# Rostam Batmanglij
**Rostam Batmanglij** (Persian: رستم باتمانقلیچ; born 1983) is an American songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist who records under his first name, Rostam. He was a founding member, keyboardist, guitarist, and producer of [Vampire Weekend](https://www.edgepedia.org/vampire-weekend) from 2006 to 2016, and has since produced for [Frank Ocean](https://www.edgepedia.org/frank-ocean), Clairo, HAIM, Solange, Carly Rae Jepsen, Charli XCX, and [Maggie Rogers](https://www.edgepedia.org/maggie-rogers), and contributed songwriting to records by Frank Ocean and Solange while releasing solo albums including *Half-Light* (2017), *Changephobia* (2021), and *American Stories* (2026).[1](https://www.nonesuch.com/artists/rostam) • [2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rostam-mn0002782849) • [3](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/05/25/rostam-batmanglij-wanders-to-the-edges-of-american-sound)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1983, Washington, DC, to Iranian refugee parents[1](https://www.nonesuch.com/artists/rostam) |
| Vampire Weekend | Producer and multi-instrumentalist 2006–2016; produced the band's first three albums[4](https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2019/10/rostam-batmanglij-producer-interview) |
| Grammy wins | Best Alternative Music Album for *Modern Vampires of the City* (2014) and *Father of the Bride* (2020)[3](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/05/25/rostam-batmanglij-wanders-to-the-edges-of-american-sound) • [2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rostam-mn0002782849) |
| Chart peaks | *Contra* (2010) and *Father of the Bride* (2019) each topped the Billboard 200; *Modern Vampires of the City* was the band's second album to debut at No. 1[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rostam-mn0002782849) • [3](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/05/25/rostam-batmanglij-wanders-to-the-edges-of-american-sound) |
| Certifications | The first Vampire Weekend album he produced is certified platinum; the band had three gold records with Rostam as producer[5](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/may/04/vampire-weekender-rostam-batmanglij-american-iranian) • [1](https://www.nonesuch.com/artists/rostam) |
| Solo albums | *Half-Light* (2017), *Changephobia* (2021), *American Stories* (2026); collaborative album *I Had a Dream That You Were Mine* with Hamilton Leithauser (2016)[6](https://musicbrainz.org/artist/66a7117a-4b67-4a85-83bf-94491340d22d) |
| Signature credit | Arranged and produced the guitar on Frank Ocean's "Ivy" from *Blonde*[3](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/05/25/rostam-batmanglij-wanders-to-the-edges-of-american-sound) |
## Early life and education
Rostam Batmanglij was born in Washington, DC, in 1983 to Iranian refugee parents.[1](https://www.nonesuch.com/artists/rostam) He grew up in Washington and began making electronic music at age 14.[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rostam-mn0002782849) His brother is the filmmaker [Zal Batmanglij](https://www.edgepedia.org/zal-batmanglij), with whom he worked on the score to the 2011 film *[Sound of My Voice](https://www.edgepedia.org/sound-of-my-voice)* and a song for 2013's *The East*.[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rostam-mn0002782849)
At Columbia University he majored in music, studying classical music while focusing on songwriting, recording, and production.[1](https://www.nonesuch.com/artists/rostam) During his final year at Columbia, he started work as producer on what would be his first career full-length record, the self-titled debut by Vampire Weekend.[1](https://www.nonesuch.com/artists/rostam)
## Vampire Weekend (2006–2016)
Batmanglij joined Vampire Weekend in 2006 while an undergraduate at Columbia.[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rostam-mn0002782849) In the band he was keyboardist, guitarist, and backup vocalist, and he also produced and co-wrote its songs.[7](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/09/18/rostam-batmanglij-defines-his-musical-identity) Vanity Fair describes him as a producer and multi-instrumentalist with the group from 2006 to 2016, working on its first three albums.[4](https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2019/10/rostam-batmanglij-producer-interview)
The commercial and critical results of that decade were substantial. The self-titled debut was the first of the band's three gold records with Rostam as producer.[1](https://www.nonesuch.com/artists/rostam) *[Contra](https://www.edgepedia.org/contra-album)* (2010), which he produced, topped the [Billboard](https://www.edgepedia.org/billboard-magazine) 200 and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Music Album.[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rostam-mn0002782849) *Modern Vampires of the City* (2013), co-produced with [Ariel Rechtshaid](https://www.edgepedia.org/ariel-rechtshaid), was the band's third album and its second to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard chart; Pitchfork and Rolling Stone each named it the best album of 2013, and it won the Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album.[3](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/05/25/rostam-batmanglij-wanders-to-the-edges-of-american-sound) • [2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rostam-mn0002782849)
**Departure.** He informally withdrew from the band's day-to-day activities in 2014 and announced his departure at the beginning of 2016.[7](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/09/18/rostam-batmanglij-defines-his-musical-identity) • [1](https://www.nonesuch.com/artists/rostam) He described his decision to leave in blunt terms: "I pressed the Reset button on everything."[3](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/05/25/rostam-batmanglij-wanders-to-the-edges-of-american-sound) His involvement after leaving was limited to one song: he worked on "We Belong Together," but *[Father of the Bride](https://www.edgepedia.org/father-of-the-bride-album)* (2019) is largely the band's first album without him.[4](https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2019/10/rostam-batmanglij-producer-interview) That album nonetheless topped the Billboard 200 and won the 2020 Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album, with Rostam credited among its contributors.[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rostam-mn0002782849)
## Production and songwriting career
By the end of 2016 he had contributed songwriting and production to Frank Ocean's *[Blonde](https://www.edgepedia.org/blonde-frank-ocean-album)* and Solange's *A Seat at the Table*.[1](https://www.nonesuch.com/artists/rostam) On *Blonde* he arranged and produced the distorted, quivery guitar on "Ivy," which [The New Yorker](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-new-yorker) calls perhaps the most poignant and incandescent song on the record.[3](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/05/25/rostam-batmanglij-wanders-to-the-edges-of-american-sound)
His credit list spans pop and indie. In 2014 he worked with [Charli XCX](https://www.edgepedia.org/charli-xcx) on her album *Sucker*, produced "Need Ur Luv" for *The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1* soundtrack, and produced [Hamilton Leithauser](https://www.edgepedia.org/hamilton-leithauser)'s solo debut *Black Hours*.[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rostam-mn0002782849) The New Yorker's 2017 profile groups his output as electro-soul with Discovery, "giant left-field pop hits" for singers such as [Carly Rae Jepsen](https://www.edgepedia.org/carly-rae-jepsen), tracks on *Blonde* and *A Seat at the Table*, and a co-written album with Leithauser.[7](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/09/18/rostam-batmanglij-defines-his-musical-identity) In 2017 he worked on HAIM's *Something to Tell You* and Declan McKenna's *What Do You Think About the Car?*.[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rostam-mn0002782849)
Two 2019–2020 projects stand out. He produced Clairo's debut album *Immunity*, and is a producer on every song on it.[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rostam-mn0002782849) • [4](https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2019/10/rostam-batmanglij-producer-interview) He co-produced HAIM's *Women in Music, Pt. III* (2020) with Ariel Rechtshaid and [Danielle Haim](https://www.edgepedia.org/danielle-haim).[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rostam-mn0002782849) He has also produced for Maggie Rogers.[3](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/05/25/rostam-batmanglij-wanders-to-the-edges-of-american-sound)
Film scoring runs through his career alongside records: the *Sound of My Voice* and *The East* scores with his brother, and in 2023 his score for Maryam Keshavarz's film about Iranian-American identity, *The Persian Version*.[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rostam-mn0002782849)
## Solo career and Discovery
Before his solo records, Batmanglij ran a synth-pop side project, Discovery, with Ra Ra Riot's Wes Miles, which appeared in 2009; his first solo tracks, "Wood" and "Don't Let It Get to You," were issued in 2011.[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rostam-mn0002782849) He writes and records under the name Rostam.[8](https://www.npr.org/artists/504038566/rostam-batmanglij)
His debut solo album *Half-Light* was released in September 2017; NPR called it one of the year's most arresting albums.[8](https://www.npr.org/artists/504038566/rostam-batmanglij) According to AllMusic, the album collects impressionistic songs whose themes draw on the twofold nature of his life as a gay man and as the son of immigrants.[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rostam-mn0002782849) In 2016 he had released *I Had a Dream That You Were Mine*, a collaborative album credited to Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam.[6](https://musicbrainz.org/artist/66a7117a-4b67-4a85-83bf-94491340d22d) *Changephobia* (June 2021) moved toward R&B and jazz elements.[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rostam-mn0002782849) He has said he wants to make ten solo albums before he dies, each different from the previous one.[7](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/09/18/rostam-batmanglij-defines-his-musical-identity)
## Musical style and production approach
The New Yorker's 2026 profile characterizes his production style as "verdant but gentle": sticky percussion, a dreamy mix of acoustic and synthesized instruments, layers, and mystery. It adds that he is exceptionally good at drawing something raw and unmediated out of a vocalist, and that his breathy, close, "a little woozy" sound has become associated with an artful, confessional indie aesthetic.[3](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/05/25/rostam-batmanglij-wanders-to-the-edges-of-american-sound) He has described his aim as a desire "to push what can be in a pop song."[3](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/05/25/rostam-batmanglij-wanders-to-the-edges-of-american-sound)
**Working method.** He identifies himself first as a record producer, calling production his "entry point into making music" and "my language," and keeps instruments, microphones, and recording equipment on hand at home so he can record at a moment's notice.[4](https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2019/10/rostam-batmanglij-producer-interview) His stated philosophy is to put everything in one room and make it as easy as possible to record as soon as an idea arrives.[4](https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2019/10/rostam-batmanglij-producer-interview) In his own words to Pitchfork: "I always keep a bunch of microphones up and jump from one instrument to the next and record stuff really quickly and not overthink things at all," a method he says many records he has worked on share, capturing performances as the parts are being played.[9](https://pitchfork.com/features/moodboard/rostam-interview-changephobia-influences/)
## By the numbers
- Three Billboard 200 No. 1 albums carry his work: *Contra* (2010) and *Father of the Bride* (2019) each topped the chart, and *Modern Vampires of the City* was the band's second album to debut at No. 1.[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rostam-mn0002782849) • [3](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/05/25/rostam-batmanglij-wanders-to-the-edges-of-american-sound)
- Two Grammy Awards for Best Alternative Music Album went to *Modern Vampires of the City*, which he co-produced, and to *Father of the Bride*, on which he worked.[3](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/05/25/rostam-batmanglij-wanders-to-the-edges-of-american-sound) • [2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rostam-mn0002782849)
- Certifications: the first Vampire Weekend album he produced is certified platinum, and the band earned three gold records with him as producer.[5](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/may/04/vampire-weekender-rostam-batmanglij-american-iranian) • [1](https://www.nonesuch.com/artists/rostam)
## What has changed since 2023
In 2023 he produced Georgia's *Euphoric* and Vagabon's *Sorry I Haven't Called*, and his score for *The Persian Version* appeared that year.[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rostam-mn0002782849) He then reunited with HAIM to contribute to their 2025 album *I Quit*.[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rostam-mn0002782849)
**2026 output.** He returned to his own music with the single "Like a Spark" in early 2026, followed in May 2026 by *American Stories*, his third solo record since leaving Vampire Weekend.[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rostam-mn0002782849) • [3](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/05/25/rostam-batmanglij-wanders-to-the-edges-of-american-sound) The album features the Voidz' Amir Yaghmai, Clairo, and Tobias Jesso, Jr., and juxtaposes the American and Iranian essences of his music; shortly after its release, *American Stories: A Concert Film* appeared.[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rostam-mn0002782849) In 2026 press around the album he reflected on life as an Iranian-American, noting that going solo has allowed him to pursue any weird idea to its natural conclusion.[5](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/may/04/vampire-weekender-rostam-batmanglij-american-iranian)
## References
1. [Rostam | Nonesuch Records](https://www.nonesuch.com/artists/rostam)
2. [Rostam | Biography | AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rostam-mn0002782849)
3. [Rostam Batmanglij Wanders to the Edges of American Sound, The New Yorker (2026)](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/05/25/rostam-batmanglij-wanders-to-the-edges-of-american-sound)
4. [Meet Rostam Batmanglij, Super-Producer, Vanity Fair (2019)](https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2019/10/rostam-batmanglij-producer-interview)
5. [Ex-Vampire Weekender Rostam on pop, protest and life as an Iranian-American, The Guardian (2026)](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/may/04/vampire-weekender-rostam-batmanglij-american-iranian)
6. [Rostam, MusicBrainz](https://musicbrainz.org/artist/66a7117a-4b67-4a85-83bf-94491340d22d)
7. [Rostam Batmanglij Defines His Musical Identity, The New Yorker (2017)](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/09/18/rostam-batmanglij-defines-his-musical-identity)
8. [Rostam Batmanglij, NPR artist page](https://www.npr.org/artists/504038566/rostam-batmanglij)
9. [Rostam on the Inspirations Behind His New Album Changephobia, Pitchfork](https://pitchfork.com/features/moodboard/rostam-interview-changephobia-influences/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musicians and ensembles › Individual musical biographies › Songwriters and record producers › Record producers › Contemporary producers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license