Inside Jamie Alimorad’s Uplifting Fusion of Timeless Rock and Pop

The son of a popular Iranian 1960s pop and rock singer, musician Jamie Alimorad has been in love with his music since childhood. Reminiscing, he describes how he would listen to albums every day as a boy and began playing piano and singing in his church choir in second grade. In seventh grade, Jamie formed a garage band; in his high school marching band, Jamie was the drum major. Later, after completing a B.S. in music technology from Northeastern University, Jamie performed in Boston bars, clubs, and festivals, fusing rock and pop influences into catchy, upbeat tunes with heartfelt lyrics and bringing his childhood enthusiasm for music into the live scene.

Quickly becoming known for inviting audiences to participate in his high-energy live shows, Jamie had his first opportunity to record in 2014, when his first music video, “Beautiful,” went viral with over 2 million views. In 2019, he won first place in the USA Songwriting Competition with his lyrics for “Brighter Days.”

Light in the Dark

“Brighter Days”—the hope for them and the pursuit of them—is the prevailing theme across Jamie’s melodies and lyrics, which focus on sharing hope and optimism even when times get dark. For Jamie, the darkest time was 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit him both personally and professionally. Jamie lost his father, his musical inspiration, to the virus. Unable to visit his father in his hospital due to quarantine regulations, Jamie found the loss especially difficult to grieve. “He was my musical confidant and soulmate,” he remembers. “Without him there, it left a huge hole.”

Meanwhile, before the pandemic hit, Jamie had planned a major tour that would have included headlining at SXSW, but it was cancelled due to lockdown. Jamie had been planning his first major budget album with the support of producer Gino Vannelli; now, the project was effectively stalled.

Grieving for his father and unable to give live shows, Jamie found himself reflecting and searching for a way forward. What he recovered in that moment was the light that shines at the heart of all his music; he found his purpose. “In these dark times,” Jamie says, “my music offers optimism, light, and a message of hope and love.” It is why he is so inspired by the golden era of pop and rock, which he sees as characterised by an “infectious happiness and optimism” that he hopes to share with this generation through his own voice and songwriting.

Dreaming Again

What Jamie’s audiences discovered following the pandemic was that they needed that optimism, too. Since emerging from the COVID-19 lockdowns, Jamie has seen his music featured on MTV and PBS and has been awarded Best New Artist at the 2024 World Entertainment Awards. On February 20, 2025, he performed at Carnegie Hall.

Inspired by the past but undaunted by it, Jamie imagines striding into other storied venues such as the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, Fenway Park in Boston (which appeals to Jamie as a Red Sox fan), and Madison Square Garden in New York City. “As a born New Yorker, [Madison Square] was always the iconic arena everyone you wanted to see played,” Jamie remarks. He also dreams of touring internationally and one day sharing his hope and music with audiences at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

The Connection That Counts

Jamie Alimorad’s live performances are engaging and interactive precisely because he sees music as something that connects people and allows them to rekindle their joy and share it with each other. In his view, his music connects him to his father, to the iconic musicians and songwriters of a past era, and to each member of his audience. “There’s no greater feeling than that connection,” he says, “Here we are, all together in this space, sharing this moment that means something unique to each of us, yet we’re all bonded by those same notes.” With that passion, Jamie hopes to uplift audiences around the world.

If you would like to connect with Jamie Alimorad and his music, you can find him on Facebook, TikTok, Threads, X (Twitter), and Bluesky.