In Loving Memory of Solveig Zarah Keshavjee

This family memorial is dedicated to my beautiful wife, incredible mother, and amazing artist Solveig Zarah Keshavjee.

ALWAYS LOVED, MISSED FOREVER, NEVER FORGOTTEN!

(1963 – 2019)

Solveig Zarah Keshavjee

I have never used websites or social media for personal matters as I am a very private person as are my family, but the outpouring of love and friendship that has been shown to me and my family has been so immense I feel I need to write, and to share a love that can only be described as pure and everlasting.

In the coming days I will add pictures and beautiful memories of my beloved and beautiful Solveig – there was not a single day that passed in our 26 years together where we did not say to each other, ‘I Love You’ – every text, email, phone call, everything ‘love you’, ‘I miss you’. We were together ALL the time and we found joy even in the smallest of things and had so much fun. Most people need time away from each other, we always needed to be with each other, she always said, “I can’t sleep at night if you’re away somewhere”…I felt and feel the exact same. She was a pillar of the community and so respected by all. Solveig never stopped giving, caring or loving all those around her and was a fierce protector of our family.

For those that didn’t know her personally beyond music, Solveig Keshavjee (maiden name: Nikischer) was a mentor, leader, caring friend, long-time manager of procurement at Algonquin College, (my Mum and her worked together at the college for many, many years) a religious educator, RE principal, and champion for all those that needed help and a dear and valued respected member of the community. Solveig remembered everyone, their birthdays, anniversaries, special occasions – nothing was ever forgotten – she made everyone feel adored.

Solveig added ‘Zarah’ legally to her name in the 90’s, her full married name is ‘Solveig Zarah Angelique Maria Keshavjee’, although she went by only Solveig Zarah Keshavjee! Solveig was an extremely faithful and devout religious person, kind and caring to everyone – she led the family and kept everyone on track. She is fondly remembered as Zarah to many that loved her, a name she was so proud of…. She always signed off as ‘Solveig Z. Keshavjee’! Solveig believed in equality, fairness, and absolutely was an independent and free thinking woman and simply the strongest woman I have ever known…our daughters carry her strength and wisdom…to look at our daughters is to still see Solveig right now.

Solveig of course was an artist and vocalist like non other I have ever seen in my life, the music she wrote that we did together and recorded, as well as past works are simply stunning – I was in awe every time of her ability, power, range and pure and immense talent. In all the years I have known Solveig, her performances were pure perfection at EVERY single show – every one of them! 

Many think she was in my band…it was quite the opposite, I was the lucky one to be able to be in groups with her for 26 years. Solveig fashioned the bands into what they became, and she led the way with power and strength – EVERY time I went on stage with her I was in awe and star-struck and like it was when we first met – simply in love and so grateful that she chose me. 
When I would look over and see Solveig watching me play guitar, either in the studio or on/off stage, she had this look when she watched me that made me feel like an absolute rock star…she pushed me to be the best musician I could ever be. I am so privileged that we recorded albums together – her vocal and my guitar are moments that are ours alone…so grateful…..we have a story that is so special.

I remember Solveig saying when I recorded her vocals on our last album that she loved how we worked together on all our projects and that recording and working with me was so much fun, so easy and without pressure or judgement and that she had never had that experience in any work before in any project – she felt free to create how she wanted to and to write how she wanted….I was so humbled and was so grateful…I knew that I was working with the greatest vocalist and song writer I had ever known – it was me that was so immensely grateful – an honour to be in her presence – I feel blessed to have all her lyrics and new lyrics that she had finished…and never before heard songs which I will release at some point in her honour.

A devoted, loving and amazing wife and mother, I see her in our girls everyday, in the way they laugh, love, smile, care, have faith and I also see that they have her wisdom, courage, kindness, fortitude, strength and big, big hearts as their mother taught them…and as she taught me, to be the best that we can. Our girls are the so much like their mother that you can see it in the way they look and act, in everything they do – Solveig is still here through our girls, they are her legacy – our biggest blessing. One of our daughters is following in her footsteps and is in music at university, just like Solveig did, and my other is following her dreams like Solveig did though academia. My daughters will always know that Mama (that’s what they call her) will always love them, and will always be holding them close. Solveig’s love for our children was nothing short of spectacular, a fierce ‘Mama bear’, a protector of the family – she always inspired our girls to follow their hearts no matter what their dreams were. Solveig supported them in every way – nurturing, loving and encouraging them to be who they wanted to be without judgement and with honest, unwavering, unconditional love always – our children are her ultimate song of love.

Solveig would say to me everyday how much she loves us and will always love us like no other love that could be expressed – we knew that she did, she showed us daily and we did, and will still do, all we can every single day to show her just how important and blessed we are that she is ours and we are hers always and forever – that is eternal and will never be undone.

We are a private family and have held that close and she fiercely protected us. She was immensely close to my brother and my sister-in-law and all our family, she is missed so much. Solveig’s heart so filled with love for her friends and family and all those that knew her…a blessing to us all.

I cannot believe she is gone, a life without my sweet Solveig…I can’t breathe and I am devastated…I find it even hard to type these paragraphs through my tears and heartache, I am inconsolable…Solveig was more than I could ever articulate in to any words, only my heart can say it…but I will continue to write more over the next while, and show our amazing life together through love, words, music and song.

To all of you, my friends and my family that are missing her so much, know that she loves…yes loves, not past tense, you all, and is watching us and smiling and still protecting us with her love and smiles. I know I will see her again, she is my soul mate and there will always be only Azim and Solveig.

I love you, I miss you,,,
Azim