About this episode
I’m joined by the extraordinary Olcay Bayir, a British singer-songwriter of Kurdish Alevi origin, originally from Turkey. Olcay opens up about the challenges of immigrating as a teenager, her classical training in opera, and how she has forged her own unique musical path.You’ll hear clips from her 2024 album Tu Gulî, along with selections from her earlier projects, featuring songs in several languages. Her rich voice and evocative arrangements breathe new life into Anatolian folk traditions, offering a vibrant and powerful reimagining of this timeless music.In our conversation, Olcay shares:Insights into Alevi culture and spiritualityHow she honours the strength and stories of Anatolian womenher creative process and inspiration from masterful collaborators As always, you can watch this episode on my YouTube channel or listen on your favourite podcast platform. A full transcript is also available, all linked on my websiteSupport page: Ko-fiPodcast merch NewsletterOther episodes I suggest: Omo Bello Sophie Lukacs Gilad Weiss Shahriyar Jamshidi Ali Omar El-Farouk Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto(00:00) Intro(01:54) Songline Music Festival, BBC project, Babel Music Expo inspiration(04:05) album Tu Gul î(07:32) clip of Edlê with Olcay’s intro, from Tu Gul î(08:15) Songwriting, performing in 4 languages, diversity of Anatolian cultures(12:15) Alev
