WOW Manchester: My City My Voice

We've teamed up with Kreşendo for My City, My Voice - a project that connects musicians from across Turkey with musicians from Manchester.

Developed in 2022 for WOW Istanbul and supported by the British Council, My City My Voice is now extending its journey to the first WOW - Women of the World Festival in Manchester.

Rojda Sönmez (Diyarbakır) and Ezgi Karadayı (Istanbul) join IORA and Mandy Wigby (Manchester) as musicians in residence. Together they’ll remix tracks originally composed and produced in Istanbul to create new music that weaves in live recordings from across Manchester. 

Created in-situ in less than six hours, the new tracks will be unveiled live at Aviva Studios on Saturday 25 May, with all four artists sharing their creative and collaborative processes.

This event is free to attend. No booking required.

Rojda Sönmez

Diyarbakır based singer, songwriter and music arranger. Rojda has released her debut song “Stranger (Ğeribo)” as part of My City My Voice 2 project. The song is written in English and Zazaki language. On 26th January her second song “Or You’re Not There” has released and the third song “Wounded Bird” will be out on 24th March. All of the songs are written and produced completely by Rojda herself.

Ezgi Karadayı

Ezgi, who completed her undergraduate studies in the Sociology Department at Boğaziçi University, decided to pursue a professional career in music after graduation and successfully completed Bahçeşehir University's Jazz Certificate Program. She then pursued her master's degree in Jazz Performance at the same university. Having undertaken various roles at Kreşendo since its establishment, Ezgi now works as the Operations Director.

IORA

Holly Phelps, under the alias IORA, creates melody driven alternative electro-pop, performing at events like Glastonbury and The Great Escape. Her latest single 'Feel it' received support from BBC 6 music. Her EP  'Devil in Me' in collaboration with David O'Dowda, released through Extreme Music (Sony/ATV Music Publishing), placed 16th on Romania's Shazam charts and has been placed on Netflix, Paramount Plus and ABC News. Holly is also a music facilitator, mentor and creative producer and is driven by her passion for creativity, inclusivity, and ambition. Operating globally, Holly is committed to creating safe spaces and advocating for equal access to arts and music. 

Mandy Wigby

Mandy Wigby, an electronic musician, composer, and educator based in Manchester, is a driving force behind the soundscapes of Architects of Rosslyn (AoR) along with multi-instrumentalist Howard Jacobs. With AoR, Mandy delves into a realm where acoustic and electronic instruments converge, weaving found sounds into original compositions inspired by nature and mathematics. Her advocacy for inclusivity and empowerment extends beyond the studio, mentoring emerging artists for partners like Delia Derbyshire Day and the British Council. Mandy's sonic experimentations and dedication to community enrichment highlights her passion for the intersection of music, technology, and social change.