Ahmet Yatğın
Gabi Hartmann, the melody explorer, entered 2023 with an album filled with Portuguese, English, and French songs. We had a conversation with the young jazz vocalist before her concert performance. In this interview, we discussed her journey into jazz, her latest album, and her love for Turkish music. The German musician shared her thoughts on her first album’s reception, her inspiration, and the possibility of singing in Turkish in the future.
How did your journey into jazz begin? Can you tell us the story behind it?
Especially at a young age, I started listening to various genres such as gospel, soul, and music from African American communities in the U.S. Later on, I discovered singers like Frank Sinatra and Billie Holiday. I fell in love with vocal jazz at the age of 10. It was more of a story about loving voices for me, and I listened to many different music genres. Then, I decided to get some music education. I focused solely on jazz at the age of 16, and around that time, I started singing standard jazz songs.
Do you have any childhood stories or visuals related to your introduction to jazz?
Album covers of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong were essential to me. I used to listen to them a lot at that age. I also started listening to the music of singer Amy Winehouse, and I discovered her influence on jazz and vocal jazz in general. There wasn’t a specific moment or image when I started listening to jazz; it was a process that developed slowly, with me listening to a lot of things, and then there was a period when I listened to a lot of jazz.
At the beginning of 2023, you released a brand-new album. What were the comments about your first album?
Some of my friends and family had known most of the songs for a long time, and they said it took me many years to make the first album. Some said it was rich and sweet, others described it as melancholic, dreamy, and cheerful. Some said it was very enjoyable to listen to at home and that children really loved it. Others mentioned that the album was very original because it featured songs in many languages, and it had a different aesthetic. So, I received various comments.
Your songs include languages such as French, English, and Portuguese, and you feature a variety of voices from different cultures around the world. Was this planned, or did it happen naturally?
Yes, it happened naturally because I love singing and playing music in many genres from different cultures. So, I really wanted to make an album that included all the songs I love to sing, without choosing a single style or language. I wanted to put everything I love, like a complete cocktail. Also, it’s a kind of metaphor for all my travels, all the people I’ve met, and all the music styles I love. This album represents moments when I played Brazilian music, French music, jazz, and also pop. There are many different styles.
Will your listeners hear a Turkish song from you in the near future?
I would love to sing in Turkish because I really love Turkish music, but I can’t sing in Turkish. My sister-in-law is a Turkish musician, and I know there is a community in Paris consisting of Turkish, Kurdish, and Greek musicians. I’m friends with all of them, and although I appreciate their singing styles, I have never tried it myself. Maybe one day.
Do you think you have accumulated enough life experience to create a new album for the next year?
Yes, I’ve started, and I’m writing new songs. It will be in the same style as the first album. It might even be a bit more folk-oriented. Although it’s not complete yet, I have two songs. I’ll release a four-song EP. It will be out in November and will be purely acoustic—just my voice and guitar, like that. I will also cover a song by Lhasa de Sela.
What moves you?
I think, like everyone, there are times when I feel happy and times when I feel down. Life can be very challenging, and these ups and downs, sometimes difficulties, can make you feel this way. Sometimes the love you seek can hurt you, and, on the other hand, the love you don’t want to see can also hurt you. Disappointment. I guess these are the things that upset me.
Do you have a musician you are obsessed with? Who inspires you?
I can mention Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong. I used to like Amy Winehouse. There are so many. Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole are some of these names.
What would you like to say to your audience in Istanbul?
I’m very excited because I will be performing in Istanbul for the first time, and I will meet people from Istanbul. Another excitement is that my grandmother was born in Istanbul. She lived in Egypt at some point and went to France when she was 25, staying with friends. The city’s name was not Istanbul yet; it was written as Constantinople on her passport. Coming here feels like, “Wow, my ancestors lived here!” It’s a crazy thing.
Lastly, what would you like to say to your listeners?
I really love Turkey. I have been to Turkey many times, especially in the south of Turkey, like Izmir, and I noticed that the Turkish people are very involved with music. Generally, they are very involved with Turkish music, of course, but they also listen to a lot of music from other countries, such as jazz and the music of different cultures. This is a beautiful thing because I don’t think we have such a connection in France. I generally don’t think that the French have such a connection with music. Turkish people are very passionate about music and poetry. I draw inspiration from the connection that the Turkish people have with music and singing and how much they know many songs. It’s not like that in France. Turks seem to establish a stronger connection with music and poetry.
