Turkish Girl Group Manifest Aims for Global Stardom After Reality TV Rise

Weeks after appearing on a boat, the Turkish girl group manifest found themselves on the stage of Wembley Arena, preparing for their first UK concert.

The group, composed of Sueda Uluca, Lidya Pınar, Mina Solak, Zeynep Sude Oktay, Hilal Yelekçi, and Esin Bahat, has experienced a rapid ascent since their formation in February of the previous year.

Manifest was created through the Turkish reality television competition Big5 Türkiye, where contestants competed over several months for a spot in the group. They received mentorship from established Turkish pop artists, including Gülçin Ergül, a former member of the girl group Hepsi, who also served as a judge.

The group's swift rise is reflected in their streaming numbers, boasting over six million monthly listeners on Spotify. Their ambition extends beyond London, with Yelekçi stating, "After Wembley, we'll manifest Coachella and other big stages."

While in London, manifest released their first English-language single, "TRALALA." The song's music video topped YouTube's daily music video chart upon its release, surpassing videos from artists like Shakira and Taylor Swift. This marked their first music video filmed outside of Turkey, utilizing a predominantly British production crew in east London.

"Getting out from that safe zone was a bit stressful for us," Pınar commented on the experience.

Despite their aspirations for British and American stages, the group is committed to maintaining their Turkish identity. "We want to reach a global audience with our Turkish songs actually, not with English ones," Sude Oktay explained. "We want to teach people to sing in Turkish."

Their musical influences include the Spice Girls, alongside fellow Turkish girl group Hepsi. Pınar noted Baby Spice as her favorite, citing the color pink and her own appearance as reasons.

Manifest also had the opportunity to meet British-Albanian singer Dua Lipa. Lipa met the group backstage before attending their performance at her Sunny Hill Festival in Kosovo in July of the same year, offering them encouragement.

The energy was palpable outside Wembley Arena on the day of the concert, with fans adorned in manifest-branded accessories and carrying banners. The crowd was largely composed of Turkish women in their 20s and 30s, many dressed in the group's signature colors.

Friends Elif, 31, and Zeynep, 25, Turkish women residing in London, reflected on the band's eventful year. "I don't think I've ever heard of a girl band performing there," Zeynep remarked, comparing it to the last performance by Hepsi when she was seven. "It's maybe a once-in-a-lifetime experience."

Turkish pop artist Tarkan is among the few Turkish artists to have performed at Wembley Arena, doing so in 2008.

For Elif, the concert held a broader significance, especially given the current climate in their home country. "We are going through difficult times back home. It means girl power and empowerment, and just having fun and being together," she said. "I feel like back home people came together to support them and criticise the treatment that they were receiving from the government."

Zeynep expressed hope for the group's future, particularly their ability to perform freely in Turkey. "It's great to see them here, but I hope one day they will be back in Turkey and they'll be able to do whatever they want without getting persecuted for it," she stated.