Maktub by BASHKKA

Following her recent release with Live From Earth, Istanbul-rooted Nene H now launches her own label UMAY, aimed at representing SWANA and QTBIPOC artists. Inaugurated by Munich based trans activist BASHKKA, the EP titled Maktub (Arabic for ”it's written”) materializes the artist's solo debut, and its trail blazes for queer club bangers. As BASHKKA states, ”Maktub is an idiosyncratic love letter to myself, my heritage and my community. My songs reflect the expedition of the past year and a half up until now and all the emotions that I gave myself space and fortitude to deal with and to also to relish in''.

BASHKKA, trained singer and songwriter, was born in Munich, but came of age amid the New York Ballroom scene, which offered a different kind of family to the traditional Turkish one she grew up in. This dichotomy has been equally important in shaping BASHKKA’s identity as an artist—and is echoed throughout her solo debut which blends uptempo dance floor music with Kurdish vocal samples, alongside a Chicago-influenced bounce house piece featuring BASHKKA’s own vocals. The artwork by Copenhagen based Noah Umur Kanber complements these influences impressively, taking inspiration from Sumerian mythology and the non-binary goddesses Ishtar and Ereshkigal which can be seen in the motif. It's these two figures that BASHKKA has found most interesting in reflecting on her inner conflicts in regards to her personal history. Ishtar as the goddess of love and sexuality and Ereshkigal, representing the underworld. That is why BASHKKA’s debut EP turns out to be an intensely personal project, a love letter towards her foremost defining influences: her Turkish heritage and the queer community. She says, ”my sound hasn’t been as much of a thought through process and rather an echo of feelings passing through different margins, styles and all underrepresented communities..”

UMAY starts as a non-profit label sharing the revenue with its artists, an open critique against industry standards, crude label politics and the dominant music business model that Nene H has had to painfully experience herself in the recent years. With Maktub, UMAY spotlights Nene H’s close friend and ally whose presence in the European club community has recently risen at an astounding pace, as demonstrated by her presence at some of the most renowned clubs such as Berghain / Panorama Bar.

The EP features four original tracks by BASHKKA, complemented with a remix by label mommy Nene H. Maktub will first appear digitally on February 15th via UMAY and is followed by a vinyl release and music video in the summer. Dedicated merchandise is available via Bandcamp, profits from the merchandise go to The Association for Support for Transgender Children (FSTB).

UMAY is Nene H’s founded venturesome platform for emerging music artists, aimed to build bridges and empower local culture, giving visibility for geographically underrepresented regions and artists with a strong focus on South, Western Asian and African artists as well as QTBIPOC.

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