Selda Bağcan has been releasing music for 50 years. In her home country, her songs initially landed her in prison, but she was later celebrated and is now considered the Turkish response to Joan Baez. You can find samples of her tracks on Mos Def or Dr. Dre. Peter Gabriel brought them to Western Europe as early as in the 1980s. Some call Selda Bağcan the »voice of the East«. Her album »Dost Merhaba«, released in 1986 after a stint in prison on Uzelli, relates stories of oppression. State radio stations refused to play Bağcan’s music, her albums disappeared from shop windows, but she still continued telling tales of poverty and suffering. In her voice lies the sorrow that the political left turns into strength because: the human heart likes pain. The melancholy of a droning guitar string is captured in it – a universe for those who have nothing and find a voice in Selda Bağcan. »Dost Merhaba«, which in English means »Hello Friend«, therefore ought to be part of the opening act at every gig played by the appropriation hipsters from Altın Gün. As a gesture. A recognition. As a bl**dy favour to finally get the woman into the Spotify playlists!
Dost Merhaba
