The guest on this episode of “Eylül Aşkın İle” (With Eylül Aşkın), hosted by Eylül Aşkın and filmed at the Tan Evi Kültür Avlusu, was musician and nuclear physicist Atilla Volga.
Atilla Volga, with whom we also discussed his latest single “Zamanın Valsi” (The Waltz of Time) before our interview, released his new song “Ortada Kaldım” (I Was Left in the Middle) on June 11th. The song, which was played in its entirety on the same day in the series “Eşref Rüya” on Kanal D, received significant attention from both the audience and the press.
We conducted an interview with Atilla Volga—a graduate with three bachelor’s and three master’s degrees who, for many years, has lived like a superhero, working as a physics teacher by day and a musician by night—about the music and physics dichotomy.
“I believe that science and art support each other.”
“The universe also begins with physics. I followed the same path,” began Atilla Volga. “For me, since high school, there was physics and music. I fell into that dilemma back then. I chose physics in university, but for example, we had a quantum physics exam the next morning, and I would be composing music that night. Still, I am one of the rare people who managed to graduate from the physics department in four years. I was able to juggle both. Since then, the two have been progressing together,” he said.
“There is no difference between the lamb we get from the butcher and the dog on the street.”
Atilla Volga, a vegan for many years who also made a reference to the cancelled vegan festival, noted that he has compositions with social messages on this topic, stating, “I will continue to convey this message.”
“I have never been able to be planned and organized in my life.”
Expressing that he needs inspiration to bring his compositions to life, Atilla Volga stated that although he plays the guitar regularly every evening, he waits for inspiration to sit down and write, producing his songs in this manner.
“I like to create a contrast between the lyrics and the music.”
Atilla Volga mentioned that he prefers to make the music upbeat when he writes very dramatic lyrics, and to arrange the music dramatically when the lyrics are very cheerful. “Actually, I love to approach life from its fun side. I love laughing at the most unlaughable things. For example, I think death should be comical; it shouldn’t be attributed so much seriousness,” he said.
“I believe love is a phenomenon that should be fought for.”
Expressing that he approaches love with an artist’s soul not only in his music but also in his relationships, Atilla Volga said, “Not pursuing it at all, or not fighting for something that holds a possibility, and then saying ‘there is no love anymore’ seems a bit like taking the easy way out and laziness to me.”
“If alternative rock music is to die, let it die fighting!”
“I believe alternative rock music will never die, so I act with this belief. If it is to die, let it die fighting. I want to champion that spirit,” said Atilla Volga, who continues to make music with minimal digital effects and with natural instruments. “I have many compositions that fall outside the popular perception; they are kept in a chest in my mind,” he stated, expressing that the concern for popularity is important for a musician in order to be heard, and added, “It’s a delicate balance.”
“My song ‘Ortada Kaldım’ was well-loved.”
“It’s not a piece that completely reflects me, but people loved it. Everyone started humming it after the first listen. I recorded it taking the audience’s opinion into account,” said Atilla Volga. His song “Ortada Kaldım” was released on all digital platforms on June 11, 2025. On the evening of its release, the song was played in its entirety on “Eşref Rüya,” one of Kanal D’s popular series, and received great interest from both the audience and the press.
