The guest of this episode of Eylül Aşkın İle, presented by Eylül Aşkın and filmed at Nostalgia Antique on Adile Naşit Street in Cihangir, is DJ and radio host Aytek Teoman, founder of Mandal Radio.

“I grew up with Ankara culture.”
Born to lyricist, manager, and producer Mehmet Teoman and singer Nesli Özsoy, Aytek Teoman recalled his childhood: “Actually, I didn’t live with either my mother or father. I was raised by my grandmother and uncle in Ankara, with the culture of Ankara. I’ve been listening to music since I was little—I grew up entirely with music. So maybe there’s a genetic benefit there.” He noted that aside from genetics, he doesn’t believe his parents had a major influence on his artistic orientation.

“All my focus is on radio broadcasting.”
Though he hasn’t left DJing behind, Aytek Teoman said, “If something comes up, I’ll go and play. But honestly, all my focus right now is on radio. I’ve stopped chasing things—let’s put it that way.”

“I can’t stand injustice.”
Years ago, while holding a high-level position in corporate life, Aytek Teoman decided to walk away and fully pursue radio. Reflecting on that decision, he said: “That’s when I resigned. I was 35.”

Reaching Listeners on Mandal Radio!
Speaking about the story of Mandal Radio, which he founded in April 2019, and why he chose the name, Aytek said: “One evening, my late uncle, my mother, and I were sitting together, looking for a name. Suddenly, my mom pointed to a lone clothespin hanging there and said, ‘Let’s call it Mandal (Clothespin).’ At first, I was like, ‘What does that have to do with anything?’ Then my uncle said, ‘I have photos at home pinned with clothespins. Those photos have very important memories.’ That really sparked something in my mind.”

“Doing radio in this era is madness!”
“In a time when everyone’s glued to their phones and no one logs out of Instagram, doing radio is madness!” said Aytek Teoman. “We’re just a bunch of crazies, really. As a group of rebels, we’re still trying to keep it alive.” He also reflected on how difficult it is nowadays to create emotional connections between the host and the listeners—and between listeners themselves.

“They’re not just my listeners—they’re my friends.”
“I don’t call them my listeners—I call them my friends,” Aytek emphasized. “There’s actually a huge family there. The sincerity among them has grown so strong. If one of them is struggling—financially or emotionally—everyone rushes to help.” He highlighted the strong sense of community and solidarity that has formed among his audience.

Every Monday at 11:00 PM on mandal-la.com!
“Mandal started on Mondays, and then other content followed,” Aytek explained. Speaking about his own show, which airs every Monday at 11:00 PM, he added: “It goes on until about 4:00 AM. Sometimes even longer—you never know. After all, I’m the one who decides. Whenever I feel like it!”

He also mentioned that each night on the show has its own theme, which he refers to as a “signboard.” “Each night has a signboard—like, ‘I Missed You.’ A call comes in, I say, ‘Signboard: I Missed You. What do you miss?’” Aytek explained the structure of the program, noting that he starts the night with upbeat songs but transitions into more melancholic and emotional tracks as the hours go by. “We talk about everything—not just love,” he said.