Meet manifest – Türkiye’s hottest new pop group that is currently taking their homeland by storm. Spawned from the popular TV show Big5, where singers competed to be part of a final five, these six girls – Sueda, Hilal, Lidya, Mina, Zeynep, and Esin – broke the rulebook to survive as what has now become a bonafide pop unit.
June 13 saw the girls release their debut album, manifestival, which has already streamed well into the millions. But the mania hasn’t stayed online. The band held their own festival in Istanbul just over a week ago – the aptly named “manifestival” – that saw 25,000 hoof out to the forested hills of the province’s outskirts to experience the group’s live show. With such a raucous reception, they’ve already plotted manifestival part two for August of this year. And while we can only wait and see how the sequel plays out, one thing is clear – manifest is set to dominate the Çatalca Peninsula this summer.
Words by Andy Gorel
Photos courtesy of manifest.
“We see this album as the result of our efforts to inspire and empower all women and girls. Shaped by courage, hard work, and innovation -yet rooted in cultural heritage – we aimed to create a form of expression that reflects our collective growth and transformation.”
“Manifest is one of the rare girl band projects in Turkey that truly listens to the voices of young women and brings them to the stage and manifestival isn’t just an album for us -it’s a movement. It’s where our stories, our voices, and our dreams come together. We’ve blended bold pop sounds that reflect the spirit of our generation. Singing in different languages, experimenting with genres, and staying true to who we are – this debut is a big step, not just for us, but for what a girl group from Turkey can be. We’re proud, we’re excited, and this is only the beginning.
We see this album as the result of our efforts to inspire and empower all women and girls. Shaped by courage, hard work, and innovation -yet rooted in cultural heritage – we aimed to create a form of expression that reflects our collective growth and transformation. This is not just about making music; it’s about daring to hope, forging deep connections, and sharing our emotions with the world. For us, it marks the beginning of a journey where we become visible together. It’s incredibly promising to witness a girl group from Turkey produce something so universal. Our greatest wish is for this album to accompany listeners on their own journeys.”
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