Rostam Shares Exciting News about His New Album American Stories and Upcoming North American Tour in 2026
Producer, songwriter, and former Vampire Weekend member Rostam has announced the release of his third studio album, American Stories, slated for May 15th. Alongside the album announcement, he has unveiled a new single titled "Like a Spark" and revealed plans for a North American tour in 2026.
American Stories marks Rostam’s first album in nearly five years, following his 2021 release, Changephobia. The upcoming project showcases his Persian heritage, featuring collaborations with fellow Iranian-American Amir Yaghmai of The Voidz. The album interweaves traditional Persian instruments, including the saz, with American sounds. Notable contributors include Clairo, Tobias Jesso Jr., and other instrumentalists.
Reflecting on his artistic journey, Rostam stated, “At some point in making this record I realized the album I wanted to make was one that reflected my identity as both Iranian and American. Pushing the most Iranian elements right up against the most American ones brought me a certain kind of joy. The first time I put microtonal saz melodies over Western guitar chords, I was thrown off by the way the two rubbed together. But the more I listened, the more I became drawn to that rub. I became addicted to it.”
To support American Stories, Rostam will embark on a North American tour beginning on May 27th in San Diego. The tour will include stops in major cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver, Seattle, Chicago, Toronto, and New York City, concluding in Austin on June 26th. An additional set of dates is planned for the UK and Europe in September.
Tickets for the tour will be available for pre-sale beginning Wednesday, March 11th at 10:00 a.m. local time, with general public sales starting on March 13th at 10:00 a.m. local time.
The single "Like a Spark" serves as the first glimpse into American Stories, highlighting Rostam’s hybrid musical style. Featuring warm acoustic guitar and introspective lyrics, the track includes a saz solo by Yaghmai, underscoring its fusion of influences.
In the interim since Changephobia, Rostam has remained active in the music scene, recently releasing an original demo of Vampire Weekend’s "Campus," and contributing to various projects, including HAIM’s last album.
American Stories boasts a diverse tracklist, including collaborations and a variety of musical influences, establishing Rostam’s continued evolution as an artist.
American Stories Tracklist:
- Like a Spark
- Back of a Truck
- Different Light
- Hardy (feat. Clairo)
- Forgive Is To Know
- To Feel No Way
- The Road to Death
- Come Apart
- The Weight
Rostam 2026 Tour Dates:
05/27 — San Diego, CA @ Music Box
05/30 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Ford #
06/03 — San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel
06/05 — Vancouver, BC @ Fortune Sound Club !
06/06 — Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater !
06/07 — Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile !
06/09 — Boise, ID @ Neurolux
06/10 — Salt Lake City, UT @ The State Room
06/11 — Denver, CO @ The Gothic Theater
06/13 — Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line KCMP/Electric Fetus
06/14 — Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
06/15 — Toronto, ON @ The Opera House
06/17 — Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
06/18 — New York, NY @ Webster Hall #
06/19 — Philadelphia, PA @ Brooklyn Bowl
06/20 — Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club !
06/22 — Saxapahaw, NC @ Haw River Ballroom
06/23 — Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
06/24 — Nashville, TN @ Basement East
06/26 — Austin, TX @ Mohawk *
09/08 — London, UK @ Village Underground ^
09/09 — Paris, FR @ La Maroquinerie ^
09/12 — Amsterdam, NL @ Berghain Kantine
09/13 — Berlin, DE @ Privatclub ^
09/15 — Stockholm, SE @ Nalen Klubb ^
# = w/ Zsela
= w/ Henry Solomon
!= w/ Henry Solomon and Elori Saxl
^ = w/ Bad Actor*
