Shaheen Jafargholi
Encyclopedia
Shaheen Jafargholi is a Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...

 teen actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...

 and singer from Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...

, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...

. He is of Iranian
Iranian
Iranian is of, from, or related to the nation of Iran .* Iranian or Persian people who are persons from the nation of Iran/Persia, or of Iranian descent...

 and Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...

 descent. He appeared on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...

's Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent is a British television talent show competition which started in June 2007 and originated from the Got Talent series. The show is produced by FremantleMedia's TalkbackThames and Simon Cowell's production company SYCOtv. The show is broadcast on ITV in Britain and TV3 in Ireland...

show and sang "Who's Lovin' You
Who's Lovin' You
"Who's Lovin' You" is a Motown soul song, written in 1960 by William "Smokey" Robinson. The song has been recorded by many different artists including The Miracles, who recorded the 1960 original version, The Temptations, The Supremes, Terence Trent-D'arby, Brenda and The Tabulations, John Farnham,...

" at Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...

's globally televised public memorial service in July 2009. In May 2010, Jafargholi signed a record deal with Island Records
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...

, with his debut album "When I Come of Age
When I Come of Age
When I Come of Age is the debut album by Shaheen Jafargholi, due to be released on March 21, 2011. Jafargholi's album is said to be a mixture of original material and rare '60s soul covers. Jafargholi has collaborated with top US producers Jerry Wonda and Igloo & TC, who are best known for their...

" due for release in 2011, along with his debut double A side single "Last Train Home/Hip Teens".

Life

Shaheen Jafargholi lives with his mother, Karen Thomas, who is separated from Shaheen's father, Iraj Jafargholi, a computer consultant of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...

ian descent. The separation was amicable and Shaheen sees his father regularly. He is currently in the Mark Jermin Stage School on Saturdays, in Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...

. He was featured in a BBC Wales
BBC Wales
BBC Cymru Wales is a division of the British Broadcasting Corporation for Wales. Based at Broadcasting House in the Llandaff area of Cardiff, it directly employs over 1200 people, and produces a broad range of television, radio and online services in both the Welsh and English languages.Outside...

 documentary series called Starstruck where cameras followed children of the stage school for six months.

Early appearances

He played the character Troy (Jason's neighbour) in the children's television series Grandpa In My Pocket
Grandpa In My Pocket
Grandpa In My Pocket is a comedy drama series commissioned by Michael Carrington for CBeebies, the BBC's dedicated pre-school and nursery channel targeting children under the age of 6 years. The programme stars James Bolam, Jay Ruckley, Josie Cable, Zara Ramm and Sam Ellis...

.
He has also acted in the Torchwood
Torchwood
Torchwood is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. The series is a spin-off from Davies's 2005 revival of the long-running science fiction programme Doctor Who. The show has shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growing audience, moving from...

episode "Greeks Bearing Gifts
Greeks Bearing Gifts (Torchwood)
"Greeks Bearing Gifts" is an episode of the British science fiction television series Torchwood. It is the seventh episode of the first series, which was broadcast on 26 November 2006.-Synopsis:...

" playing Danny - the child of a crazed gun-wielding father
and took part in an episode of the medical drama series Casualty
Casualty (TV series)
Casualty, stylised as Casual+y, is a British weekly television show broadcast on BBC One, and the longest-running emergency medical drama television series in the world. Created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin, it was first broadcast on 6 September 1986, and transmitted in the UK on BBC One. The...

playing Christy Skinner, a patient with incurable hiccups.
Jafargholi has also toured on stage as a young Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...

 in Thriller – Live
Thriller – Live
Thriller – Live is a two and a half hour concert celebrating the music of The Jackson 5 and the solo work of Michael Jackson. It had already been performed in the United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, and Scandinavia before opening at the Lyric Theatre, London on 2 January 2009...

.

Minor work includes UK touring productions of Macbeth
Macbeth
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607...

(character - Son of Macduff), The King and I
The King and I
The King and I is a stage musical, the fifth by the team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. The work is based on the 1944 novel Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon and derives from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, who became governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in...

and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical with lyrics by Tim Rice. The story is based on the "coat of many colors" story of Joseph from the Hebrew Bible's Book of Genesis. This was the first Lloyd Webber and Rice musical to be performed publicly...

(choir). He appears uncredited in Mine All Mine
Mine All Mine
Mine All Mine is a British television series produced by Red Production Company for ITV. It was written by Russell T Davies and starred Griff Rhys Jones...

, A Way of Life
A Way of Life
A Way of Life is a British film released in 2004 starring Stephanie James and Brenda Blethyn. It is directed by former child actor Amma Asante, and was filmed in South Wales...

and a short film called Day at the Beach. Minor TV appearances include The Frank Skinner Show
The Frank Skinner Show
The Frank Skinner Show was a television chat show hosted by comedian Frank Skinner which lasted nine series on British television between 1995 and 2005.It was screened on BBC One from its first episode on 10 September 1995 until 3 June 1999....

, Nickelodeon UK
Nickelodeon UK
Nickelodeon is a children's television channel available on Sky, Virgin Media, Smallworld Cable, TalkTalk TV and UPC Ireland in the United Kingdom and Ireland, including on demand on BT Vision. The channel was launched on 1 September 1993...

 and ITV Wales News in which he was involved in the celebration to switch on the Christmas lights in Swansea city centre in front of 30,000 people.
Jafargholi has also taken part in advertisements for Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...

, Debenhams
Debenhams
Debenhams plc is a British retailer operating under a department store format in the UK, Ireland and Denmark, and franchise stores in other countries. The Company was founded in the eighteenth century as a single store in London and has now grown to around 160 shops...

 and DFS
Dfs (retailer)
DFS, formerly Doncaster Furnishing Stores, is a national furniture retailer in the United Kingdom which specialises in sofas and soft furnishings. It serves the lower end of the furniture market and offers credit terms on its goods.- History :...

.
A planned Walkers Crisps advert with ex-footballer Gary Lineker
Gary Lineker
Gary Winston Lineker, OBE , is a former English footballer, who played as a striker. He is a sports broadcaster for the BBC, Al Jazeera Sports and Eredivisie Live...

 was cancelled.

Britain's Got Talent

Jafargholi took part in Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent is a British television talent show competition which started in June 2007 and originated from the Got Talent series. The show is produced by FremantleMedia's TalkbackThames and Simon Cowell's production company SYCOtv. The show is broadcast on ITV in Britain and TV3 in Ireland...

, series 3, episode 2. His first audition song was a cover of the Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse
Amy Jade Winehouse was an English singer-songwriter known for her powerful deep contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres including R&B, soul and jazz. Winehouse's 2003 debut album, Frank, was critically successful in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize...

 version of The Zutons song, "Valerie
Valerie (The Zutons song)
"Valerie" is a song by the English indie rock band The Zutons from the band's second studio album, Tired of Hanging Around . Released as the album's second single on 19 June 2006 in the United Kingdom, along with their previous single "Why Won't You Give Me Your Love?", it gave The Zutons their...

". Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell is an English A&R executive, television producer, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is known in the United Kingdom and United States for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and American Idol...

 ended the song after two lines and remarked: "You got this really wrong." Unusually, Cowell requested that Jafargholi sing another song, as he felt the first song did not suit Jafargholi. After a moment of hesitation, Jafargholi rallied and sang Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...

's "Who's Lovin' You
Who's Lovin' You
"Who's Lovin' You" is a Motown soul song, written in 1960 by William "Smokey" Robinson. The song has been recorded by many different artists including The Miracles, who recorded the 1960 original version, The Temptations, The Supremes, Terence Trent-D'arby, Brenda and The Tabulations, John Farnham,...

". This performance was highly credited by the audience and the judges, earning a standing ovation.

Jafargholi's previous experience has led to criticism by some fans of Britain's Got Talent as they believe the competition should be open to amateurs only. In response, a spokesman for the show said: "Britain's Got Talent is open to everyone whether they are a professional or an amateur. What Shaheen has done in the past has no bearing on his role on Britain's Got Talent."

As a result of his appearance in the talent contest, Jafargholi was signed to present a one-hour show on his local radio station Bay Radio, broadcast director Andy Griffiths, said: "Shaheen will take centre stage in our bank holiday schedule. He will present it himself, picking his favourite songs, talking about his experiences on the show and offering advice to other kids on how they can succeed."

For the semi-final Jafargholi chose "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going
And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going
"And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" is a torch song from the Broadway musical Dreamgirls, with lyrics by Tom Eyen and music by Henry Krieger...

" from the musical Dreamgirls. When the judges were about to choose the second place between Jafargholi and dance troupe MD Showgroup, Simon Cowell chose MD Showgroup, but Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan selected Jafargholi. During the final on 30 May 2009, Jafargholi performed "Who's Lovin' You", the song which he had sung during his audition, and received a standing ovation from the audience. He did not rank among the top three acts in the final, but finished in 7th place.

Post Talent

Jafargholi sang "I'll Be There" at the 2009 MOBO
Mobo
Mobo can refer to:*Shorthand for the motherboard in computers and other electronic equipment*Shorthand for a mobile [network] operator or MNO *Shorthand for a mobile bohemian, a person who embraces mobile technology...

 Awards in September, during the ceremony's tribute to Jackson. A month later, he flew to Chicago to tape an episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show performing "Who's Lovin' You", which aired on 14 October. He later performed "Lean On Me
Lean on Me (song)
"Lean on Me" is a song written and released by Bill Withers in 1972.It was his first and only number one on both the soul singles and the Billboard Hot 100. It is ranked number 205 on the Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Numerous cover versions have been recorded, and it is one of...

" and "Who's Lovin' You" at the BBC Children in Need
Children in Need
Children in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan is a long...

 Gala in Cardiff and the BBC Switch
BBC Switch
BBC Switch was the brand for BBC content aimed at UK teenagers. The brand launched on Saturday 20 October 2007 on BBC Two And ceased broadcasting on Saturday 17 December 2010...

 Live event at the Hammersmith Apollo
Hammersmith Apollo
Hammersmith Apollo is a major entertainment venue located in Hammersmith, London. Designed by Robert Cromie in Art Deco style, it opened in 1932 as the Gaumont Palace cinema, being re-named the Hammersmith Odeon in 1962...

 in November 2009, as well as The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show, often shortened to Ellen, is an American television talk show hosted by comedian/actress Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it is produced by Telepictures and airs in syndication, including stations owned by NBC Universal. For its first five seasons, the show...

 where he performed "I'll Be There", that aired a month later. On 29 September 2010, Jafargholi performed at the "Welcome to Wales" concert for the Ryder Cup
Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe...


Michael Jackson memorial

After performing on the Britain's Got Talent tour, Jafargholi sang a musical tribute of "Who's Lovin' You
Who's Lovin' You
"Who's Lovin' You" is a Motown soul song, written in 1960 by William "Smokey" Robinson. The song has been recorded by many different artists including The Miracles, who recorded the 1960 original version, The Temptations, The Supremes, Terence Trent-D'arby, Brenda and The Tabulations, John Farnham,...

" on stage at the Los Angeles Staples Center
Staples Center
Staples Center is a multi-purpose sports arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to the L.A. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street. Opening on October 17, 1999, it is one of the major sporting facilities in the Greater Los Angeles...

, at the 7 July 2009 globally televised funeral memorial service for the "King of Pop" Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...

. He had been originally invited to perform with Jackson in his This Is It
This Is It (Michael Jackson concerts)
This Is It was a planned series of fifty concerts by Michael Jackson to be held at The O2 Arena in London. They were scheduled to begin in July 2009 and continue through to March 2010. However, with all concerts sold out, Jackson died less than three weeks before the first concert date...

 series of London concerts.

Jafargholi's performance was preceded by the eulogy from the song's writer, Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...

. Following Jafargholi's tribute, Larry King
Larry King
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" King is an American television and radio host whose work has been recognized with awards including two Peabodys and ten Cable ACE Awards....

 leaned forward and asked Motown Records
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...

 founder Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy, Jr. is an American record producer, and the founder of the Motown record label, as well as its many subsidiaries.-Early years:...

, "Who is that"? Gordy, who, according to King, was moved by the performance, reportedly replied, "I have no cotton pickin' idea who that is, but if I were [still] in the business, I would sign him tomorrow."

Debut album

In May 2010, it was reported that Jafargholi had signed a record deal with Island Records UK, with his debut album due for release in November. He will also star in his own online reality show named "The Real Shaheen", a fly-on-the-wall documentary on Jafargholi's career over the past year. The show will air its first episode on 19 July 2010. As well as recording in London, Jafargholi flew to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

 and Atlanta in July/August 2010.

In September 2010, Jafargholi announced details for his debut album and single. A double A-side single of "Last Train Home", written by Paul O'Duffy and Matthew Protheroe and produced by Paul O'Duffy and "Hip Teens" (also produced by O'Duffy) was due to be released on November 22, 2010. In November, it was announced that Jafargholi's single and album's release date was being delayed to March 21, 2011 "due to huge international interest and some exciting overseas opportunities".

A press release describes "Last Train Home" as an "original string-soaked ballad with a nod to an era gone by", while "Hip Teens" is a cover of soul group Frank Popp's 2007 hit "Hip Teens (Don't Wear Blue Jeans)". On September 30, 2010 it was revealed Shaheen's album would be called "When I Come of Age
When I Come of Age
When I Come of Age is the debut album by Shaheen Jafargholi, due to be released on March 21, 2011. Jafargholi's album is said to be a mixture of original material and rare '60s soul covers. Jafargholi has collaborated with top US producers Jerry Wonda and Igloo & TC, who are best known for their...

"'. Jafargholi's album is said to be a mixture of original material and rare '60s soul covers. Jafargholi has collaborated with top US producers Jerry Wonda and Igloo & TC (best known for their work with Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...

, The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...

 and Backstreet Boys
Backstreet Boys
The Backstreet Boys are an American vocal group, formed in Orlando, Florida in 1993. The band originally consisted of A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson. They rose to fame with their debut international album, Backstreet Boys...

) and UK producers Paul O'Duffy, Jimmy Hogarth and Martin Terefe for the album, which was due for release on March 21, 2011, although as of November 2011 neither the single nor the album has been released.

Filmography

Year Work Role Notes
2004 Casualty
Casualty (TV series)
Casualty, stylised as Casual+y, is a British weekly television show broadcast on BBC One, and the longest-running emergency medical drama television series in the world. Created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin, it was first broadcast on 6 September 1986, and transmitted in the UK on BBC One. The...

Christy Skinner TV; episode "Inside Out"
2006 Torchwood
Torchwood
Torchwood is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. The series is a spin-off from Davies's 2005 revival of the long-running science fiction programme Doctor Who. The show has shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growing audience, moving from...

Danny TV; episode "Greeks Bearing Gifts
Greeks Bearing Gifts (Torchwood)
"Greeks Bearing Gifts" is an episode of the British science fiction television series Torchwood. It is the seventh episode of the first series, which was broadcast on 26 November 2006.-Synopsis:...

"
2009 Grandpa In My Pocket
Grandpa In My Pocket
Grandpa In My Pocket is a comedy drama series commissioned by Michael Carrington for CBeebies, the BBC's dedicated pre-school and nursery channel targeting children under the age of 6 years. The programme stars James Bolam, Jay Ruckley, Josie Cable, Zara Ramm and Sam Ellis...

Troy TV; episode Recurring Role

Albums

Year Album details Peak positions
UK
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...

2011 When I Come of Age
When I Come of Age
When I Come of Age is the debut album by Shaheen Jafargholi, due to be released on March 21, 2011. Jafargholi's album is said to be a mixture of original material and rare '60s soul covers. Jafargholi has collaborated with top US producers Jerry Wonda and Igloo & TC, who are best known for their...

  • Released: 21 March 2011
  • Label: Island Records
    Island Records
    Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...


Singles

Year Song Peak positions Album
UK
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...

2011 "Last Train Home/Hip Teens" When I Come of Age
When I Come of Age
When I Come of Age is the debut album by Shaheen Jafargholi, due to be released on March 21, 2011. Jafargholi's album is said to be a mixture of original material and rare '60s soul covers. Jafargholi has collaborated with top US producers Jerry Wonda and Igloo & TC, who are best known for their...


External links

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