…when the rhythm of music rise w/ Mert Demir

According to us, winning is not deciding to set out on a journey, it’s not about being so assertive or spontaneous, but being yourself and standing behind it… It is knowing that, when you look back one day, you’ve chosen to make a stand, all by yourself.

We have such a nature that we only focus on the results. 

But in fact, what really matters is the journey itself, all we see and experience along the way. Is there anybody who can stay in the moment without being deceived by the outcome?

Mert Demir stands as one of the personas we envision when we ask this question out loud. The music he creates and those he reminds us of take their place in our updated musical memory, and the rhythm of music rises with all these questions. It is not about winning or losing, since success comes from moving forward without making grand calculations or plans for the outcome.

How did you decide to turn music into your profession?

Frankly, I didn’t decide for it. It became my profession by itself over time. We could even say that it has chosen me. 

How did you find your unique voice?

By learning to depict. As I began to unload, it all started to fall into place. And it still keeps doing so.

What does inspiration mean to you? Is your music production based on emotions or the mathematics of the process?

I don’t have a precise definition for inspiration. I used to look for the thing called inspiration earlier. But now, I think it’s more of a reflex. I have no idea when that reflex activates. It could happen anytime, anywhere.

Can you tell us about the creation stages of a song? What kind of process do you go through?

It changes constantly. In the past I needed to shut myself into the studio. Now I’m in a flow where I can create at any moment and every second. Sometimes a word, sometimes a melody can initiate the production.

To what extent does your music reflect your perspective on life?

My aim has always been getting closer to 100%. When I started making music, I actually focused on telling my story. I also change over the years, and through each transformation I look for ways to express myself better. 

Is music your escape or your means of confronting the real world?

Music entered my life as an element that takes me away from my depression and transports me to a safe, peaceful zone. In fact, it’s often like a therapy session. Some play games, some draw sketches, and some go on vacation. When I want to move into that safe and peaceful space, I get in touch with music.

What does expressing yourself mean to you?

For me, one of the foundations of living is expression. Silence doesn’t often sit well with my soul. Through my expression, I find myself and feel that I am alive.

How close are you to your dreams?

I don’t believe that dreams are something we can achieve only with our own efforts.That’s why there’s always a distance between me and my dreams. No matter how close I get to them, the distance doesn’t shrink when they don’t want to get close to me. I’m waiting for them to come up to me.

“Silence doesn’t often sit well with my soul. Through my expression, I find myself and feel that I am alive.”

Mert Demir

What would you advise the aspiring artists who try to find their own voice, as a young and inspirational artist?

I’m a little sensitive about advices. I believe that everyone has their own journey. The path that brought me here may not be the right one for others. It can be possible to reach the same point by different routes.

If we take self-actualization as a win against life, what lies behind your victory?

I don’t define the outcomes as victory or defeat. This might be the thing that makes me look victorious, I suppose. I consider the unpleasant experiences lessons for myself, and learn something from them. All these accumulate in a pool, shaping who I am.

Is there a song that fascinates you the moment you hear it? How does it make you feel this way?

Radiohead, “Knives Out”. If you ask me what harmony is, I can have you listen to this song.

In the interconnected world of today, social media and digital platforms play an important role in bringing artists and communities together. How is it possible to exist on these platforms and preserve your essence?

Actually, only the mediums change. I think it is equally difficult to preserve your essence on social media now, as it was to maintain it on television in the early 2000s. The version of you accepted by the masses can be considered your essence. From here the difficulty of striving to change begins. You build an indestructible structure when you convince others that change is in fact your essence. Now that you have set up your own playground, you can live the way you want.

If you were to specify a time period, a space, an atmosphere for your music, what kind of a world would you paint for us? 

I would paint a house in which you can access all possibilities. Actually, that’s exactly what I do. I’m cracking open the door of my house. Right now, I’m showing people an album with my infancy and childhood photos.

What are the elements that make a song timeless, place, and individuals, make it immortal?

Its uniqueness to you. If the only leg you stand on is popular culture, when popularity fades, that element becomes obsolete. The thing that becomes outdated could be you or the work you’ve created.

Is it harder to be yourself or to remain yourself?

I think they are both equally challenging. It is a long, hard road finding yourself. Remaining yourself requires having a character of steel. The difficulty of the arduou,s journey of finding yourself is equivalent to the difficulty of having a character as strong as steel.

Cover Guest Mert Demir

Creative Direction by Duygu Bengi

Fashiıon Director Burak Sanuk

Photographed by Abdullah Yazıc

Fashiıon Editor Murat Şentürk

Set Design by Yeşim Yeşilçimen

Hair and Make Up by Zeynep Dombaycıoğlu

Creative Production by BI Creative

Creative Team Belgin Demirhan, Birce Naz Köş, Şevval Küçüktır, Tunga Yankı Tan, Umutcan Öncü⁠

Gaffer Onur Karaca

Gaffer Assistants Ali Kılıç, Mustafa Çetinkaya, Ömer Eliş⁠

Video Editor Alican Özker⁠

Director Assistant Hasan Küçükyıldırım

Photography Assitant Elif Güleli

Mix Mastering Resul Keleş

Hair & Make Up Assistant Seda Civek

Set Design Assistants Yusuf Şengönül, Yavuz Selim Kalaycı, Sude Vural