Biography
Amir Juan Chamdin was born in Huddinge (Sweden) and raised in Södermalm, Stockholm. His father is from Syria [1] and his mother is Finnish. [2] Chamdin is a front figure in the groundbreaking Swedish hip hop group Infinite Mass since their formation in 1991. Directing and creating the visual world of the band gave him acknowledgment and a stepping-stone to becoming a full-time director. Working closely with other bands like The Hellacopters, Ghost (Swedish band)|Ghost and The Cardigans was a natural fit and the innovative film school he never had.
In 2001, Infinite Mass released their third studio album, “The Face,” on Polar/Universal. The album was a major success, and its first single, ”Bullet” featuring Roger Daltrey, became an instant hit and gold record. Chamdin also had the lead role in “The Artist,” a short film made in New York.
In 2002, Chamdin became the third director of RAF (Renck Åkerlund Films). Working alongside his long-time friends and accomplished brethren Jonas Åkerlund and Johan Renck.
It was 2004 when Chamdin received MTV's coveted Best Music Video Award for The Cardigans’ “You're The Storm.” 2004 was also the year when Infinite Mass dropped their 4th studio album 1991 gaining the title; most played band/artist on Swedish radio in 2004 ahead of Outcast and Scissor Sisters. It was also now that Amir & Dregen from Backyard Babies formed Snowracer, a progressive electronic band together with Martin ”Nåid” Landquist and Brady Blade. The debut album was released in 2005 with Universal and featured guest artists such as Emmylou Harris.
In 2005, he founded the production company Chamdin & Stöhr with producers Martina Stöhr Torell and Daniel Sachs. Together, they have produced several international award-winning commercials for clients such as H&M, IKEA, Adidas, and The Andy Warhol Exhibition. Chamdin decided to act again, playing Heberson Da Costa in the TV series Lasermannen (The Laser Man).
In 2006, Chamdins made his cinematic debut as a director. The black & white feature film was God Willing (2006 film)|God Willing, starring himself and Nina Persson. [4] Variety wrote of the film: “God Willing looks like no other Swedish film of recent years. This melancholy love story is about two would-be lovers during a moment in 1975.″ The film received the Kodak Visionary Award in 2006 and was nominated in several international film festivals.
2006 Chamdin won a Silver Egg for his black & white short film Banana Party, shot by Hoyte van Hoytema and premiered on MTV.
In 2009, Chamdin released the self-titled debut album Mean Streets through Warner. It was written and performed by Chamdin and Nicke Andersson.
In 2010, Chamdin's second feature, Cornelis, premiered and starred Hank von Hell, the famous lead singer from the death-punk band Turbonegro. Cornelis went straight to No. 1 at the box office in Sweden and Norway. H&M approached Amir to create a cohesive visual forum on television and for the in-store/outdoor screens. This became a massive campaign with over 100 commercials with stars such as: Bryan Ferry, Daria Werbowy, Lou Dillon, Freja Beha amongst others. The music was performed by Erykah Badu, covering Muddy Waters's ”Mannish Boy”.
In 2013, Loudwire named Ghost and the "Year Zero" music video directed by Chamdin, the Best Metal Video of 2013,[7] while Revolver named it seventh on their list of the year's best in all genres. "Year Zero" and its music video were nominated for Best Metal Song and Best Metal Video in the 2013 Loudwire Music Awards. 2013 was also the year when Chamdin directed Gisele Bündchen in a music video, covering The Kinks "All Day and All of the Night", filmed on the streets of London.
In 2014, Chamdin made a short film with Gösta Ekman for a campaign for Höj Rösten (Raise The Voice), calling on people to vote.
Harper's Bazaar wrote, "Four of the world's top models have been given the James Bond treatment for H&M's new 2015 swimwear campaign, which makes a nice change from the standard rolling-around-on-beach variety.” Adriana Lima, Doutzen Kroes, Joan Smalls, and Natasha Poly star in the Chamdin-directed film with music by Axwell & Ingrosso. In 2015, Chamdin directed a black & white commercial for Mango featuring music from The Kills, starring Jamie Hince and Karlie Kloss.
In 2017, Chamdin directed his first original TV series, Hassel, a realistic, hard-boiled police thriller series inspired by the iconic detective Roland Hassel starring Ola Rapace. Chamdin was brought in as a conceptual director for the 10-episode drama, creating the visual world and bringing new life to the Scandinavian noir genre. Hassel is distributed in Scandinavia by streaming giant Viaplay and produced by Nice Drama.
Chamdin created and directed the television series Partisan, which premiered on Viaplay in August 2020. The series, starring Fares Fares, is set in the idyllic yet mysterious community of Jordnära and delves into themes of secrecy and control. Partisan received the 'Best Series' award at CANNESSERIES and set a record for the most-viewed Viaplay original show on its premiere night.
Chamdin directed Börje —The Journey of a Legend, a biographical series about Swedish ice hockey player Börje Salming that premiered in 2023. In an interview with Us Weekly, Actor Jason Priestley, who portrayed talent scout Gerry McNamara in the series, discussed his physical transformation for the role and his collaboration with Chamdin.
In 2024, Chamdin wrote and directed Gustavia, a ballet that premiered at the Royal Swedish Opera on October 18. The production narrates the life of Gustav Badin, an enslaved child brought to the Swedish royal court in the 1750s who became a notable figure in Swedish history. Choreographed by Pär Isberg and featuring costumes by designer Selam Fessahaye, the ballet received critical acclaim for its compelling storytelling and innovative production.
Chamdin directed the music video for "Satanized," which garnered significant attention upon its release in 2025. The video was praised for its bold visuals and thematic depth.
Discography
Albums
"Infinite Mass” EP (1993) Infinite Mass Records
”The Infinite Patio” Infinite Mass (1995) Roof Top
”Ride” EP Infinite Mass (1995) Roof Top
”Alwayz Somethang” Infinite Mass (1997) Warlock Records
”Live in Sweden” Infinite Mass (1998) Murlyn
”Bullet” EP Infinite Mass (2001) Polar / Universal
”The Face” Infinite Mass (2001)Polar / Universal
”1991” Infinite Mass (2004) Warner
”Ta-Da-Da-Da” Snowracer (2005) Universal
”Masters Of The Universe” Infinite Mass (2007) Infinite Mass Records
”Mean Streets” Mean Streets (2009) Sheriff / Warner
Soundtracks
”Shoot the Racist” Infinite Mass Soundtrack / Sökarna (1993) Polygram
”Meter Running” Amir Chamdin Soundtrack / Upp Till Kamp (2007) Razzia Records
”Lady Luck” Amir Chamdin Soundtrack / Leo (2007) Memfis Film
Singles
”Mah Boyz” Infinite Mass (1995) Roof Top / BMG
”Nine 5 Vibe” Infinite Mass (1995) Roof Top / BMG
”Area Turns Red” Infinite Mass (1995) Roof Top / BMG
”Ride” Infinite Mass (1996) Roof Top / BMG
”Caught Up In Da Game” Infinite Mass (1997) Warlock Records
”Fo' Sho” Infinite Mass (1997) Warlock Records
”Massacre” Infinite Mass (1997) Warlock Records
”Babylon” Backyard Babies & Ginger (1999) Coalition Records
”Enter The Dragon” Infinite Mass (2000) Warner
”Bullet” Infinite Mass Featuring Roger Daltrey (2001) Polar / Universal
”She's A Freak” Infinite Mass Featuring Linda Sundblad (2001) Polar / Universal
”Blazin’” Infinite Mass (2002) Polar / Universal
”Celebrate” Infinite Mass (2002) Polar / Universal
”No 1. Swartskalle” Infinite Mass (2004) Warner
”The Thief” Infinite Mass (2004) Warner
”Fire Fire” Infinite Mass (2004) Warner
”Native American” Snowracer (2005) Universal
”The Way I'm watching You” Snowracer featuring Emmylou Harris (2005) Universal
