Today we’d like to introduce you to Hazal Kazanci.
Hi Hazal, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started writing songs when I was a little kid. I think I developed this skills as a coping mechanism for the life events that I felt like I didn’t know how to process at an early age. I remember locking myself in my room =) and writing lyrics & poems all day, all night…
Before I learned how to play instruments, the lyrics came to me with the melodies which I find it fascinating now. After I learned music theory and how to play instruments, I started writing songs more professionally.
I didn’t find the courage to release my songs until 2020 cause my songs are exposing me in a very vulnerable way. I released my first song under a nickname which is “HAZI” as an independent artist. My courage about releasing songs picked up by my self-healing journey and I am very happy for it.
I have been singing and writing as far as I remember myself but I kept this as a hobby for a long time cause I was scared not be able to make enough money from being a full-time musician. I am coming from an intellectual family but we were not rich, so I started working on entertainment business at the first year of University.
I started hosting events, competitions and music shows in big venues then I had an opportunity to have my own TV show about music. I have became a professional TV host. I have done interviews with many local and global artists like Akon and 50 Cent.
During my professional hosting carrier, I literally had a second life going on behind the scenes. I was the lead singer of one of the most successful Cover girl’s bands in Turkey. Yes, I was born in Turkey. I kept my singing career under the table cause I was so happy on the stage where I didn’t have to represent any of the companies, brands or names like I did on TV. I was purely me on the stage, enjoying the moment and the audience behind my rock star sunglasses.
No one could tell that that was the same girl on TV…
I was working so hard to pay my bills and save money to be able to release my own music one day. After I while, I found myself very depressed and burnt out from the entertainment business and no matter how hard I worked, I couldn’t be able to save enough money to finance my own album. I was devastated and heartbroken from many things in my life. I dropped everything, first my music band, then I dropped my career and I went to the Caribbean with my boyfriend at the time.
I started working on boats where no one knows me, I wanted to be not known, I wanted to be lost to find my true self…
After many heartbreaks and disappointments, I found myself in Maui, Hawaii all alone. I was devastated but I know that there should be a light at the end of the tunnel. After working on several jobs in Maui, I came to LA a year ago. I came here to speak my truth finally.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I am proud of my ethics but that has been the biggest challenge for my life. I don’t play the entertainment business game by the patriarchal rules and I had to step back from so many opportunities in order to keep my spirit safe. This world has full of wounded people who are ready to wound others so bad and that makes me upset.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am raw, authentic and established, it took me many years and incidents to get here. I believe my vocals carry the drama of life and my melodies have both the Western and Mediterranean scales. I have suffered in multiple languages unlike most of the artists…
It took me a while to accept my artist self. I was conditioned to seek validation from others and to be loved. In order to do that, you have to try to fit in and that takes a lot of effort if you are an artist. So, I am now my most vulnerable self as I’ve ever been and I finally speak my truth through my songs without giving a f*ck what other people may think of. You know what, no one delivered me a Gold Medal because of my great effort for people pleasing.
Any big plans?
I have been working on my album over the last 6 months and I am so close to the finish line. I wrote and arranged all the songs which I’m very proud of. I am hoping to be able to release this album in a couple of months. I am very excited about that!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hazalkazanci/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hazihazitv
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/hazalkazanci
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/hazihazifanpage
Image Credits
Bre Jane Photo
