Olcay Bayir

About the Performance

Olcay’s music draws on the modal richness and poetic depth of Anatolian traditions, while embracing the cosmopolitan influences of London. Rather than recreating folklore, Bayir reshapes it — weaving traditional repertoire with her own compositions that explore exile, womanhood, memory and belonging. Her voice, both powerful and intimate, is central to her artistic identity. Olcay brings to the stage a performance that is vocally centred, emotionally charged, and culturally grounded — offering audiences a refined yet powerful encounter with contemporary Anatolian-rooted music.

About the Artist

London-based British-Kurdish singer-songwriter Olcay Bayir is recognised as one of the distinctive voices emerging from the UK’s global music scene. Described as “the queen of Anatolian song” (Heaven Magazine, NL) and praised by The Guardian for her compelling vocal presence, Bayir creates a contemporary sound rooted in her Kurdish-Alevi heritage. Her music draws on the modal richness and poetic depth of Anatolian traditions, while embracing the cosmopolitan influences of London. Rather than recreating folklore, Bayir reshapes it — weaving traditional repertoire with her own compositions that explore exile, womanhood, memory and belonging. Her voice, both powerful and intimate, is central to her artistic identity. Her debut album Neva | Harmony (World Music Network, 2014) led to a Songlines Music Awards – Best Newcomer nomination (2015). With Rüya | Dream (ARC Music, 2019), she moved further into original songwriting. Her latest release, Tu Gulî (ARC Music, 2024), reached #3 on the World Music Charts Europe, #4 on the Balkan World Music Charts, and #8 on the Transglobal World Music Chart, and was listed among the Top 10 Albums of 2024 by World Music Charts Europe. The album has been widely praised for balancing tradition and contemporary expression with emotional depth.

Olcay Bayir – Voice

Cenk Sanlioglu – Guitar

Ofer Peled-Kaval – Clarinet

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