Gaye Su Akyol

Gaye Su Akyol
During her concert in Tromsø, November 2023.
Background information
Born	(1985-01-30) 30 January 1985 (age 39) Istanbul, Turkey
Genres	psychedelic rock post-punk surf music anatolian rock
Years active	2014–present
Labels	Dunganga Records, Glitterbeat
Website	https://www.gayesuakyol.com

Gaye Su Akyol (born 30 January 1985) is a Turkish singer, painter and anthropologist.

Biography

Akyol's father is the painter Muzaffer Akyol; her mother was a civil servant, but she died in 2014. She graduated from the anthropology department of Yeditepe University in 2007.[1] After that she built her career as a painter with exhibitions both in Turkey and abroad. Before her solo career, she also performed in music bands Mai, Toz ve Toz and Seni Görmem İmkansız alongside Tuğçe Şenoğul.[2][3]

In 2017, she composed a few songs for the soundtrack of Red Istanbul a film directed by Ferzan Özpetek.[4] In November 2023 she recorded her first performance for the Seattle radio station KEXP.[5]

Inspirations include singer-songwriter Selda Bağcan and the grunge band Nirvana.[6]

Band members

Ali Güçlü Şimşek

Görkem Karabudak

Berke Can Özcan

The lineup on Istikrarlı Hayal Hakikattir:[6]

• Gaye Su Akyol – vocals, percussion, electronics
• Ali Güçlü Şimşek – electric and acoustic guitar, backing vocals
• Görkem Karabudak – bass and acoustic guitar, keyboard, electronics, backing vocals
• Ediz Hafızoğlu – drums

Guest musicians:

• İlhan Erşahin – saxophone
• Barlas Tan Özemek – classical guitar (şahmeran)
• Ahmet Ayzit – violin, ud, electro saz, cümbüş
• Ismail Darıcı – percussion
• Oğuz Can Bilgin – trumpet

Discography

Studio albums

• Develerle Yaşıyorum (2014) ("I Live With Camels")
• Hologram İmparatorluğu (2016) ("Hologram Empire")
• İstikrarlı Hayal Hakikattir (2018) ("Consistent Fantasy is Reality")
• Anadolu Ejderi (2022) ("Anatolian Dragon")

EPs

• Yort Savul: İSYAN MANİFESTOSU! (2020)

Awards and recognition

Gaye Su Akyol received Best Artist award at Songlines Music Awards 2019.[7] Gaye Su Akyol is also considered as an important figure for the LGBTQI+ community and featured on the cover of Gzone Magazine.[8] In 2020, she appeared in trans biographical documentary film called İris, directed by Volkan Güleryüz.[9]

References

1. "Gaye Su Akyol, sanat atölyesi". Armaggan Gallery. Archived from the original on 3 March 2017. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
2. "Röportajlar. Gaye Su Akyol". zeroistanbul.com (in Turkish). Retrieved 19 April 2023.
3. "Müzikte yılın bombası: Gaye Su Akyol". Muhsin Akgün. Radikal. 20 August 2014. Archived from the original on 3 March 2017.
4. "Gaye Su Akyol'un "İstanbul Kırmızısı" filmi için bestelediği şarkı yayınlandı". bantmag. 23 February 2017. Archived from the original on 9 March 2017. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
5. "KEXP Events". KEXP 90.3 FM. 21 November 2023. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
6. >"Artist Profiles: Gaye Su Akyol". World Music Central.
7. "Songlines Music Awards 2019". Songlines. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
8. Magazine, Gzone (5 September 2019). "GZONE ÖZEL RÖPORTAJ: MÜZİĞİN ÖZGÜRLÜK SAVAŞÇISI GAYE SU AKYOL". GZONE (in Turkish). Retrieved 9 March 2020.
9. "Iris (Short 2020) - IMDb". IMDb.

External links

• Official website
• Gaye Su Akyol on Twitter
• Gaye Su Akyol discography at Discogs