The rise of Nil İpek Hülagü in 2015 was nothing short of magical. Back then, her debut album Sabah had the arts pages between Izmir and Istanbul in raptures, as well as those in Western Europe. The singer-songwriter combines her delicate timbre, minimalist guitar playing and almost cinematic arrangements with an otherworldly atmosphere to tell tales of grand metaphysical connections and the subtle nuances of human existence. Over recent years, Nilipek has proven repeatedly that she's an artist with the ability to evolve and develop her style, with albums such as ‘Döngü’ (2017) and her latest release, ‘Uydurduğumuz Oyunlarla’ (2024). It's also remarkable how quickly she incorporates musical influences from Anatolian rock and chamber music, indie pop and contemporary folk into her sound while never sounding like anyone else. In today's hype-driven age of commercial mass production, an artist of this calibre is a rare find. Especially on stage.