Vocalist, songwriter and instrumentalist Aynur Doğan is the winner of the WOMEX 2021 Artist Award. The world music expo stated in a press release: “It is for her long-term dedication to the preservation and innovation of Kurdish and Alevi culture, for maintaining the highest artistic integrity in the face of political pressure and, in doing so, for being a model for all that sing against the silencers.”
On receiving the WOMEX award, Aynur said: “Music is the key to lost cultures, the way to return to the source, to the essence. It is proof that we are different but come from the same core. Therefore, every different tone in this world is the legacy of all of us – it’s like not letting a piece of earth slip away. One of the most important steps of my musical journey started with WOMEX in 2006…It is an honor for me to represent the music of 40 million people whose existence is not yet recognized and does not have a country. I am honored to dedicate this award to all women in the world in the presence of Kurdish women who are fighting for freedom, equality and peace.”
Find our more about Aynur: Artist Profiles: Aynur and Interview with Iconic Kurdish Artist Aynur
Author: World Music Central News Room
World music news from the editors at World Music Central