Asuna Pehlivan is a 24-year-old music critic, musician and English teacher from Turkey. Her strong passion for music has allowed her to flourish in the music industry. Over the years, Asuna has dabbled in the music sector, working in the press, as an organizer, band manager, content producer, and finally as a music critic. Currently, she is focused on her work as an English teacher and in her free time, she tries to produce her own music. With her talkative personality, creativity, sensitive soul and a carousel of meticulous thoughts, Asuna has built a wonderful professional path that is now only on the rise. She reminds us that you can always reconcile passion and work.
You have experience as a music critic and editor. How do you approach music criticism? What criteria do you normally consider?
Music constantly resonates in our minds and we cannot ignore it. If a song manages to inspire me at first impact, I decide to review it. This does not mean that the song in question is necessarily beautiful, but it is important that it attracts me in some way. Additionally, what matters to me is the quality of the production. I like to hear balanced, harmonious, and clean sounds. I try to get into the minds of the musicians, their view of life, and understand the feelings with which they wrote these songs, but I do not present this information to readers in many reviews. Most of the time, it remains part of my personal research. I like to focus on the musical or thematic similarities that I hear between the album tracks and other songs I have listened to before.
Are there specific genres or styles of music you prefer to review?
Sure! So far I have always written about rock and metal music. Honestly, this was my childhood dream. When I was 12-13 years old I would collect empty notebooks at home and search for underrated music as if I were a music blogger, rate it and then write my thoughts.
What was it like being a band manager?
Maybe someday I could do it again, I don't know. It's a fantastic feeling to be behind the scenes. When the day of the concert arrives, it's exciting to reflect on what we've experienced and what has brought us to that moment. Fighting for something is refreshing. There have been many days when I've cried tears of joy. However, I think it's a field that requires great mental endurance.
Did you enjoy being a manager or working in publishing more? Why?
Being a manager taught me a lot, but I think I prefer gathering my ideas on a subject and presenting them to people. Being in the press industry and directing trends is a rewarding feeling. There have been days when I worked very hard to prepare the audience for big metal concerts. Many new pieces of information, magazines, album reviews, interviews, recordings of previous concerts. There is a lot of work in the press industry, and I love it.
What led you to pursue a career in music? What did you study at university and how did you connect it to the music industry?
My main desire has always been to be a musician. I was a child who thought a lot, listened, observed, and sang. Over time, my ideas have changed a bit. I became aware of my personal characteristics. I discovered that I love listening, researching, managing events, and communicating, and I thought I could focus on that. I studied English Language Teaching at university. One of my goals was to raise cultured and profound children who were interested in music and art. It still is. I think I will succeed.
Is there a particular review, article, or project you're particularly proud of?
I’d like to share one of my favorite articles, Cynic Focus. Although I made mistakes and learned from them, I worked with a great team at Surge Türkiye for 4 years, writing about rock and metal and organizing concerts, like the exciting event with Sylvaine and Kana Kana. I met successful people and experienced a valuable personal journey. Now, although I’m away from the backstage, I’m trying to return to my dream of being a musician and hope it will be the work I’m most proud of.
What's it like working in the music industry in Turkey?
If you don't live in Istanbul, it's not easy to sustain yourself in this sector, as the entertainment industry is primarily centered there. While living in other cities, I tried to maintain my connections with Istanbul. However, being away made networking much more challenging. You need to present yourself and contribute to various communities, as with any job. I struggled a bit and felt tired. I believe my story would have been very different if I had been in Istanbul. No worries, I keep fighting!
How would you describe the Turkish music industry? Do you think it's very different from larger markets?
The experience differs between underground and mainstream music in terms of venues, audience size, attire and expenses. Each has its own unique aspects, and the overall picture changes based on expectations. It's enjoyable in all respects. Turkish bands are increasingly participating in the international scene through digital platforms, and the industry has improved, though it's somewhat late. Recent years have seen professional, world-class works and a greater focus on shows and stage design. While Turkish mainstream music now aligns with global trends, including electronic music and DJs, this shift has led to some confusion. Rock festivals were once prominent in Turkey, but DJs have now taken their place.
What are the biggest challenges you are facing on your path?
Self-sabotage and limiting myself to progress only within the metal music industry made it challenging, as its audience is quite niche and can dampen one’s commitment. Now, I have a more diversified and broader vision. I have learned from all the challenges I’ve overcome.
What do you see yourself doing in the future?
I would like to teach English and continue pursuing my passion for music. Even if I were to give up everything related to music one day, I would still remain a kind and supportive aunt who cheers for young musicians!
Do you have any suggestions for other young people who want to work in this field?
Confidence and communication are essential in any job. Without these two aspects, everything can fall apart. You deserve to be there because you worked hard for it. Don’t ignore your efforts. These words are primarily meant for myself.
Who are your favorite artists?
The trio Pilli Bebek, Yavuz Çetin, Büyük Ev Ablukada. I recommend you listen to them all!
Can you suggest a Turkish song to our readers?
I'd love to! Women's solidarity! I will recommend you a female musician from Turkey that I find very successful. I am blinded by this girl's light. Wow by Dilan Balkay.
Asuna's greetings: Thank you for your questions. The work you are doing is very nice, I don't know if you’d believe it, but one of my biggest dreams was to write an article by interviewing women in the metal scene. It was great to receive this interview offer from you right on top of it. Many greetings to you and everyone who has met me right now!
You can follow Asuna here and listen to her suggested song here: