In Conversation with Soraya Raeispour, Counseling Psychologist and Psychotherapist
We first had the pleasure of meeting Soraya Raeispour in 2016, when she arrived in Istanbul with boundless enthusiasm, ready to embark on a...
In Conversation with Zeynep Mar, the Multidisciplinary Istanbulite Artist
Zeynep Mar is a striking young artist who is currently based in Istanbul. We talked about her inspirations, working process, and her divergent style....
In Conversation with The Away Days: Seven Years Later with Istanbul’s...
Many years ago - seven to be exact - Yabangee sat down for an interview with a young band that was making serious waves...
In Conversation with Liana Georgi: Artist, Singer-Songwriter, and Pride Advocate
She may not recall this as vividly as us, as we did not ask her about it... but we first met Liana Georgi (she/they)...
In Conversation with Performance Artist Ekin Bernay on “Atlas” in London at...
International performance art platform Performistanbul’s represented artist Ekin Bernay's new 33-minute performance titled Atlas, commissioned by V&A Museum and actualized in partnership with Performistanbul,...
In Conversation with Kemal Varol, Poet and Author: Celebrating His Novel,...
“Art is a lie that tells the truth.” This well-known phrase, attributed to Picasso in the early 1920s, takes up permanent residence in the...
Digging up Gems from their Grave – The Revival of “Anadolu...
Gökhan Yücel is the founder and curator of the “Anatolian Rock Revival Project”, an initiative which understands itself as a cultural heritage platform, bringing...
The Beginner’s Guide To Hey Mama – Local Live Music Favorites
It’s Halloween night, and I’m dressed as a self-proclaimed music journalist while I make my way to Barock Sahne, where Hey Mama will be...
Makaya McCraven Wants You to Let Your Suckiness Shine… and He’s...
When I’m told that Makaya McCraven might be five minutes late to our interview because he’s visiting the iconic Blue Mosque, my first reaction...
In Conversation with Multidisciplinary Artist and Researcher C.M. Kosemen
C. M. Kosemen is an artist and independent researcher born in Ankara, Turkey in 1984. He studied at Cornell University, Istanbul’s Sabancı University and...
In Conversation with Orçun Sünear and Batu Kurnaz of Sattas, Together...
Editor's Note: Sattas will be headlining this year's Oktoberfest Istanbul on Saturday 5 October. For more details, visit the official event page.
For locals interested...
Magic for Smiles: Using Magic for Humanitarian Work
Turkey has often been described as a “magical” country with its amazing scenery, vast history, and seemingly endless curiosities that can be found in...
In Conversation with Burçak Bingöl, International Istanbulite Artist
Yabangee recently sat down for a heart to heart conversation with the successful international artist Burçak Bingöl. Based in Istanbul and having recently opened...
In Conversation with Nick Hobbs, Founder of Charm Music & Electric...
In the buildup to the summer of 2018, the announcement of a new festival series reaching Istanbul, appropriately titled Electric Playground, managed to turn...
In Conversation with Tanaë, Belgian Singer-Songwriter
Tanaë is the stage name of up-and-coming Belgian singer-songwriter, Shana Seminara, who has been building the case for herself as a rising star with...
In Conversation with Lisa Morrow, Freelance Writer and Blogger of “Inside...
I met Lisa Morrow for the first time at Story Café, a modern coffee shop in Kadıköy popular among both Turks and foreigners where...
In Conversation with Merve Pehlivan, Founder of Spoken Word Istanbul
I have been a regular performer and audience member at Spoken Word since coming to Istanbul four years ago. At the time, the founder,...
In Conversation with Atulya K. Bingham, Prize-Winning Novelist
Atulya K Bingham is a prize-winning novelist, blogger, and natural builder. In 2011, she found herself out of funds and ended up camping in...
In Conversation with Denizalp Şimşek, Soloist of Siyah Tavşan Band
Recently, Yabangee had a delightful conversation with the talented young musician Denizalp Şimşek, composer and singer of alternative rock band “Siyah Tavşan”. Their upcoming event “Radiohead Tribute Night” will...
In Conversation with Gökmen Ercişi and Bige Dalkılıç, Food Project Moda
Last weekend, I came to one of my new favorite organic shops in Kadıköy in a small corner next to a typical Turkish pastane...
In Conversation with Hilary Sable, Founder of “Cihangir…Cool for Cats”
As soon as I sit down at an outside table of a café in uber-trendy Cihangir, I am spied by a rather dusty looking...
In Conversation with Öner Ceylan, Volunteer with Lambdaistanbul
I’ve been attending meetings with Lambdaistanbul for four years now. The organization may have lost its old space in Kadıköy, but its various organizers...
In Conversation with Omar Johmani, Future Game Designer at Bahçeşehir University
Turkey’s economic and infrastructural growth over the past decades has made it an attractive place for people all over the region, which from the...
In Conversation with Ece Aydoğan, Co-owner of Ayaküstü Masaj
I started going to Ayaküstü Masaj (literally, “massage on the run”) for foot reflexology after being diagnosed with a foot deformity earlier this year....