Redefining Voice : Exploring Gender and Musical Fusion in the Work of Nuri Harun Ateş

Kurzfassung/Abstract

Nuri Harun Ateş is a versatile Turkish singer who fluidly crosses genres, including Western classical music, pop, and nostalgic tunes, singing in multiple languages such as Turkish, French, Italian, English, and Kurdish. Trained as a classical countertenor, Ateş skillfully navigates his vocal range, seamlessly transitioning between his high range and chest register to suit the song and genre. This fluidity is central to his artistic identity, not only in his voice but also in his genre-blending approach—such as fusing Habanera from Bizet’s Carmen with the Turkish classic Bağdat Yolu to create a unique oriental-pop fusion. His fluid artistry is equally reflected in his public persona, where his eclectic style choices—clothing, accessories, and hairstyle—challenge conventional boundaries. Amid Turkey’s traditional social climate, Ateş, a self-identified queer artist, uses styling choices often associated with femininity to encourage his audience to question established gender norms. His lyrics, which explore universal themes of love and relationships, subtly express his sexuality in lines like “I said I wear what I want / I say what I want / You can’t command the heart, that’s just how it is” and “Can somebody please tell me, what is this normal?”

Inspired by post-structuralist and queer theories, including Butler’s ideas on gender performativity and Doty’s “queer moments,”, this paper presents the early stages of an exploratory and descriptive study examining the complex intersections between music, gender, and language through the lens of Ateş’s voice and artistry. Using a case study approach, the research combines media analysis, music analysis, interviews, and live performance observations. These data are being analyzed through grounded theory principles, allowing themes related to music, gender, language and identity to emerge organically. The study aims to provide actionable recommendations for formal, non-formal, and informal music education contexts. This paper will discuss the relevance, methodology, and core research questions while presenting preliminary findings.