Can Bonomo describes himself as “musician, poet, dad” in that order on his website. Add to that his work as songwriter, broadcaster, actor and illustrator, and you get a better sense of his incredible creative talents.
The alt-pop singer says his wide-ranging cultural influences include writers Nazım Hikmet and Atilla İlhan, classical musical composer Ulvi Cemal Erkin, and British indie rocker Peter Doherty.
Izmir-born Bonomo, 37, made his musical debut with Meczup, which means ‘lunatic’ in English, in 2011 – not long after he had lost his mother to cancer. The critically acclaimed indie album, with its alternative sounds, catchy lyrics and memorable pop videos helped Bonomo, who also plays the guitar and piano, to stand out, earning him Best New Artist at both the Radio Boğaziçi Music Awards and the prestigious Golden Butterfly Television Awards.
In 2012, Bonomo was selected to represent Turkiye at Eurovision, which that year was being hosted in neighbouring Baku, Azerbaijan. The international song contest helped grow the young artist’s profile and he placed seventh in the competition.
Since then, he has released five more studio albums, including his 2024 long play Kara Konular [Dark Matters]. Apart from one track – Canım Diye – which is by Mabel Matiz, Bonomo penned 11 of the 12 songs on Kara Konular, which features a host of duets with stars such as Melike Şahin, Serkan Keskin, Gökhan Özoğuz, Sarp Apak, Engin Öztürk, and Nova Norda, as well as two duets with Matiz, including Kalbi Hepten Kırıklara.
Bonomo is known for his energetic live performances, which Londoners had the chance to experience when he headlined the epic Turkish Day at Trafalgar Square back in June 2014.
He returns to the British capital next month for an exclusive date at the Islington Assembly Hall. Grab your tickets now!
Concert Details
Title: Can Bonomo
Date: Saturday 28 September 2024
Times: Doors open at 7pm
Venue: Islington Assembly Hall, Upper Street, Islington, London N1 2UD
Admission: tickets are priced £47.33 (includes booking fee)
Tickets: from the venue online – click here.
Main photo, top, of Can Bonomo live in Ankara, Oct. 2023. Photo © Begum Ars via Facebook/Can Bonomo
