© Christian Ratzel
Derya Mavi Atakan
(born amid the Bavarian haze of the ’90s) studied opera singing in Berlin and Paris. She performs as an opera artist, bringing together the three forces of opera, punk, and the sounds of the Levant.Her original compositions and operatic references serve as an invitation to collective metamorphosis. The absurdity and humor of everyday human life, as well as the forces of nature, are brought into focus by her soprano voice. The irreconcilable and the contradictory embrace one another. Pathos meets irritation, slapstick meets seriousness, dream meets reality.
“Embarking on a path with great determination—even in the face of significant opposition—is in itself a testament to strength and great courage. Derya Atakan became a classical singer in a music world that did not always welcome her because of her appearance, and then began to reinvent herself time and again. She discovered her own artistic identity and freed herself from conventions. This process and this determination demonstrate her exceptional artistic potential.” - Andreas Brandis