Born in Hamburg, Germany to Turkish parents, Derya Yıldırım grew up influenced by her family’s Anatolian background and the myriad of cultures in the city. Derya’s musical roots started at home playing folk music with family members. Her father pushed her to learn various instruments, beginning with the bağlama, a seven stringed Turkish lute. Then she picked up the guitar, piano, & saxophone. Although she is a multi-instrumentalist, Derya always felt drawn to the sound of the bağlama, finding a special magic within that sound. With her band Grup Şimşek’s forthcoming album Yarın Yoksa, which translates to ‘If There’s No Tomorrow’, Derya continues her journey revitalizing Anatolian folk music and instrumentation by infusing timeless melodies with a modern psychedelic flair. Ten years ago, while participating in a community theater project, Derya met French musicians Graham Mushnik & Antonin Voyant from Catapulte Records and formed the band Grup Şimşek with Helen Wells, a drummer from Cape Town, South Africa joining in 2021. While the band is truly international, they eschew the term ‘world music’, preferring instead ‘outernational’ which they say suggests a sound that’s more inclusive or “beyond borders.” DY&GS embody what defines Anatolian folk music, finding a groove and melody and then looking for the freedoms within. It’s this ethos that guides the band’s songwriting and the way they take on Anatolian folk standards. Respecting the roots of the music while entertaining their own spins on the music while preserving historic words & melodies…perhaps the soul changes just a little bit. While it’s easy to think of folk music as a music of the past, Derya insists it’s just as valid today since this music is so important as it remains the voice of the people, the minority, and the oppressed. After self-producing multiple albums, they signed with New York’s Big Crown Records in 2024 and teamed up with Grammy-nominated producer Leon Michels (El Michels Affair) for Yarın Yoksa. The new album embodies their balance of preservation and innovation across nine original compositions and three traditional folk songs. It is a record that will enchant any listener regardless of language barrier with Derya’s passion and authenticity front and center and music too moving to deny. Yarın Yoksa is sure to captivate the hearts and minds of all those who hear it, and just wait until you experience them play it live.
I had the pleasure of chatting it up with Derya & Helen of Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek shortly before the new album, Yarın Yoksa drops. This album delves into deeply personal pain and collective resistance with a central thread of loss, longing and hope for change running throughout. Derya also sings in her parents’ native Anatolian with lyrics that are poetic with symbolic language, metaphors & storytelling. Derya & Helen talk a bit about the album’s journey from beGinning to it’s almost peek into the ears of others. Together, Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek have created a memorable and emotional record that challenges genre while having broad appeal and a powerful message. None of this is lost on my ears, body and spirit as I listen and share. I feel the album’s haunts and romances. We talk about getting to work with Big Crown Records and the one and only Mr. Leon Michels. I really get into being educated a bit about the region and corners of the world on the birth certificate of this record, including a geography lesson and some extra insights into the bağlama. I even got to learn a few more bands to look up when Helen & Derya build a setlist around one of the new tracks.
Photo by: Philomena Wolflingseder
