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Derya Yıldırım sings the song her grandmother used to sing — an old Anatolian folk standard called “Hop Bico.” Derya’s version brings it into the 21st century with a slow psychedelic twist and her hypnotic vocals. “If you’re going to play an old folk song, you have to contribute something new; otherwise, you might as well just put the old record on,” she says.
Born in Hamburg, Germany, to Turkish parents, Derya grew up influenced by her family’s Anatolian roots and Hamburg’s cultural diversity. Her musical journey began at home, playing folk music with family. Her father encouraged her to learn the bağlama — “there’s just something very magical about it” — which remains at the heart of her sound, despite her being a multi-instrumentalist.
Grup Şimşek formed in 2014 when Derya met French musicians Graham Mushnik and Antonin Voyant, with South African drummer Helen Wells joining in 2021. They describe their sound as “outernational,” blending timeless Anatolian melodies with a modern psychedelic flair. “The melodies shouldn’t be changed, but it has a different soul maybe.” Their music is vital as “the voice of the people, the minority, and the oppressed.”
In 2024, they signed with Big Crown Records. The show-stopping intensity of Derya backed by the psychedelic soul of Grup Şimşek with production by Leon Michels has yielded a stand-out record that challenges genre with a broad appeal and a powerful message.
Born in Hamburg, Germany, to Turkish parents, Derya grew up influenced by her family’s Anatolian roots and Hamburg’s cultural diversity. Her musical journey began at home, playing folk music with family. Her father encouraged her to learn the bağlama — “there’s just something very magical about it” — which remains at the heart of her sound, despite her being a multi-instrumentalist.
Grup Şimşek formed in 2014 when Derya met French musicians Graham Mushnik and Antonin Voyant, with South African drummer Helen Wells joining in 2021. They describe their sound as “outernational,” blending timeless Anatolian melodies with a modern psychedelic flair. “The melodies shouldn’t be changed, but it has a different soul maybe.” Their music is vital as “the voice of the people, the minority, and the oppressed.”
In 2024, they signed with Big Crown Records. The show-stopping intensity of Derya backed by the psychedelic soul of Grup Şimşek with production by Leon Michels has yielded a stand-out record that challenges genre with a broad appeal and a powerful message.
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