Gaye Su Akyol (born 30 January 1985 in Istanbul) is a Turkish singer-songwriter, producer, painter and anthropologist whose music fuses Anatolian folk and classical Turkish traditions with psychedelic rock, surf, post-punk and electronic textures. She has released four studio albums - most recently Anadolu Ejderi (2022) on Sub Pop and Glitterbeat - and has been reviewed by The Guardian, The New York Times and Pitchfork, winning the Songlines Best Artist award in 2019, the first Turkish musician to do so. Now based between Istanbul and Berlin, she is a prominent voice in Turkey's alternative scene and an outspoken advocate for women's and LGBTQ+ rights.
Director Fatih Akin confirmed at IFF Art Film Košice (June 2026) that he is working on a documentary portrait of Gaye Su Akyol, titled 'Sie ist ein anatolischer Drache' (Anatolian Dragon), with Akyol now based in Berlin.
Fatih Akin unveiled the documentary project 'Anatolian Dragon' about Gaye Su Akyol at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2025, describing her as representative of a generation of educated Turks who have left the country.
Berlin's Medienboard (MBB) awarded €100,000 in funding to Fatih Akin's production company bombero international for the documentary about Gaye Su Akyol in its first 2025 funding round.
Gaye Su Akyol recorded a live session for Seattle radio station KEXP in November 2023, becoming the first Turkish musician to perform on the station.
Her fourth album Anadolu Ejderi was released on 25 November 2022 via Glitterbeat and Sub Pop, expanding her sound with traditional instruments including oud, electro baglama and cümbüş alongside rock guitar.
The WDR Funkhausorchester joins Turkish artist Gaye Su Akyol for her "Anatolian Dragon" project, fusing Anatolian musical traditions with psychedelic rock at Cologne's WDR Sendesaal.
Gaye Su Akyol performs with WDR Funkhausorchester in a unique classical and jazz music concert.