“I’d like to inspire people to always feel that they are a part of a bigger picture, that we can always keep on discovering new meanings to life and have a lot of fun with all kinds of emotions while doing it”. – Serel
After the premature loss of her father, at 17 Serel moved to Istanbul in search of belonging and artistic direction: an acting role in a television series brought public interest but it also further stretched her fragilities. The artist explains how growing up she slowly deveped an interest surrounding human nature and emotions; realizing that her artistic expression was not simply a comfort zone but a life purpose.
To reconnect with her true creative freedom, Serel left everything behind and moved to London. I wanted to explore and experience more, she explains. We caught up with the artist following the debut of her new single “Daddy’s Gone”. Serel highlighting how for her art is a realm where you can experience a variety of emotions without causing “trouble” in real life. Pointing out how in doing so offers a freedom and healing not to be found elsewhere. Going onto note how if someone can go through this healing process, they can become an inspiration for others too!
Remembering her Father
Serel’s debut single Daddy’s Gone is a song the artist wrote following her father’s passing. The artist explains how she felt compelled to share what she experienced and the strengths developed during the darkest situations she had to face. She explains how whilst the event itself caught her by surprise. The mannerism in which she dealt with it surprised her. Finding inspiration through this painful loss, she persevered forward, with a feeling that whilst his physical form was no longer around, his presence was felt within every day that passed. “I felt his presence with me and I knew nothing could take him away, not even death. My perception about pain and earthly troubles have evolved; I wanted to bottle that feeling up and hand it over to people as a medicine”. Being true to herself, the essence of her debut single is the “medicine”. Lyrics which seek to respect the earthy pain of loss, but in equal measure offer the strength and motivation to move forward!
Music as a Unique Reality
For Serel, her music reflects her unique reality. The lyrics staying true to the artists journey, telling her personal stories with honesty. Whilst the strings make the artist feel at home due to the sound resonating from her roots, with the guitar adding the rebellion into the drama. The artist best describes this mix as a contradiction but in harmony. Serel seeks to approach life as an experiment rather than taking it too personally. A key work to the artists latest project is “reflections”, she explains. Pointing out how she used to make a note of describing how she saw individual people…
“On your journey of finding yourself, you should get to know your species. I’ve always been inspired by human beings and I always felt like I exist because they do and vice versa: through people I learned about myself, they give me a sense of togetherness, allowing me to never feel alone”.
Serel opens up about experiencing various forms of violence towards her when she became more visible in [Turkey] through TV appearances. Highlighting how both media and social media push back has been relentless. However, the artist explains how these experiences have made her stronger in her resolve to make changes for the better. Serel highlights how she has been seeing a psychologist since the age of 7 due to her medical hallucinations.
“I’ve been very open about this all my life (thanks to my mother’s support especially) but I have been very familiar with mental health problems since I’ve known myself and been thorough different kinds of mental health experiences. That’s why I wrote my upcoming single “My Inner Psycho. It’s a love letter to my insanity”.
The Importance of Networking
At the beginning of this journey, the artist held an inner belief this job was not for her. This belief transformed very quickly when she decided she was not going to spend her life working with people who she could not vibe with… “Just like I know for a fact that a real friendship produces miracles, a real collaboration and having the same vision and intention creates magic too, so finding the right people was the key to open the door to start this journey”. Serel takes inspiration from her musical influences inc. a young Michael Jackson [“ultimate singing teacher”] mixed with Freddy Mercury, who for the artist [and millions of others] is the ultimate icon in performing arts. In addition to the intellectual level showcased by Alex Turner, Serel finds herself mesmerized by the surreal and magical ambiance that Tame Impala’s sounds creates.
For Serel, it has always been vitally important to be convinced by the reason behind the pursuit. To ensure nothing is able to manipulate or control your thoughts about either yourself or your journey. She points to her biggest challenge as herself. Pointing out how countless times she has questionned herself as to the why behind her vision. Personally, she falls back to the opportunity it gives her to write her music. Serel is currently working on new material, whilst keeping a focus on keeping herself healthy in mind and body. All whilst developing cinematic ideas for her upcoming music videos! #watchthisspace
