Jacqueline Derderian (AKA Jacqueline Vigen), the Armenian-Iranian songwriter, composer, and singer, passed away on Sunday, September 7, 2025, in Los Angeles after a long battle with cancer. She was 73.
Born in Tehran on December 19, 1952, Jacqueline was the daughter of Vigen, the celebrated “King of Iranian Jazz,” and his first wife, Olga. She had a twin sister, Aylin, who became a well-known actress.
Artistic Legacy and Collaborations
Jacqueline entered the music scene in the 1970s, quickly establishing herself as one of the very first women in Iran to both write lyrics and compose melodies for pop music. Her ability to fuse poetry with original melodies gave her work a distinctive style that remains highly regarded.
She collaborated with many of the most famous Iranian pop singers, including Googoosh, Shohreh Solati, Mahasti, Ebi, Moein, Sattar, Siavash Ghomayshi, Andy, Leila Forouhar, Martik, Shakila, and Nooshafarin. Her closest and most prolific collaboration was with Shohreh Solati, for whom she wrote and composed some of the singer’s most popular albums, such as Ghessegoo (Storyteller), Atre (Perfume), Safar (Journey), and Havas (Desire).
One of her most enduring contributions is the iconic song Parandeh (Bird), performed by Googoosh, which has become a landmark in Iranian pop culture.
Independent Work
Beyond her collaborations, Jacqueline also released albums in her own voice, including Ashti (Reconciliation), Ashke Penhooni (Hidden Tears), Baraye To (For You), Mafia, Shazdeh Pesar (The Little Prince), and Shokoofehaye Iran (Blossoms of Iran). These works reflected her personal creative journey and deep emotional expression.
Spiritual Inspirations
In a 2011 interview with Radio Farda, Jacqueline spoke about her spiritual experiences, including a dream about Imam Ali and a pilgrimage to the shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad. She said the song Parandeh was composed after that journey and marked a turning point in her career as a composer.
Cultural Impact
She often emphasized the vital contribution of the Armenian community to the growth of Iranian pop music and the importance of cultural exchange across communities in Iran. She also spoke candidly about the challenges of breaking into the industry as a woman, the independence she carved out in her career, and the difficulties of unauthorized reproductions of her songs.
Final Farewell
Her sister, Catherine Derderian, announced Jacqueline’s passing on Instagram, writing that she had “fought bravely for three years with serious health challenges” and had just completed chemotherapy. She confirmed that Jaklin will be laid to rest in Los Angeles, near her father Vigen.
William Munns, her husband of 44 years, expressed his gratitude to all who supported Jacqueline during her illness and said she passed away peacefully, leaving behind a “beautiful heart that simply grew too tired.”
Jacqueline Derderian will be remembered as one of the pioneering women of Iranian pop music — a gifted songwriter and composer whose words and melodies continue to resonate across generations.
