In fact, in recent years artist Aynur Doğan, with her wide vocal range, her superior interpretive performances and her improvisational melodies, has been attracting extraordinary amounts of attention in Turkey. Aynur, with all of these talents, has recently become one of the most successful names in Kurdish music, as well as being one of the most successful people coming from Turkey who has entered into the arena of world music. Her 2004 album “Keçe Kürdan” came on the heels of her 2002 “Seyir” album and elicited positive reactions nationally and internationally. These days, Aynur is a favorite name at international concerts and music festivals. Her performances in Europe are particularly notable for the following they attract. We met up with this artist at the Spot On: Turkey Now concert organized by the İstanbul Culture and Art Foundation in Vienna. We had a chance to speak with Aynur about music and her thoughts regarding the Kurdish initiative in Turkey. There is great demand for your music, especially outside of Turkey. It seems you appear to perform every time there is a festival! To what do you attribute this?
I think the only real reason for this is the music itself. I have given concerts in so many spots all over the world, from San Francisco to Singapore. I have appeared on stages in places where there is not a single Kurd or single Turk anywhere around. In those places, neither my identity nor where I come from holds any importance. It is just my music that is spoken about. I think this is the result of my voice, my interpretations and my sincerity as it's perceived when I'm on stage.
Why do you think you are popular outside of Turkey but are not as well known within Turkey?
Actually, I'm quite pleased by this. It is not my dream to be known by large masses of people or to be wildly popular like that. The description “star” is not one I see for myself. For me, the most important thing is to just make good music and to reflect good music onto my audiences. I also keep myself busy with Kurdish music. The way forward has just recently begun to clear for Kurdish music. Preconceptions about Kurds are finally beginning to be broken. I think this is part of a whole process. This is one of the reasons why those who produce Kurdish music are behind those producing alternative kinds of music.
Since you've mentioned processes, what do you think about the Kurdish initiative?
Looking at the past, people have suffered a lot. So many people have died; so many mothers have cried. There has been so much violence, and the psyche of society has been damaged. At this point, our society does not have a normal psyche. But still, these kinds of initiatives are inspiring and, of course, very exciting and comforting. In order to really talk about the initiative, we have to wait and see just what sort of initiative it is and what it contains. I am always supportive of any efforts headed in a positive direction.
What do you think about the fact that recently certain Turkish artists have been singing songs in Kurdish?
We all live together in this country. Kurdish music is just really beginning to be recognized, and it is very recent that people are listening to Kurdish music sung in Turkish. There are some Turkish singers who have been making music for half a century in Turkey but who have only just started to listen to Kurdish music. Still, this is a great thing. In the end, when you turn away from what is harmful, that's when it starts being profitable for you. An artist is someone who looks a bit in advance of him or herself, who views the world through a wider sort of window.
In nearly all of your concerts, you talk about the dams planned for the Southeast of Turkey, criticizing these plans and asking people for support.
Yes, I've spoken so much about this. At this point, there are plans for nearly 25 dams, eight of which are large. This many dams means certain destruction for that geography because I am quite familiar with that geography.
Do you have plans for another album in the near future? What do you think about the future?
Well, I would like to see my new album be made available within a month. My projects for the future will take shape with this new album of mine.
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