Good People of vitruta: Taycan

Taycan, welcome to Good People of vitruta! We've been meeting frequently thanks to our shared friend circle and the Pera neighborhood culture, and today you become the new member of Good People. Let’s start with the classic question: Who is Taycan? How did it all begin, how has it evolved, and what are you currently working on?

Taycan is someone involved in many projects that bring together art, music, and people, to put it very briefly. :) On one hand, I provide consultancy to high school students aiming to study art and design abroad, on the other, I'm engaged in sound design/music production, I organize events that revolve around music and art, and most recently, I’ve created a platform to support local musicians. All of these projects feed into each other, so they're all moving ahead, and I rarely get bored. :)

You’re involved in many different projects across various fields. How do you adapt to such a fast-paced routine?

Discipline is at the forefront of my life, and the most important thing is that I don't leave ideas just as ideas. Once I settle on a concept, I move straight into production and implementation. We all have great ideas, but often these ideas stay "on paper" and never make it to execution. I make sure to turn my ideas into action as quickly as possible, finishing production and moving on to the next project without overthinking. The more you ponder over ideas, the slower the production becomes, and eventually, those ideas might remain just ideas without anything tangible to show for them. In the fast-paced world we live in today, everything passes by quickly, so I adapt to the pace by completing the production of ideas quickly and moving on to the next one.

You recently held a special event for the launch of sesseda at Soho House. Could you tell us more about sesseda? How did it come to life?

Sesseda is, in short, Turkey's first platform to directly support musicians. Whether a musician is trying to become independent, just starting in music, or someone who has dedicated years to music but feels they're not getting the financial returns they deserve, on sesseda, musicians can upload their music, set their own price, and offer it to their fans or those who want to support them.

Since I’m also involved in music production, I understand the process from start to finish. After such a long process, the "listens" are often not enough to support the next project for a local musician in Turkey. That’s why I felt it was time for a platform that directly supports local musicians in Turkey, and I believe in it, which is how sesseda came to life.

What are your goals for sesseda? What can those who want to support the local music industry expect on sesseda?

At sesseda, we’re trying to provide a space where musicians can feel as free as possible. In the future, we envision a world where musicians receive a real financial return for their art that aligns with their value. It’s about creating an environment where they are in control and directly benefit from their work.

Soho House isn’t the only place where you’ve crossed paths with them. We also see you performing solo or with Müjver at Soho House and various other places. The joy of being on stage must be something else!

It’s an incredible experience to spend hours, days, and sometimes even months showcasing and sharing your art in front of people, allowing them to feel it. At times, there are moments where I get lost in the frequencies—it's almost a spiritual experience.

And then there’s Müjver, of course, which we all love. After the Cümlemize album in 2021, are there any upcoming albums?

A new album won’t be coming this summer. Due to the algorithms created by some platforms, some tracks from Cümlemize didn’t get the attention they deserved. The more-played tracks rise to the top, while others get buried. We’d like the other tracks from the album to get their fair share of attention this summer. After that, we might surprise you next year with some new releases. :)

Let’s take a break from music and talk about Pera. You've been living in Pera for over 20 years, and it undoubtedly holds an important place in your life. What is Pera like for you? Looking back on the past 20 years, how would you describe its transformation and where it stands today for us "Perasever"s?

Having lived here for 20 years, I've witnessed many ups and downs in Pera. It holds so many different memories for me. When I was a child, the building where Soho House now stands was the American Consulate, and the street was closed off to traffic. My friends and I would play football right in front of what is now Comedus. There was a shop called Hava Spor where we could buy a jersey for just 5 TL. We would get our sausaged, ketchup-filled toast from Elif Market on the corner. When the American Consulate moved, the street was opened to traffic, so we had to move our football games to the side streets. With the opening of the street, more people started to come to Meşrutiyet Street, more businesses opened. Many places opened, and most of them closed. Before the Coffee World opened at its current location, there were at least ten different businesses/restaurants/cafes. We used to call that corner the cursed corner, but somehow Coffee World made it work. With so many places opening and closing, the street’s character started to change. Hava Spor closed, Elif Market closed, and my friends who used to play football with me moved away. But in the past 4-5 years, there’s been a new chapter for the southern part of Meşrutiyet Street. There’s a fresh excitement and energy here. If you notice, I’m not talking about Pera in general because it’s a much larger area. I’m specifically referring to the southern side of Meşrutiyet Street. The new businesses, restaurant, and café owners, operators, and residents all have a modern mindset; many of them are creative people. In the past few years, I’ve been calling it "So-Meş" (South of Meşrutiyet)—a place with more art and culture. :) It’s become a place where you can enjoy everything, from the food and drinks to the people, just walking past the shops.

Finally, let’s end with a suggestion from you. What are you listening to the most these days? Who would you recommend we listen to?

Honestly, it changes every week. Since I look for music for both my own work and my sets, my taste in styles and producers shifts. But recently, I’ve been enjoying Austin Ato’s house edits. They’re the kind of tracks that bring energy to the night, warming you from within, making you want to dance, and getting deep into your head.