heart...'' | 2000 | • Yalla • Rayhan | Solo album. An international version was released in 2001 including 7 songs in Persian, 3 in English, 3 in Armenian, 2 in Spanish, 1 in Arabic, and 1 in Hindi. A cover of Hotel California by the Eagles is included in the later version. |- | ''Khalvate Man'' | 2002 | • Che Khoshgel Shodi • Shaghayegh | Solo album, including an Armenian version of "Topoli", a Spanish version of "Yalla", and 4 remixes of "Rayhan" |- | ''Orere Seero'' | 2003 | • Orere Seero • Garoun Garouneh | First all-Armenian solo album |- | ''Platinum'' | 2004 | • Areh Areh • Aroosak • Salame Asheghouneh | Solo album. "Salame Asheghoone" and "Sahraei", written by Leila Kasra, are featured in the 2003 film House of Sand and Fog. |- | ''City of Angels'' | 2006 | • Khoshgela Bayad Beraghsand • Mohem Naboud • Gole Bandar • Daram Miram Beh Tehran | Solo album, including 11 original songs and 5 remixes. A cover of "Marde Tanha" by Farhad and a remix by Nami are included. A new version of "Tanine Solh" written by Leila Kasra and originally performed by Andy, Kouros, Fataneh, Moein, and Morteza is included. "Daram Miram Beh Tehran" is featured as the soundtrack of the animated film "Babak & Friends: A First Norooz". |- | ''Airport'' | 2007 | • Faghat Yeh Negah • Bee To • Salam • Zamouneh | Solo album, including 13 original songs and 3 remixes |}

=== Singles and Collaborative Albums === {| class="wikitable" !Title !Year !Notes |- | ''Laili'' | 1993 | Collaborative album with Bijan Mortazavi and Hassan Shamaizadeh |- | ''Ghahremanane Vatan'' | 1998 | Single, collaboration with Leila Forouhar and Dariush |- | ''Nune'' | 1999 | Two-track single including a cover of "Chera Ashegh Shodam" |- | ''Yaran'' | 2001 | Collaborative album with Paksima, Pyruz, and Hamid Nadiri |- |''Stand by Me'' | 2009 | With Richie Sambora and Jon Bon Jovi<ref name=":4" /> |- |''We Hear Your Voice'' |2014 |Humanitarian track and collaboration with 15 other artists<ref name=":5" /> |- |''Far and Away'' |2014 |"Guardian Angel" motion picture soundtrack featuring Shani |- |''Parya khanoom'' |2015 |Humanitarian track and collaboration with 15 other artists<ref name=":5" /> |- |''Tehran'' |2016 |Duet with La Toya Jackson<ref name=":1" /> |- |''Salama So Good'' |2019 |Duet with Algerian singer Khaled<ref name=":2" /> |}

==Filmography== {| class="wikitable" ! Year !! Title !! Role |- | 2003 || ''Irangeles'' || Andy |-| | 2003 || ''House of Sand and Fog'' || Wedding Singer |-| | 2005 || ''The Keeper: The Legend of Omar Khayyam'' || Ali Ben-Sabbah |-| | 2005 || ''Our Yard 3'' ({{langx|hy|Մեր Բակը 3}}) || Cameo |-| | 2010 || ''Lost Journey: Lost Journey'' || Mr.Zand |-| | 2013 || ''Shirin in Love'' || Andy |}

== Gallery == <gallery> Andy - Persian New Year - Oberhausen Arena - Nowruz - March 2014.JPG|Andy in a Persian New Year Concert, Arena Oberhausen, March 2014 </gallery>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Sources== *Tehran Magazine. ''Choose the Best: Andy, Mansour, or Shahram Kashani'' Issue 476. Page 72-76

==External links== * {{Official website|http://www.andymusic.com}} * [https://www.facebook.com/andymadadianofficial Andy Madadian Official] on Facebook * [https://twitter.com/AndyMadadian Andy Madadian] on Twitter * [http://instagram.com/andymusic1 Andymusic1] on Instagram * [https://open.spotify.com/artist/6I5D7GelDj9EwRvLmqW3Ct Andy Madadian] on Spotify * [https://web.archive.org/web/20140217092251/http://andylovers.ir/ ANDY Lovers Forum]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Andy}} Category:1958 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century Iranian male singers Category:Iranian pop singers Category:Iranian singer-songwriters Category:Iranian male singer-songwriters Category:American male pop singers Category:American male singer-songwriters Category:Armenian-language Iranian singers Category:Ethnic Armenian male actors Category:Singers from Tehran Category:Exiles of the Iranian Revolution in the United States Category:Iranian people of Armenian descent Category:Caltex Records artists Category:Taraneh Records artists Category:Naturalized citizens of the United States