The award-winning DJ will return to Croatia for a concert at Zagreb's Gallery Club on April 20th.
If you haven’t heard of Mahmut Orhan, it is only a matter of time. Already big in his home country of Turkey after winning GQ’s ‘DJ of the Year’, Orhan combines the sounds of soulful deep house and indie dance music with the worldly elements of his cultural experiences.
His hit track ‘Feel’ featuring Sena Sener saw close to 300 million combined streams on YouTube and Spotify, and he’s no stranger to the Top 20 list on iTunes’ Dance and Global - not only has Orhan made the list in some two dozen countries, but he even reached number one in 11 of them!
Orhan has been part of some of the world’s leading electronic music festivals, and he’s even taken the stage at ULTRA Europe, which the Croatian crowds know all too well.
Orhan returns to Croatia this month for a show at Zagreb’s Gallery Club, and we were lucky to catch up with the favorite DJ before the highly anticipated gig.
Hi Mahmut! Let’s begin by learning a bit about you. Where are you from, and how did you first get into DJing?
Hey, thanks for having this interview with me! I was born in Bursa, Turkey, and started working with music in Bursa at the age of 15. I moved to Istanbul to work at the Bebek nightclub in 2011. I’ve always been passionate about sharing music with others, and this passion has led to my desire to DJ and share my music across the world.
How long have you been producing music as a profession?
I started to make music and produce in 2010. I was impressed and inspired by so many names which I think affected me greatly.
It seems that you've come a long way since then and being awarded the GQ Turkey 'DJ of the Year' is an incredible recognition. Tell us about this experience. Was this the most significant accomplishment in your career? If not, what was?
It was such a huge honour to receive this GQ award, and it is certainly something that I’m really proud of. I’m really happy with how things are going at the moment, including my new track coming soon on Ultra Music titled ‘Six Days’. I’m really happy with it!
We know you've been to Croatia once before to play ULTRA Europe and Forestland Festival - can you tell us about those experiences?
Playing in Croatia is an amazing experience. It’s a beautiful location to get lost in the music, plus the fans are always ready to party hard!
What are you most looking forward to about your upcoming show in Zagreb?
I can’t wait to meet the fans in Zagreb and put on a great show. I’ve been looking forward to this one as I know the audience in Zagreb knows how to party!
What is your message to your Croatian fans before the show?
Hey guys, I look forward to seeing you on the dancefloor soon!
You can see Mahmut in Zagreb on April 20th at the Gallery Club. You can find more information about the show here.
facebook.com/mahmutorhann | twitter.com/MahmutOrhann | instagram.com/mahmutorhan/ | soundcloud.com/mahmut-orhan
