Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek + Special Guest Duygu Ağal

In Hamburg she’s a star: when Derya Yıldırım performs in her home city – whether solo, in a duo or with a band – the concerts are almost always sold out. The musician is a sublime singer as well as a virtuoso on the saz, the Turkish long-necked lute, also known as the bağlama. Since 2014, she has been creating danceable sounds with her Grup Şimşek: four musicians with roots in four different nations. Lava-lamp-illuminated psychedelic rock meets jazzy pop with funky grooves, and Turkish seventies-pop meets Anatolian folk. Derya Yıldırım sings exclusively in Turkish, but when you hear her wistful voice, you won’t need a translation. Her art and charisma speak an international language. The band is accompanied by author and percussionist Duygu Ağal (her/him).