Farzad Golpayegani shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Farzad, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
Definitely my creative work. I’m fortunate that it makes up the majority of my activities. Once I’m fully immersed in a project, the outside world just fades away and hours can feel like minutes. The moment of “finding myself again” comes when I finally step back. Looking at what I’ve just made, I see a tangible piece of my own thoughts and feelings, and that’s an incredible experience.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a multidisciplinary artist and art director, and for over 20 years, my creative life has been a story of dualities. On one hand, I’m an artist and musician, dedicated to personal expression. My main voice is the electric guitar, where I compose and perform in the worlds of progressive metal and fusion. This energy is mirrored in my visual art—surrealist and expressionist works in both physical and digital media that I’ve been exhibiting for just as long.
On the other hand, I channel this creative drive into my professional work as an art director. I lead and execute projects across the branding and marketing spectrum, creating everything from digital campaigns to physical materials. For me, these two paths aren’t separate; they constantly inform each other. The discipline of branding brings structure to my art, while the expressive freedom of my music and painting ensures my commercial work always has a soul.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
That would be in my twenties, the first time I realized I could produce my own music. I had a head full of ideas, but I was new to the industry and completely stuck in the mindset that I needed ‘professionals’ to bring them to life. I felt like I needed their permission. I sent out demos and tried to find collaborators, but nothing was clicking, and it was incredibly frustrating.
So, I decided to demystify the process myself. I dove into learning everything I could about mixing and mastering. The first time I managed to compose, record, and mix a full track on my own was a revelation. Hearing the sound that was in my head finally come out of the speakers, exactly as I envisioned it—that was power. It felt like I had unlocked a new level of creative independence.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
That’s a powerful question. I’d say it taught me resilience. Success is a great teacher for confidence, but it can make you rigid. It doesn’t prepare you for when things inevitably fall apart. Suffering, on the other hand, forces you to become flexible. It strips away the non-essentials and reveals the difference between simply worrying about a problem and actively solving it. It taught me that hardship isn’t just something to be endured. It’s a choice. You can let it define your limits, or you can use it to expand your vision and discover a strength you never knew you had.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes, the person you meet is absolutely the real me—I’m collaborative and friendly, and I value open communication. What’s interesting, though, is that the public version of me isn’t always the full story people see at first glance.
There’s often a disconnect between who I am and who people expect me to be. Perhaps due to stereotypes or my Middle Eastern background, people don’t typically look at me and think ‘artist’ or ‘rock musician.’ I’ve come to enjoy that moment of discovery. There’s a quiet satisfaction in seeing someone’s perception shift when they find out the person they pegged as an engineer is also a surrealist painter and a metal guitarist. It’s a gentle way to challenge stereotypes
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. When do you feel most at peace?
My moment of true peace arrives in the quiet space right after a demanding project is finally finished and released into the world. It’s the most profound sense of satisfaction I know. For a short while, the constant creative hum in my brain finally goes quiet, and the urge to solve the next problem or start the next piece just dissolves.
Of course, that stillness is temporary. The itch to begin the next project always returns, but I see that as a good thing. That brief period of peace is the exhale that makes the next deep inhale of creative work possible. It’s the engine that has fueled my productivity over the years.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.farzadonline.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/farzadonline/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/farzadonline
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/farzadart
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/farzadonline
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/farzadonline
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/farzadonline
- Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6BDEfxWlzHxp6eQDtXrx10
