In this special "On This Planet" episode, Ophira Edut of The AstroTwins talks to our longtime friend NEDA, a seasoned entertainment executive, former music manager for bands including Bon Jovi and Motley Crue, cultural diplomat and creator of the documentary "Nobody's Enemy: Youth Culture in Iran" (2006). An Iranian American currently residing in Istanbul, Neda’s work has consistently bridged East and West through the power of media, music, and storytelling.
In "Middle Eastern Misfits," Ophi and Neda discuss:
🪬 what it actually feels like to grow up between two cultures, never fully belonging to either one (and how that became our greatest superpower)
🪬 Neda's early teen memories of 1980s Tehran, playing Donna Summer songs to teach her best friend English—and later, losing this friend to a bombing
🪬 the 2002 workshop where we first met—and the life-changing moment we shared that helped Ophi find her voice, connected Neda to her purpose and sealed our long Sagittarius-Aquarius friendship
🪬 Neda's life New York City at age 16, living alone and stumbling into the music industry—working with artists like The Cure, David Bowie, Bon Jovi and Motley Crue
🪬 her 2005 return to Iran to film "Nobody's Enemy: Youth Culture of Iran"—and how she met the underground rapper Yas (AKA "The Persian Tupac"), who she helped transform into an award-winning global artist
🪬 Neda's wild two-month journey across the Sahara Desert with nine strangers—Jewish, Muslim, American, Israeli, Palestinian—filmed for a documentary
Watch the video version on YouTube
Show Notes & Links to NEDA's work:
🪬Neda’s Podcast & Website: https://talktalkneda.com
🪬Neda on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/talktalkneda
🪬Neda on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalkTalkNEDA
🪬Nobody’s Enemy Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLT87M5E8-6C-RHijCxGRRblXftoCCzDwq
🪬Breaking the Ice — Sahara Journey (Trailer):
https://www.breakingtheice.org/sahara
NEDA is an Iranian-American currently residing in Istanbul, Turkey. Her career spans over 30 years in the music and entertainment industry. She has closely worked as personal management, advisor and consultant with the some of the most renowned artists, entertainers and organizations in the world, including Bon Jovi, The Cure and Motley Crue. In 2005, understanding the power of entertainment, and realizing the disconnect between cross-cultural relations between East and West, paved the way for Neda to start a new path towards her lifelong desire to bring people together. Neda’s mission was to emphasize using entertainment as a tool towards cultural diplomacy.
Neda’s first step towards her goal resulted in filming and directing an award winning documentary called, NOBODY’S ENEMY (2005) – The Youth Culture Of Iran (co-produced by the award winning production company Chat The Planet). This led to signing with a lecture agent and ultimately speaking and lecturing at universities, conferences, events and notably at the Library of Congress as well as cultural exchange programs, the Asia Society, US-Islam World Forum and The Great Library of Alexandria to name a few.
In 2006, Neda was one of ten people chosen from hundreds of applicants, being recommended to participate in a highly publicized eight-week peace expedition across the Sahara Desert uniting people from East and West. Filmed for a documentary called “Breaking the Ice,” the journey included participants from countries who had been effected by the conflicts in the Middle East from USA, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Israel, Iraq and Iran – with a European film crew.
Neda’s work in music and entertainment also continues with working with the biggest superstars and entertainers from Iran to Turkey, UK, Europe and US. This includes cross-cultural collaborations bringing artists and notable figures together for worldwide projects, tours and various social media and digital platforms.
South Africa