Over the past couple of years, Alizade has become a household name in Turkey and its neighbouring countries, amassing millions of streams and views, standing out for her unapologetic style, humour, and innovative blend of sounds. From classic Turkish pop samples and interpolations incorporated into contemporary urban hits to trap, Brazilian funk and hip-hop, Alizade is one of one. With a long-awaited album on the way, she’s consolidated herself as well-rounded artist, representing her roots and sounds with style. She is the ultimate Anatolian baddie.
Not familiar with her yet? You will be. After making headlines for getting deported from Turkey in 2023, following her Estafurla/Piç Böcek music video, her popularity has only skyrocketed and the impact she has had on the music scene has been made more evident. After all, what icon is made without a bit of controversy? Marking her UK debut, her recent show in Camden was one not to miss.
Exporting her culture through her own innovative blends of sounds and trilingual lyrics, Alizade came out to a packed concert hall full of fans, or ‘Tantuniler’ as she calls them after the popular Turkish street food. She sang fan favorites like Anormal, 24/7, Şu an, and Afedersin, as well as previewing two new unreleased songs, one of them being Stop Smoking. Each track was sung word by word by the entire crowd in the heart of Camden while Alizade moved all around the stage and exchanged equally heartwarming and hilarious moments with everyone in attendance. The Turkish people’s princess took pictures, song requests, and even got fans onstage.
After her lively show, we caught up backstage where we gushed about our share loved for Doechii and Judeline, exchanged laughs, and had a heartfelt conversation that we encourage you to read.
Thank you for having us, and welcome to London! This was your debut UK show, how do you feel?
Thank you! I feel very good because I didn’t expect that this many people were going to come see me the way they did. I also thought that the men who listen to me and fap were going to be there, so I was shocked to see a lot of women (laughs).
How would you describe yourself to audiences who may be unfamiliar with you?
I think that because I’m changing a lot now and I’m not like when I was in Turkey — they can understand me as a new type of Turkish artist. My style changed and my music is changing a lot because before, I was more of a rapper, but now, I see myself becoming more of an artist with everything.
So, experimenting with sounds and aesthetics?
Exactly.
What are some pre-show rituals you do before going on stage? Zaza?
Yeah (laughs). Today, for example, I ate Shake Shack and of course smoked some zaza. I also meditate for like ten minutes or something and I’m always late. The perfect thing is being late.
Fashionably late is always in.
Yes, and eat tantuni.
I’m glad you said that because I wanted to ask you about your love of tantuni. You call your fans ‘tantunis’ and also have a single called Tantuni. What is your obsession with it? Is that your favourite food?
You know what happened? When I did my first concert in Ankara, I wanted to call my fans something cute, and before the show, my friends took me to eat kokoreç. I didn’t fucking like it, so then I ate some tantuni and I loved it. I started calling them tantunis, and that’s when it all started (laughs).
What does someone need to do to become a tantuni?
You need to be fat, as in you need to eat everything that you like. You need to live how you want. You need to like the men that you like and not feel pressured or anything. And you need to like big dicks — that’s all.
A large part of that fanbase I’d say is quite queer. What do you think draws that community to you and your music?
I see them and I know that drag queens are performing my songs for their shows. I also saw how Kerim Can Durmaz performed them at his show, and I’m sad for him because he’s in jail right now, so sending love to him! I’m very proud of this because I know Turkey doesn’t like this community and I always want to support people who want to be free and show themselves how they are. So, I support them and they listen to me and my music, so we’re on the same wavelength, mutual support. Period.
You previewed Stop Smoking on Glamcult and sang it during the show tonight. It’s a sisterhood anthem, especially about muslim women. Often, things like zaza and being a baddie are seen as the ‘opposite’ of what muslim women are, so do you think people can misunderstand it and see a problem with the song?
I think that it might be a problem, but I’m not scared about anything that’s going to happen. We live in a free world and we can say anything we want, and to be honest, I personally don’t see any problem with the song. There are so many worse things happening in the world, and I think these people¡s attention should be there, not on the twenty-four-year-old girl who’s just singing and doing what she wants.
It makes sense, you’re no stranger to controversy. You got deported from Turkey after the release of the Estafurla & Piç Böcek music video, yet you’ve made fun of that situation multiple times in Kedi Gibiyim, and the video for Balenciaga in the most badass response anyone probably ever has had to being deported. How was the experience for you?
I'm very happy that I've been on Kanal D and on Star TV — it's been my dream! And I'm very happy that I've been deported. Thank you, Turkey, for deporting me. Free promo.
Are you allowed back now?
No, I'm not allowed back yet, but I mean, thank you, that has given me a lot of opportunities. Thank you, Turkey. It has also given me a lot of chances, so I'm very happy.
I’ve seen a lot of memes of yours in Turkish. What’s the funniest one for you?
The ‘funniest’ is that they say I’m trans because I feel like they’re not used to seeing a diva with such powerful energy. But, unfortunately, I am a cisgender woman. Shoutout to the trans community! There are actually some very funny ones with tantuni as well (laughs).
You were born in Azerbaijan and raised in Russia, yet there is also quite a lot of Brazilian funk in your repertoire, especially in Latin Virgin. Where does that sound and influence come from?
This influence comes from the music that I listen to, but it also in part comes from Turkey in a weird way. My love for it started when I was there: the drums, and even when you go in the street, the Turkish rhythms you hear are quite similar to this Brazilian funk. Now I'm making more trap, but when I lived in Turkey, I made a lot of Brazilian funk. I love it!
You also take a lot of classical Turkish pop references and use them in your work. In Latin Virgin you sampled Demet Akalin, Tarzan, Mezdeke, and more. How do you take such arabesque and pop icons into a more modern urban and hip-hop context?
Yeah, I like Yıldız Tilbe, Gulben Ergen, Hadise, Ersay Üner… But my favourite is Serdar Ortaç because he doesn’t give a fuck, he just does what he wants and lives his life. The samples and interpolations I use come quite naturally because I respect all these artists so much that it’s almost like an homage to also bring them to newer generations.
I wanted to point out that you also follow quite a few Spanish-speaking urban artists such as Judeline, La Zowi, Nusar3000, BB Trickz and Akriila, to name a few. What do you like about that music scene?
Listen, I’m going to make a feature with Nusar, I love him. I went to Barcelona and I'm going to move there also! I want to make music in Spanish, so I'm going to learn it. I’m listening to these artists. I like Inri by Judeline a lot. To be honest, Turkish and Spanish music sound quite similar.
I agree, very Mediterranean.
Yeah, exactly. Period.
You’ve been working a lot recently with Jonas Beck in your videography, how is it working with him? What makes him different?
Very good (laughs). Before him, I didn’t know that working with someone that you love and that you are in a relationship with was going to be like that. We get along really well and because he loves me too, he always knows how to film me, and we love making videos together. No… not like that (laughs). We’re not even making music videos, we just go on a date and film everything.
Recently, there’s also been talks of you and Edis going to Eurovision. That event obviously draws in a more traditional pop-rock crowd, so how would your styles fit into that and how do you envision a performance like that?
Yeah, I'm going to go to Eurovision in Azerbaijan but next year. I don't know if it’s with Edis or not, but that’s all I can say.
Lastly, you have been teasing your long-awaited album for quite some time, posting snippets on social media. When can we expect it to be out? How would you describe the record and its sounds?
I’m still making it because I want it to be really good. It’s something that’s going to stay there for a long time – my whole life –, so I’m making sure it’s an album with quality. I want to represent Turkey and Turkish music well. I don’t want to make something that’s trash. I would say it’s just different from what I’ve done so far.
Is there anything you want to tease?
Not yet, just subscribe to my ass and I love my tantunis. That's all. Period.
