Groeispurt highlighted: Yildiz Gies - No Man's Land

What lies on the border between waking and sleeping, between day and night, reality and fantasy? In the moment of weightlessness when you momentarily forget where you came from and nothing can be seen in the distance. You were on the road but don't remember where to go, were looking and have forgotten what for. It is beautiful here. Expectation proved misguided, disappointment brought you here.

A quest in words and music

With her latest project Niemandsland, Nijmegen writer and singer-songwriter Yildiz Gies explores this indefinable world. A collection of funny, down-to-earth and moving reflections on searching, falling and finding, which appears as an LP with a collection of lyrics as well as a live song program with stories and poems. Thanks to a grant from Groeispurt , Gies was able to realize this special project and take a crucial step in her artistic development. No Man's Land cannot be captured in one form: it is a musical and literary work that takes the listener and reader into a world where reality and fantasy merge.

Creating without concessions

Groeispurt 's contribution gave Yildiz the opportunity to shape Niemandsland in her own way, without making concessions to her creative vision. The financial support allowed her to organize tryouts on Texel and Terschelling, which was essential for the development of the performance. The support also allowed her to delve into print work, studio recordings and collaboration with musicians and designers.

For the first time, I was able to work without the constraints of a deficit as a starting point. This allowed me to show my work exactly as I intended. The confidence of Groeispurt gave me the space to fully develop myself as a maker.

©Sara Donkers

The Role of Groeispurt

Groeispurt 's contribution gave Yildiz the opportunity to shape Niemandsland in her own way, without making concessions to her creative vision. This financial support enabled her to organize try-outs on Texel and Terschelling, which was essential for the development of the performance. The support also allowed her to look into print work, studio recordings and collaborating with musicians and designers.

A growing self-confidence

In addition to realizing No Man's Land, this process has greatly strengthened Yildiz as a creator and project leader. The combination of music, written word and recitation was challenging, but with the right support, she was able to bring together all facets of her artistry. "It has shown me that I am capable of carrying a large and complex project. That realization gives me tremendous confidence for the future."

No man's land on tour

The official release of Niemandsland will take place on April 11, 2025 in Brebl, Nijmegen. During this special performance, Yildiz, together with musicians Erik Harbers, Pieter Klaassen and Björn van den Boom, will take the audience into her poetic and musical universe. This will be followed by a series of performances on Dutch stages and festivals.

More information about Niemandsland and tour dates can be found at www.yildizgies.nl. Tickets for the release show on April 11 are available through Brebl's website.