In this program, Eylül Aşkın hosted musician and luthier Selim Bölükbaşı, one of the leading names of Black Sea music.

Selim Bölükbaşı welcomed us to his personal music studio, Stüdyo Moda 101, located at number 101 Moda Caddesi and we talked about his music, the national importance of Black Sea music, his contributions to the music world, the work he does in his studio and his freshly released single Aşka Daldık.

“My mother was the first woman bağlama player who played and sang at weddings in Pazar, Rize.”

Stating that his mother had a great influence on his inclination towards music, Selim Bölükbaşı said, “She told me that she played the baglama a lot when she was pregnant with me. I started with the baglama at the age of 9, probably with the timbres we got from there.”

“Normally, I never liked Black Sea music.”

In 1996, Selim Bölükbaşı stated that he was influenced by Birol Topaloğlu’s album in Laz and Kazım Koyuncu’s interpretation of Black Sea music on a modern scale, and explained that he started to turn towards Black Sea music in this way.

“Kazım Koyuncu was a dream for me.”

Selim Bölükbaşı admitted that although he knew Kazım Koyuncu personally since his childhood, working with him seemed utopian to him because he felt inadequate at that time, “He said to me, ‘You are a very spy man. There is nothing you can’t do for music, you are a very dangerous man. That’s why you should be on my side.” Regarding Kazım Koyuncu’s proposal to work together after watching him for a while, the master artist said, “When I reached a certain level, it was a great happiness, excitement, pride for me to be proposed by him and to start with Kazım… Whatever you look for, it was something like that.”

“Moda 101 was a place I wanted to open as an office and living space for myself. Currently, the music of Turkey’s most popular TV series is being produced here.”

Selim Bölükbaşı, who trusts his studio in terms of cleanliness, feeling at home and sound quality, stated that he received very positive feedback from the musicians who work in his studio in these areas.

“I believe my song will reach good places.”

“Since this piece is more of a tavern song, it is a work suitable for the system.” Selim Bölükbaşı thinks that his new song Aşka Daldık will be in great demand in new generation taverns.

Aşka Daldık clip link: