Ancient Greece laid the foundation of many things that are present in the world today. One of the most valuable things that is passed on from them is music. The Greek goddesses, Muses, became the origination of the word “mousike,” meaning the art of symphonies, poetry, and dance.

Since then, people carry the word, giving it their own definitions and meanings. For some people, it is the language of love, while some people turn to music in heartbreak. Some people believe music spreads joy and peace, while for some people, music is solace. Some people use music to escape from the real world, while some people believe music makes them feel alive. Regardless of the reason why people appreciate it, the undeniable fact is that the whole word is eloquent in music.

However, for some people, music is more than just an art form; for them, it is the sole purpose of believing that there is more to life than just ‘surviving.’ It motivates them and gives them the power to pursue their dreams. This is why there are so many individuals in the world today who followed their instincts and passion for music, changing it into their career paths. Their love and devotion towards music make people admire them, and this is why people like Adele, John Legend, Adam Levine, Demi Lovato, and countless other musicians, are treasured.

Out of the population who have the passion for music, have the ability to write their own songs, and bring the tunes to life, Umut Gundogdu, better known as, TheUmutmusic, is a rising star in the industry. His impeccable skill to string fascinating words into harmony enchants listeners from the very beginning of his tracks and is taking his recognition to new heights.

THE BEGINNING OF THE TUNES

Umut Gundogdu was born on January 10, 1986, in Eskisehir, Turkey. Even as a child, he showed great talent as a musician. During his early primary school years, his music teacher encouraged himto join the choir,and he carried it throughout high school as well. He also began performing in musical theater while he was in high school. Umut was not just talented; he was passionate about creating his own music. He grew up listening to Micheal Jackson, Mariah Carey and Whiteny Houston, who pushed him forward to pursue his dreams of being an artist.

In 2003, he joined the Anadolu University to find his own path in music. University times were not easy on Umut, and he had to support himself to make his dreams come true. He started working at a local Copy Center. He worked there for more than two years and later became the manager.

While working at the Copy Center, he also began the journey to pursue his dreams and decided to make some demos. He rented studios many times a week to create his demos, improve his live performing skills and script lyrics. One of his brother’s friends helped him become more integrated into the local music scene, and by 2005, he had created real, unique music.

THE LADDER OF SUCCESS

Umut had found his true calling, and in 2007, he joined Barakbeat, the Rap/R&B group, with his brotherUfuk, aka Argo. He actively began touring across Turkey, which helped him climb the ladder of success tremendously. Umut had unique R&B vocals, which led the group to expand their style. They combined rap verses with R&B vocals for the chorus. Since, at the time, this music style was fairly uncommon in Turkey, they started gaining a lot of people’s attention. Barakabeat performed in Eskisehir’s most popular ‘Club 222’, and their music was played on Fox TV Turkey as well. The band also created 2 albums and released numerous singles.

GOING SOLO

Even though Umut was doing exceptionally well, he wanted to create solo recognition, so he planned on creating an English debut album. Umut always believed that making music in English would help him reach a larger audience. Even though he was able to record several songs, he was unable to release the album since releasing an English R&B Hip-hop was not easy in Turkey.

Instead of falling back, Umut looked forward to new opportunities, and in 2011, he moved to Leiden, Netherlands. With the aim to improve his musical technique and search for new possibilities, Umut began performing as a solo artist after Barakbeat broke up.  Since the Dutch culture and language was foreign to Umut, he faced several difficulties. He started working in small jobs, which helped him create his home studio so he could continue to make music.

Umut flew solo by releasing his first single in the Netherlands in 2013, “One Love.” The song gained recognition instantly, and its success led Umut to create another single, “Bounce,” which was released in 2015. At the same time, Umut started opened a small online business (I don’t wanna give details). Alongside managing his business, he produced and played music at clubs and events as a DJ. His success helped him open his own bar, ‘Wave Bar’ in The Hague. There, he hosted regular parties and events.

His Borther Ufuk joined him for sometime in Netherlands. Together, they developed an interest in filmmaking. They bought cameras and other equipment to make amateur videos and began editing them. On Umut’s realization that his love for art was not limited to music, he decided to do videos, short films, and editing as well and was bent on extending his dream.

THE BALANCE AND LOVE FOR MUSIC AND FILMMAKING

Early 2018 brought Umut to Miami. From there, he began traveling across several cities in the U.S, including Orlando, Nashville, Chicago, Kansas City, and New York, to learn more about the music industry.  In 2019, he moved to New York City and started his formal education in Advanced Filmmaking at Digital Film Academy in Manhattan. While still enrolled in the program, he launched NSE (Natural Sound Effects), an independent music label and video production company.

Umut released “Desire” in the past year, which was a great hit. In 2020, he released “With You” with a music video produced and directed by Umut himself. The song received immense recognition in music blogs and U.S. radio, debuting on Kiss FM.

Currently,Umut Gundogdu is making more short films, editing, color grading, and directing. He is also mix & mastering, composing music, writing songs, and singing for his own company NSE Entertainment. Umut Gundogdu’s journey from his childhood till today narrates a story of undying passion and exceptional artistry. He is winning hearts across the globe while aiming to win a Grammy and making NSE Entertainment a global company.