She sings in both Farsi, the native language of Iran, and English. Her parents were born in Iran, immigrated to the USA, and she grew up in Detroit, Michigan. Lead singer Rahill was inspired by the psychedelic sounds that swept the world in the 1960s and ‘70s and its particular imprint on the Iranian music scene. It is with that spirit of positivity that the group takes its name. The word Habibi is Arabic for “my love” and is a term of endearment for family and friends. They cite bubblegum, comic books, Googoosh (an Iranian singer and actress), and Motown as major influences on their sound and style.
Occasionally, they are joined live by other musicians, but the band is essentially a quintet. The group consists of Rahill, Lenny, Erin, Karen, and Leah on vocals, guitars, bass, and drums, respectively. They’ve been featured on NPR, have previously released an EP and a full-length album, and will be playing a show with Ice Balloons at Market Hotel in Brooklyn on Saturday, February 15, at 9 pm to celebrate their second full-length release, titled Anywhere But Here, on Muddguts Records. Habibi is an all-female psychedelic Iranian-American rock band originally from Detroit, Michigan, now based in Brooklyn, New York.
