Turkish songwriter, singer, and live artist Bora Uzer has been mesmerizing dance-floors around the world over the last 12 months. Most recently, he joined Rüfüs Du Sol across the USA on an expansive coast-to-coast tour.
2022 saw performances at legendary venues including Denver’s Red Rocks, Ibiza’s Blue Marlin, and Scorpios in Mykonos. He is quickly garnering a reputation as a master of improvisation and a conductor of emotion and connectivity through the delivery of his entrancing live performances.
He began his music career at the age of 17 after receiving an invitation to study jazz at the Rotterdam Conservatoire of Music, and he has gone on to drop releases with global imprints such as Diynamic, Sol Selectas, and classic UK imprint Renaissance.
We caught up with Bora in the middle of his debut Brazil tour to get the lowdown on his year-to-date and all that is to come.
EG: Thanks for joining us, Bora! 2022 has been an amazing year for you so far. You recently completed 5 shows on tour with Rufus Du Sol. How was that experience?
Bora Uzer: Absolutely, 2022 has been a great year for me. Being on tour with Rüfüs Du Sol was an incredible experience. Thanks to them, I got the chance to perform in front of many new faces, and I certainly saw a lot of new fans discovering my music. They have an incredible team and a great frame of mind. They do it from the heart and for all the right reasons.
EG: Your most recent release ‘Lost Myself’ dropped on Avtook Records last month. How has the reaction been to the song in a live setting?
Bora Uzer: For ‘Lost Myself’, it’s been an amazing journey. When I first produced it, I started testing it out on the dance floor. Every time I dropped the track it would make a huge wave and people just loved it. So we decided to release it and the reaction has been great. A lot of people have been texting me, telling me “we need more, more, more”… So that’s why I’m busy in the studio right now.
EG: Can you tell us what other highlights have been for you this year?
Bora Uzer: 2022 was really full of highlights for me. One of the big ones was the residency at Blue Marlin every Saturday during the Summer for my OJO party. In the beginning, we had to create something from scratch so seeing its success was very special to me and a real standout moment of 2022.
EG: You’re currently on the second leg of your Brazil tour for 3 more shows, including an appearance at the legendary Warung Beach Club. What can you tell us about that?
Bora Uzer: Yes, this year was my first time in Brazil, and I didn’t know what to expect. It was a blank slate, I just wanted to learn and find out what the country was all about, and I am happy to return. I was welcomed so warmly. The Brazilian crowd is incredible, they are so responsive. They are there to have fun and dance, not to show off.
Those electric vibes obviously translate to the artist. As I always say, “if there is no input, there is no output”. So it was an amazing experience to have so much input. It was a special connection for sure. I’m really looking forward to going back.
EG: Creativity and live improvisation are at the heart of your performances. How do you prepare for your shows and what is your mindset when you first step up on stage?
Bora Uzer: Yes, creativity and improvisation are very, very important. To improvise, you have to be in the moment, and being in the moment is everything for me in my art form. When you are creating so much, when you are there in the moment, you have no time to think about the past or the future. You are there, you are creating, being, and that is the essence of my creation.
I’ve trained as a musician all my life so anything that comes my way I should be able to create and dance with it. So I throw myself into these challenges. If I know what is coming my way, it is not exciting for me. If it is not exciting for me, it’s not going to be exciting for the people receiving it. So I try not to prepare before the show, and my mindset is always about being happy and positive. Being happy and giving are the keys to success in any show. Especially for me because it is so interactive.
EG: What is one piece of advice you’d give to an artist looking to bring a live element into their performance?
Bora Uzer: I would say, if you are bringing new elements to your show, take your time. Don’t try to add too much at once. Even just a piece, like an FX pedal or looper, will change the experience. So if you do it slowly piece by piece it will go more smoothly.
When you’re on stage, people don’t want to know how many instruments you used, they want to hear the results. So if you make sure that the process is as enjoyable as possible it will be better. “Minimum effort and maximum output” is my motto in this regard. If you learn your instruments inside out, it will show.
“When you’re on stage, people don’t want to know how many instruments you used, they want to hear the results. So if you make sure that the process is as enjoyable as possible it will be better”
EG: You’re back in Los Angeles at Sound on January 13. What can the LA fans expect?
Bora Uzer: My relationship with LA and the fans there has been building so nicely. I can’t wait to go back there. I’m always developing my sound. Lately, I’ve been experimenting a lot so I’m excited to bring some new jams and come with a new fire.
EG: Any hopes or dreams for 2023 that you can share with us?
Bora Uzer: I feel like I’m already living the dream. I just want to expand and meet more people, get better and better, and create more incredible sonic journeys for everyone. Thank you!
Bora Uzer’s ‘Lost Myself’ is out now via Avtook Records. Purchase your copy here.
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