From the beginning of her career, Aynur has set new standards in Kurdish and Turkish music, blending traditional instruments and strings with gripping popular arrangements. At the core is her touching, stirring, powerful, and equally melancholic voice, singing in Kurdish dialects and also in Turkish. World-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma invited her to his famous Silk Road Ensemble and Aynur's success allowed her to collaborate in fellowship with a wide range of acclaimed artists including Kayhan Kalhor, Javier Limón, Kinan Azmeh, Riccardo Muti, the Nederland Blazers Ensemble, the NDR Bigband and many more. In 2017, she received the "Master of Mediterranean Music Award" from the Berklee Mediterranean Music Institute, and in 2021, she was honoured with the "ARTIST AWARD" at the World Music Expo (WOMEX'21), marking a significant milestone in her career as one of the most powerful Kurdish female voices in the music scene. Filmmaker Fatih Akın portrayed her in his film 'Crossing the Bridge' and she appears in an unforgettable scene in Morgan Neville's documentary about Yo-Yo Ma.
In the guise of an exhilarating disco-funk, the single "RABE Edlayê" tells a gripping story about an unattainable love between the daughter of a nobleman and a penniless farmer's son. Confidently, Aynur presents two fantastic original compositions: Jazzily bouncing drums and luminous strings paint a nighttime scene in "Bîranîn" (Remembering) and with "Ez U Bi Teva" (You and I), she has written an intimate song about a young man ascending into the lonely mountain world to find his beloved. In Hekîmo, she takes the listeners on a journey to the prehistoric times of the ancient Kurdish sound with her voice. "Ay Le Gule" compares Kurdistan to a rose of incomparable beauty and intoxicating fragrance. In "Nasil Yar Diyeyim," Aynur showcases her full vocal power with a text by Alevi poet Pir Sultan Abdal, and "Dervis Baba" also revolves around the healing power of Alevi-Bektashi spirituality.
RABE stands as a singular achievement in Aynur's previous work: With love poetry, spirituality, and unwavering determination for freedom, the album showcases a matured artist who asserts herself as the greatest Kurdish voice of decades.
"She is a reason to love live music for centuries." Javier Limòn
Press:
The title of this album, RABE, means 'stand-up' or 'rise-up' in Kurdish and Aynur Doğan has been standing up for her people for 20 years since her Kalan Müzik debut 'Kece Kurdan' in 2004. This is her eighth album and one of her strongest. ... RABE certainly reinforces her role as the leading contemporary female Kurdish voice.
Simon Broughton in SONGLINES
RABE represents a triumphant culmination of over two decades of artistic evolution. Recorded with the collaboration of nearly 20 musicians in Germany and Spain, the album features a diverse sound palette, elegantly, proficiently and beautifully mixing traditional Kurdish music, dance music, meditative interludes, and jazzy improvisations. Notable guest appearances include Michael League of Snarky Puppy on electric guitar and Wu Man, a celebrated Chinese pipa virtuosa.
Sonia Keller in WORLD MUSIC CENTRAL