Good People of vitruta: Simge Pınar

Welcome, Simge! Let's start with a classic question: who is Simge Pınar? How did it all start, and what are you working on these days?

Hello, vitruta! So glad to be here! :) I’m Simge, a singer, songwriter, and musician living in Istanbul. For a while now, I’ve been releasing my songs, performing at concerts, and managing our music production company, klik. Currently, I’m working on acoustic versions of the tracks from my second album, Sevgideğer, celebrating the arrival of autumn, and finding inspiration around the city.

Being both a singer and songwriter involves two distinct talents; how do you balance them? Do they hinder or complement each other?

Since childhood, I’ve been drawn to literature and music with passion and curiosity. I was always reading, writing, and singing, which allowed me to discover my greatest passion early in life. Writing and performing my songs has always been my dream, so for me, singing and songwriting complement and strengthen each other.

What inspires you the most when writing songs?

I draw inspiration, consciously or unconsciously, from my experiences, people around me, stories, books, cities, art, films, and countless other things that my eyes see and my soul feels.

Recently, vitruta hosted something special: the video clip for "Yalnızlık Cesaret İster" was shot at vitruta Space and has just been released. Could you tell us a bit about the shooting day?

I’m thrilled that the video for Yalnızlık Cesaret İster was shot at vitruta Space. It was directed by my dear friend Emir Yargın, with whom I previously collaborated on the 2018 video for Biz Hep Aynı. Coming together again for such a fun song was amazing, and the clip turned out exactly as I’d hoped. It was a great day, like having a party with friends at vitruta Space. I think the joyful atmosphere of that day shines through in the video, and Emir’s direction, along with the animations by Kabuk Studio, made it extra special. I’d like to extend my thanks again to everyone who contributed and to vitruta!

"Yalnızlık Cesaret İster" is an impactful song, and you wrote the lyrics. Could you share the story and emotions behind it?

Thank you so much, that’s lovely to hear! Loneliness takes courage; being yourself takes courage; happiness takes courage. Delving deep, exploring those depths without fear, and facing oneself requires courage. When I managed to do these things, I realized that being alone can be as fun and fulfilling as being with a close friend. I wrote Yalnızlık Cesaret İster to celebrate solitude and the joy of being comfortable with oneself.

What have you read, listened to, or watched recently that has impacted you and that you’d recommend?

Lately, I've been into Matt Haig’s books. The Midnight Library and How to Stop Time are favorites, and I recently started The Humans. Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell is another book I enjoyed. I’d also recommend The Rehearsal series, which I just started watching after hearing so much about it. Like many, I’ve become a podcast listener since the pandemic began. Some of my favorite series are Unlocking Us with Brené Brown, Üretim Kaydı, On Being with Krista Tippett, and Song Exploder.

Lastly, we’d love to know your top three favorite brands at vitruta. :)

Chimi, Rains, and Knitology! :)

You can click here to explore the items Simge Pınar selected and wore in the shoot.