Interview takes place on November 5th, 2024
Today, we had the pleasure of interviewing Turkish-born pop star Selin Geçit, as well as local indie pop artist Deniz Love, diving into their 2024 “Besties Tour” and getting an insider’s look into how this tour came to be. As their November 11th show approaches at White Oak Music Hall, it is clear that this pair of close-knit Virgos are here to take Houston by storm.
So how did this unlikely friendship begin? Despite living across the world, these two artists connected thanks to the Turkish community in Houston, where Deniz Love–a dual citizen of both Turkey and the US–heard whispers of Selin and her synthwave pop music and decided to reach out. The two artists forged a fast connection, exchanging music and “bouncing off each other,” until Love realized, “We had so much in common. It kind of took off from there.”
“Like pen pals,” explains Selin.
After visiting each other in Turkey and soon becoming best friends, Selin expressed interest in coming to the US for a change, and the idea of doing a tour together was hatched. Of course, to better understand the tour, there's a little more background you need to know about this electric duo.
Deniz Love is a Houston native, passionate about the city’s “vibrant, energetic music scene.” Growing up in such a diverse city offered Love the opportunity to see a multitude of shows and musicians throughout the years, even if his parents only knew about half of them. Musicians like Dominic Fike, Tyler the Creator, and The 1975 eventually inspired Love to create his own brand of alternative indie pop. Being both a songwriter and his own producer, Love says that his sound varies depending on “the type of day and what [he’s] feeling inside.” Regardless, “I let it all out in the production,” he says.
Over the years, his music has progressed through genres as his influences have, and he’s gone from being heavily inspired by the hip-hop scene in Houston to being more inspired by pop and alternative sounds. He enjoys giving his fans something fresh and new to listen to when he releases songs, and that's part of what makes his music so charismatic. His ethereal beats and expressive lyrics rouse thoughts of falling down a rabbit hole of deep emotions. “I let my emotions out all around my songs,” Love says.
The second half of the duo, Selin, was born in Istanbul, but has traveled and lived in many places over the years, including Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom. She began singing at seven years old, and her father, who is also a musician, was always one of her biggest motivators and supporters. “Kids are like sponges,” she reflects. “Whatever you surround us with is what we pick up, so I was lucky my dad was playing guitar and singing around the house, encouraging me to do it.” By the time she was 15, she began seriously considering a career as an artist. It wasn’t until she graduated university in London in 2019 that she made the move back to Istanbul where she got signed to Warner Music.
“Sometimes my brain feels split in two between Turkish and English,” she says, speaking about her songwriting process. She explains that in Turkish, there are more language rules, so it can be harder to express herself as freely as she can in English. However, because Turkish is such a rich language, coming from more sorrowful roots than English, it can sometimes lead to more emotion-filled songs. Lyrics aside, there is no blanket term for her sound. The best way to describe her music is as “an open buffet: [she] cooks whatever comes out and anyone can pick what they like.” In other words, although her music falls under the umbrella of pop, there is something in there for everyone. Her goal is ultimately just to create a link between English and Turkish music, which she is achieving in more ways than one.
That brings us back to the ongoing “Besties Tour,” which is not only uniting these two artists, but also Turkish communities across the US. This tour has been a huge adventure for the now best friends, especially since they are managing it by themselves. “We are grassroots artists managing our own tour, going with the flow, ending up somewhere we didn't plan to be,” Love says. The freedom of managing your own tour and the fun of hanging out with your best friend every day have been some of the best parts of the experience, but “being able to do music throughout is invaluable,” Love says.
Love and Selin are hoping that their story and experience with this tour have proven that touring is possible for all musicians. It is more accessible than you’d think, and the world could always use more art and friendship.
This star sign duo looks forward to the finale of the “Besties Tour” on Sunday, November 10th at Houston's very own White Oak Music Hall. For more information, you can follow the besties on Instagram @selin.gecit and @dnzlve, and purchase tickets here: https://www.ticketmaster.com/selin-x-deniz-love-houston-texas-11-10-2024/event/3A006124D3803887
Interview by Shelby Mathews & Story by Beth Rose
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