Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with D.$AHIN
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
I remember being in front of my auntie ´s window and humming a melody. I still can remember the melody
But still don’t know where it came from.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
I was thirteen when my dad enrolled me in „Saz“ lessons (Turkish string instrument). It came easy to me and I
Started gaining the attention of the teacher who gifted me an instrument after seeing my talent and a lack of funds to
Get my own say to practice at home. At age 15 this very teacher had arranged an appointment with the CEO of a record label in Turkey. He had the courtesy to meet us, but he send me away without listening to my voice, saying „You’re only 15, come back when your voice had the chance to grow and mature“. Later with around 18 I started listening to music other than Turkish Folk, and my singing skills and musical universe expanded.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
„Sosun“ is named after my mother – it was her childhood nickname and means „wildflower“ in Kurdish. The wildflower shows up in the Artwork consistently, it’s a symbol of resistance and resilience.
Sonically a lot of songs came into creation throughout my busking sessions in the Berliner subway stations because I get bored playing the same „money making“ hit songs over and over. Sometimes I start jamming with myself and keep chanting a lyrical topic in improvisation, sometimes it sticks and travels with me, slowly evolving over time. My best songs need 6+ months to find its space.
The same approach I also have in arranging and producing. I think in terms of instrumentation and placement. „What is the song ´s vibe? What is it yearning for? I knew for a song like „Uzun Ince (…)“ I needed a string section in there. My favorite human and honorary Turkish sister ALLYSA GRACE MARTINEZ wrote the string sections for this one and I am honestly in awe how perfectly she listened to the song ´s needs.
All in all it’s very gradual. Carefully putting elements on top over time, like a sonic treasure hunter. „Mind Your Business“ for example is around 15 years old and went through an evolution of many versions and half-assed arrangements, before the horn sections (written by my dear friend COLIN R.LLOYD) glued the elements together like a charm!
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
Neo-soul with Anatolian roots might come close. What I aim to sound like is „Michael Jackson meets Hiatus Kaiyote meets Selda Bagcan“.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
When you take narratives out of the equation you can actually build a relationship with your songs/productions. That keeps me grounded and touches a spiritual realm. Creating became holy to me. That weight can actually lead to me approaching the process and myself with the tenderness necessary. And rules completely get dismantled. I get to create the way I see fit. Takes a lot of pressure out and makes the creation process so fun.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
I write full structures on the guitar first and record the guitars on LOGIC PRO first. The way I write already indicates the drums and bass movements already. Sometimes I program some shitty midi drums to convey the rhythmical idea to the drummer. Sometimes I just give a prompt like „Think Ringo Starr in Strawberry Fields“.
Further production of loud instruments (drums, string sections etc) happens in rehearsal spaces everything else is recorded in my home studio.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
Some artists in the Berliner scene that keeps blowing me away:
„SO SORRY“ – a soulful jazz quartet and I am LOVING every second.
„SORVINA“ – her stage presence and story telling is unmatched.
„SERA KALO“ – absolute in awe of this project. So impactful. Cannot wait to see and hear more.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
I have always been a restless seeker and I believe that this stems from my experiences as a person with displacement experiences. A sense of home is hard for me to grasp, wherever I go I seem to be falling through the cracks because I occupy the in-between spaces. My music represents that. Just recently I am going through a lot of rejection in terms of playlist pitching and placement: The curators love what I do and point out the artistry and production … BUT they cannot place it in their playlists, because it’s not clear cut. The same song receives the full range of feedback; one says it’s too jazzy, the other says it’s not jazzy enough. My whole life experience summed up right here 😀
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
I hope that it can trigger an internal shift: I hope that people realize how divine they are just the way they are. I look at our bodies and am in awe of the highly precise calibration of our bodily functions, cultivated through thousands of years of evolution. The beauty, the magic that I get to witness in an ordinary day are extraordinary. How can I dare then to see myself as unworthy? Just the fact that I exist is a miracle to me. I hope people can gain some empowerment and tender care for themselves. Life has propagandized us so heavily that we seem to be unable to humanize ourselves. It’s quite the opposite we are dehumanizing ourselves through the rise of AI and the whole machinery of capitalism.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
To not take things personally and develop a thick skin. The constant challenge. The constant exposure and vulnerability. These things led to a quiet confidence that I carry within. I don’t feel like I have to prove anything or fear anything.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
Montreux Jazz Festival. OMG that would be a dream. Or COLORS. I love touring tho. The venue is not relevant just take me on tour!
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
Past: Michael Jackson, he was UNREAL. Beethoven: I love his sonic boldness and rebellion.
Present:
Hiatus Kaiyote, because I am obsessed and Nai Palm was the very reason I picked up playing the guitar.
Bilal: Still not over the tune „Bury Me Next To You“. Absolutely love his style.
Some people of my local scene: Moses Yofee Trio, S.Fidelity,
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)
Bandcamp:
https://dsahinmusic.bandcamp.com/album/sosun
More links:
www.dsahinmusic.com
Instragam: @dsahinmusic
https://www.instagram.com/dsahinmusic
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
I would really dream of being on stage with a big orchestra. And also of being a sustainable touring artist.
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
All of the little stories that I have weaved into the story of SOSUN. I hope they connect with the music mainly and keep discovering new elements with each listen.
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