Ali Doğan Gönültaş was born in the mid-1980s in Kiğı, a rural village in the rugged mountains of Eastern Anatolia, into a Kurdish family for whom—like most Alevi families—music is an essential means of passing on the history of their people. Shortly thereafter, the family was forced to migrate into the city. Already in Istanbul, Ali was encouraged by his teachers and elders to sing. He already possessed this gift, the gift of natural musicality, which he further refined through his artistic activities and compositional work.

His university studies in archaeology and film gave him a deep focus on research and source analysis, as well as the ability to translate this background into a highly engaging artistic and communicative language. Heritage, talent, and the performing arts come together in his work.

After ten years, two albums, and hundreds of concerts with the captivating band Ze Tîje, Ali Doğan produced and released his first solo album, Kiğı, in 2022, the result of fifteen years of research, conversations with elders, and work on musical arrangements. In Kiğı, Ali highlights the languages and cultures of silenced minorities in Turkey, such as the Kurds and Armenians. The album paved the way for performances on major European stages. The reception of his album Keyeyi (2024) confirmed the magic.

Musicians:

Ali Doğan Gönültaş: voice, tembur
Ali Kutlutürk: percussion
Emrah Oğuztürk: traditional wind instruments