Fardin Mijdzadeh, known professionally as Joel Ekelöf, is a Swedish musician and singer of Iranian descent. He is best known as the co-founder and frontman of the progressive metal band Soen, formed in 2010 with drummer Martin Lopez. His melodic and expressive voice is a distinctive element of the group's sound, featured on acclaimed albums such as *Cognitive* (2012), *Lotus* (2019), *Imperial* (2021), and *Memorial* (2023). Through his work with Soen, Mijdzadeh has achieved significant critical acclaim and a solid international following, helping to solidify the band's reputation as one of the most important acts in the contemporary progressive metal scene. His artistic work focuses almost exclusively on the Soen project, for which he serves as the lead vocalist and co-lyricist, exploring social, psychological, and philosophical themes.