Turkish pop is going through an exciting and experimental phase. Where the nation’s most prized musical export was once rare 70s Turkish funk and psychedelic rock unearthed by crate-digging DJs such as Haai and Antal, recent releases from groups such as Şatellites and Altin Gün have fused these psych, synth-pop and Anatolian folk influences with earworming pop melodies to create a new hybrid genre.
The latest artist to embrace this lively fusion is singer-songwriter Emir Taha. The 25-year-old came to prominence with his 2020, two-part debut EP Hoppa, before featuring on Turkish trap star BEGE’s hit single BSG the following year. Tapping into sultry, multilingual R&B by the likes of Omar Apollo and Rosalía, Taha’s output plays like a late-night confessional, pairing languid instrumentals with his whispered falsetto and a trace of stringed saz and oud melodies. The result blends traditional Turkish instrumentation with contemporary songwriting in a subtle, unforced way, reflecting Taha’s time clubbing and living in London and LA, as well as his childhood in Turkey.
