Derya Yıldırım &amp; Grup Şimşek are internationally recognized for their&nbsp;unique and infectious sound that combines Anatolian folk with psychedelia,&nbsp;pop and soul influences. They have released two albums and one EP since&nbsp;their start in 2014 and have been touring extensively throughout Europe. The band is fronted by Hamburg-born singer and bağlama player Derya&nbsp;Yıldırım. Despite being multilingual, Yıldırım exclusively sings in&nbsp;Turkish: “It’s really important to me because that’s the language I can&nbsp;really express myself in, it’s my emotional language” she explains. Graham Mushnik (organ, synthesizers) and Antonin Voyant (guitar, bass, and&nbsp;flute) are both members of outer-national collective Catapulte Records,&nbsp;known for their cinematic, groovy atmospheres — a clear influence on Grup&nbsp;Şimşek’s sprawling, vintage-tinged compositions. Capetonian drummer Helen Wells has introduced her own style and&nbsp;sensibilities from the South African DIY and psychedelic scenes into the&nbsp;live set since 2022.

Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek

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