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Cigdem Aslan
Artist
United Kingdom
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IN THE CHARTS
 
November 2023 #35 - Top 40 for Mediterranean Influence I Mortissa Tis Kokkinias (track)
November 2022 #37 - Top 40 for Mediterranean Influence I Mortissa Tis Kokkinias (track)
October 2022 #20 - Top 40 for Mediterranean Influence I Mortissa Tis Kokkinias (track)
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Photo by: Cigdem Aslan
About: Sabah Güneşi / Morning Sun
ABOUT
Çiğdem Aslan is an Istanbul-born singer who sings in many languages and regional styles, including Turkish, Kurdish, Greek, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Romany, and Ladino. Her musical journey started within the family. Coming from a Kurdish Alevi background, in which music is one of the pivotal elements of the culture, she grew up with the rich sounds of her culture and then gradually met with the other sounds of Istanbul and beyond.

While studying English literature at Istanbul University, she regularly performed Rebetiko, Sephardic, and other ethnic music of Turkey.

In 2003, she moved to London and joined the Dunav Balkan Group, which, alongside various workshops, broadened her repertoire and skills.

In 2008, she joined She’Koyokh, "Britain’s best klezmer and Balkan music band," according to Songlines.

She also performs folk songs from different regions of Anatolia, accompanied by Tahir Palali on kopuz/baglama and herself on frame drums.

She studied music at Goldsmith’s University.

Çiğdem has been performing and touring her debut album 'Mortissa,' which was released by Asphalt Tango Records in October 2013. The album focuses on Rebetiko and Smyrnaic songs from Asia Minor and Greece, mainly from the 1930s.

The album received great reviews from all around the world, including The Guardian, NPR, Songlines, fRoots, Evening Standard, New York Music Daily; and entered the World Music Charts Europe from the top ten and stayed there for months. It was chosen as one of the best albums of 2013 by fRoots and Songlines Magazine, which nominated and shortlisted Çiğdem in the 'Best Artist' category for the Songlines Music Awards 2014.

In 2014, Mortissa won the prestigious "Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik/German Record Critics Award."

She released her second album 'A Thousand Cranes' in October 2016.

Çiğdem is in high demand for collaborations, European tours, and cultural radio and TV appearances.

Performance highlights include:

Royal Albert Hall, London
Southbank Centre, London
Cadogan Hall, London
Barbican, London
Jazz Cafe, London
Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg
WOMAD (UK & Spain)
Concertgebouw, Amsterdam
Pergamon Museum, Berlin
Gasteig, Munich
Union Chapel, London
World on Three, BBC Radio 3
Loose Ends, BBC Radio 4
Cerys on 6, BBC Radio 6
Traumzeit Festival, Duisburg (DE)
Snape Proms, Aldeburgh (UK)
Warsaw Cultural Festival, Warsaw (PL)
Jewish Culture Festival, Krakow (PL)
Buskers’ Bern, Switzerland
Radio France, Paris
Libération, France
Polish Radio, Warsaw (PL)
Mawazine Festival, Morocco
Les Nuits de Fourvière, Lyon (FR)
Førde Festivalen, Norway
TFF Rudolstadt, Germany
Palace of Arts, Budapest (HU)
Boğaziçi Üniversitesi, Istanbul (TR)
Globaltica Festival, (PL)
OTHER LINKS
Personal Website Buy artist music