What are you actively working on right now — releases, tours, workshops?
To be honest, I'm currently working on so many different projects that sometimes I even feel a little lost within them—but in a good way. Each one has its own identity, its own purpose, its own direction. But I've realized that this diversity is exactly what makes me feel alive. The more I create across different forms, the more connected I feel to myself.
My main focus right now is definitely on my original compositions; writing and releasing my own music. I'm pushing myself to be more productive in that space and to shape a sound that truly represents who I am.
Alongside that, I have some intimate live performances coming up with a few surprises that I'm really excited about. I'm also developing a unique project where we build musical instruments from recycled materials and create a piece out of them, blending sustainability with sound. And of course, you'll still hear traces of Turkish 9/8 rhythms woven into that world.
Another project that's very close to my heart is the women drummers community I've been building for five years. What started as Hit Like a Girl Turkey has now evolved into She Rocks!, and we're currently preparing a series of live experiences around it. It's not just about performance; it's about visibility, connection, and creating a shared space on stage.
Workshops and talks are continuously part of my journey as well. Next month, I'll be stepping onto the TEDx stage again for what will be my third and fourth talks. It's so surreal to be giving inspiration to people through my journey! I genuinely love this intense, ever-moving rhythm of life. It makes me feel my heartbeat. So I just keep creating—full speed, no matter what! (Watch "Discover Your Superpower" on TEDx)
In 2020 you said success isn't about numbers. After touring internationally, has that belief been challenged?
I had actually forgotten that I said that, so it was a really sweet reminder. And I realize I still feel exactly the same way.
Yes, in today's world, people are constantly looking at numbers; how many followers you have, how many monthly listeners you reach on Spotify, how many views your videos get. And unfortunately, it's not just the music industry anymore; it feels like human value itself is being measured through numbers. But I still stand against that.
Since 2020, maybe my follower numbers have grown fifty thousand, sixty thousand, maybe even a hundred thousand more. I honestly don't even keep track, because what I've experienced goes far beyond that.
Back in 2020, there was a version of me who hadn't even stepped onto a stage in another country yet. Most of the things I now call my "career" hadn't even begun. And today, I feel deeply grateful to that version of myself from six years ago because she chose to believe, and she didn't let small doubts or fears stand in her way. In a way, I am here because she kept going.
Being able to touch people's lives through my music, to inspire someone through a conversation, to shift even a small part of someone's world... discovering myself through the act of creating, crossing paths with so many different people and learning from them again and again—these are things you cannot buy, and you cannot measure.
Numbers have never defined our worth, and they never will. What truly matters is who we are, what we create, and why we are here...
"Numbers have never defined our worth, and they never will. What truly matters is who we are, what we create, and why we are here."
What drum kit and cymbals are you currently using?
I've been playing Mapex drums for many years, ever since my musical identity started to take shape. It's a brand I genuinely feel connected to, and I'm also proud to be one of their artists.
My main kit is a Mapex Saturn IV, but I also really enjoy performing with other series like the Mapex Evolution and Saturn V on stage. Each one brings a slightly different character, and I love exploring those nuances in my sound.
When it comes to cymbals, I use Turkish Cymbals, especially the Rock Beat series, which I truly love. There's also a very special piece in my setup—a Spiral Crash—that I consider almost like a signature element in my music. Once you hear it, it's hard to forget. Both visually and sonically, it creates a very unique texture and atmosphere.
For sticks, I prefer Vater 8A, which gives me the balance I need between control and power.
At the end of the day, my setup is all about expression. I want every element to respond to emotion and allow me to move freely between intensity and sensitivity.
What did the USA tour teach you that staying in Turkey never could?
First of all, the U.S. tour showed me how universal music truly is.
In Turkey, you naturally grow within a certain culture, which is beautiful. But performing in the U.S., in front of people who don't share the same background, made me realize that when something is real, it reaches people beyond language or culture.
It also had a deep impact on me personally. Being on the other side of the world, completely on my own, contributed to a very strong inner transformation.
That journey became a turning point in my life. I realized how much bigger our dreams can be than ourselves. Experiencing the result of something you truly believe in, in a completely different country, discovering new cultures, and connecting with people was incredibly powerful.
On my way back, during that long flight, I made a radical decision: I didn't want to be a drum teacher anymore. I chose to fully dedicate myself to my dreams—to create more, produce more, and build my life around what I truly want to do!
When you write music, do you start from rhythm, emotion, or concept?
When I create music, I'm almost entirely guided by my emotions. Otherwise, it doesn't even feel possible for me to create.
In those moments, everything slips out of my control. It genuinely feels like I'm being used as a vessel, as if something beyond me is trying to express itself, and I'm just translating it into sound, into notes, into recordings.
I'll admit, maybe I'm not the most controlled songwriter in that sense. I've been writing music since I was very young, and part of me knows I could develop a more structured approach—and I'm working on that. But at the same time, I can't, and honestly don't want to, fully control that inner flow.
Every piece turns into something different. You can still hear elements of me, but it's like the chaos within my soul finds its own form. The rhythms, the patterns—everything somehow falls into place naturally, as if it already knows where it belongs, without me forcing it.
"That journey became a turning point in my life. I realized how much bigger our dreams can be than ourselves."
What makes your current gear feel right for your sound?
What makes my current gear feel right is how naturally it responds to emotion.
I don't think of it as just equipment—it feels like an extension of my voice. I need something that can move with me between extremes, from very delicate and textured moments to something much more powerful and aggressive, without losing character.
At the same time, it reflects who I am. The warmth and depth of my drums, the darker and more expressive tones of my cymbals, even certain signature elements I use—they all carry a part of my identity. When I play, I want people to feel that it's coming from a very specific place, something that's mine.
Has stepping onto global stages changed how you see yourself as an artist?
It completely changed the way I see both myself and life.
I realized that the world is so much bigger than I ever imagined! There is so much to experience, to discover. And it made me understand how deeply I crave that, what I need to do, and sometimes what I need to let go of in order to reach it.
It also shifted how I see myself as an artist. I started to truly feel the value of what I do. Things that might look like "crazy choices" from the outside revealed themselves, for me, as something transformative and almost magical. Not in an ego-driven way, but as a deeply spiritual growth process.
After every country I visit, I feel like a different version of myself, shaped by what I experienced, what I learned, what I gained, and even what I left behind. And for all of it, I feel truly grateful.
How do you translate traditional Turkish elements into a modern rock structure?
For me, it always starts with rhythm.
Turkish music already carries very strong and distinctive rhythmic identities, especially odd time signatures like 9/8. Instead of trying to "fit" them into rock, I let them lead, and then I build a rock structure around that pulse.
The drums become the bridge, translating something traditional into a more modern, powerful language.
At the same time, I think in terms of feeling, not rules. I don't approach it like a fusion formula. It's more about preserving the soul of those elements while placing them in a different musical world.
When it works, it doesn't feel like two styles blending. It becomes a whole new language of its own.
"I don't think of my gear as just equipment—it feels like an extension of my voice."
What part of your sound has matured the most in the last five years?
I think the part of my sound that has matured the most is my sense of intention.
Five years ago, I was creating more instinctively, which is still a big part of who I am. But now there's a deeper awareness behind what I do. I understand why I choose certain rhythms, textures, and dynamics.
My relationship with contrast has evolved a lot. I've learned how to balance power and silence, intensity and space. Instead of constantly trying to prove something, I now allow the music to breathe, and that's where it becomes stronger and more my own...
Is there a project you're developing now that people don't know about yet?
Yes, actually there are a few things I've been quietly developing behind the scenes.
I tend to keep some projects to myself while they're still growing, because I like giving them space to evolve naturally before sharing them with the world. 😇
Do you write mostly alone, or does collaboration shape your compositions?
I always create and write on my own in the beginning.
You know how we say "me time" is that time you dedicate to yourself? I truly believe that when you sit with yourself and face the depths of your inner world, that's where real art is born.
I'm an artist who moves with emotion. I don't follow formulas or strategies. I only try to reflect those feelings in the purest, most honest way possible, so that listeners can receive them, connect with them, and find a piece of themselves within the music.
Of course, once those emotions take shape, I start collaborating with sound engineers, arrangers, and producers to elevate the work into its best version. But the initial writing process always comes entirely from me.
If you could send one message to the Leyan of 2020, what would it be?
I already answered this in one of my previous responses, but first of all, thank you for making me think about this... Even as I'm writing this right now, my eyes are filling with tears... I can't deny that.
To the Leyan of 2020, I would say:
Thank you so much...
Thank you for being so kind to yourself, for loving yourself enough to believe in your dreams.
Thank you for working for those dreams for years without stopping, without getting tired.
For never giving up on yourself, on me, on us.
If I’m living the life we dreamed of, its because of you!
"Thank you for loving yourself enough to believe in your dreams."
What are you actively working on right now — releases, tours, workshops?
