"I usually come off as really cold when I meet people for the first time, but like I feel five times more than I show usually."
Tuesday 4 June 2024, Canterbury High Street, United Kingdom
Who are we talking to? Deniz
Who is the interviewer? Sean
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SEAN: Would you like to introduce yourself?
DENIZ: Hi, I'm Deniz. I'm 20 years old, I'm from Turkey and this is my second year in university. I study psychology.
SEAN: Perfect. So, first question is what are you passionate about and why?
DENIZ: I'm passionate about discovering new things and trying new things all the time. There are so many things I love doing and it was all thanks to me just being curious about wanting new experiences. So that's how I kind of found all my hobbies and my style.
SEAN: Any hobbies like you do?
DENIZ: I play the lyre and I make necklaces. And I kind of do some fashion related stuff as well, like minor clothing stuff.
SEAN: That’s dope. So second question is was there someone or something that happened that sparked your passion?
DENIZ: I think it was usually mostly my parents, because I always grew up with them trying out new things, because they all had so many different hobbies. So my dad is a diver, free-diver, scuba diver and he likes sailing a lot. And my mom's a painter and photographer. So they all, kind of like showed me that it's okay to try new things.
SEAN: That's pretty cool, okay, so how does it feel to think about your future?
DENIZ: It kind of feels a bit uncertain, so it's a bit stressful. Every time I think about it. I get a bit of a stomach ache right now because I don't really like unknown things. And I'm not necessarily sure what to do with my future. Yes, so it's kind of scary, yeah.
SEAN: That's understandable, to be honest. I mean especially, you said you were in your second year. We're going into our last year and after that we have to just find a job and everything works itself out. So question number four, what's something you're excited about that's happening in the near future?
DENIZ: I'm taking my two really close friends to Turkey, to show them around. So I'm going to show them where I grew up, what I used to do when I was a kid, and stuff like that. I'm just going to take them swimming and stuff, so it's really exciting.
SEAN: That's expensive, is it not?
DENIZ: To be fair, we pre-booked it, so it's not that expensive and they're gonna stay in my house.
"When people, like other adults, asked me what I wanted to be, I'd always say brain surgeon (Laughs). But yeah, it was acting. I wanted to be an actress."
SEAN: So perfect, no airbnb costs. So random question about average wake-up time slash bedtime.
DENIZ: So when I was in uni I would sleep around like 11 PM, 12 AM usually, and I'd wake up probably around like 8:30/9 AM, depending if I had like a morning class. But now that I'm done, it's like 3 or 4 AM and I wake up at like 2 PM.
SEAN: What else do we have to do? We're done, we're done, we're done with everything. So question number six, what was your dream job as a child?
DENIZ: I wanted to be an actress so bad so I begged my parents to put me through agencies and stuff. But when people, like other adults, asked me what I wanted to be, I'd always say brain surgeon (Laughs). But yeah, it was acting. I wanted to be an actress.
SEAN: Have you explored that passion?
DENIZ: I did a lot of drama and theatre when I was in school. Okay, but not necessarily. I mean I didn't do much more after that, because I guess I'm, like I don't know, scared to try it out.
SEAN: I mean it's understandable, it's a big thing. I mean Hyla, you know Hyla?
DENIZ: Yeah, I do.
SEAN: You can do stuff like that, she does a bit of acting. She has a little project. So question number seven, what is something you dreamed of doing for a long time but haven't done so already?
DENIZ: Acting (Laughs). I'd say acting because, like I don't know. I contradict myself with that, because I say I love trying new things, but I never do acting, because I guess ever since I was a kid, I just wanted to do it and I was never able to do it, so I kind of just shut myself off.
SEAN: Is it like a mental barrier?
DENIZ: Probably so yeah.
SEAN: Okay. Is it like fear or?
DENIZ: I think, yeah, I think it's just that I'm like I'm gonna make a fool of myself if I try.
SEAN: Well, you can try, why not? What are some songs you've been listening to recently?
DENIZ: I listen to a lot of She Wants Revenge, it's like an indie rock band. I used to listen to a concerning amount of Lana Del Rey (Laughs), not as much anymore. And I listened to a lot of Turkish songs when I'm at home, so I've been listening to them a lot recently.
SEAN: I hear it, are you going home for the summer?
DENIZ: Yeah, I am.
SEAN: Perfect. Perfect stuff, what's your proudest accomplishment?
DENIZ: I would say coming here, like coming to the UK.
SEAN: Yeah?
DENIZ: Because I was 17 the first time I came here, and it was during the pandemic and I had no one with me, like my parents didn't come with me. I knew no one in the UK at all, and I had to stay in a quarantine hotel for like two weeks by myself. It was so so horrible, so I guess coming here would be better.
SEAN: How do you feel now? Like in the UK, do you feel a little more relaxed?
DENIZ: I feel much better about it.
SEAN: Yeah, man, I can't even imagine coming in covid.
DENIZ: It was hard.
SEAN: At 17 as well. Yeah, I'm so sorry about that. Describe yourself in a few words.
DENIZ: I'd say curious, empathetic, and emotional.
SEAN: That's a good trait. Yeah, okay, okay. And would your friends say the same?
DENIZ: Not really. I don't think they'd agree with the emotional part, only my closest friends, I think. Because I usually come off as really cold when I meet people for the first time, but like I feel five times more than I show usually. So yeah, I don't think people that know me would agree with the emotional part, but my close, close friends do.
SEAN: So you're closed off until you are comfortable? No, that's understandable to me. Do you have a nickname and what's the story behind it?
DENIZ: So my actual name is Deniz, but when I first got to the UK people struggled saying that like pronouncing it for some reason, so they would always say “Denise” or “Dennis,” and I hated that. And one day I was talking with my friend and then she just called me Deni. So it kind of became something only my close friends would call me. So I didn't like it at first, but now it's growing on me. It's like it's only my close friends.
SEAN: How long ago was that?
DENIZ: That was like three years ago.
"My source would definitely be classical art, 18th, 19th century art as well... A lot of different types of mythology, like Greek, old Anatolian mythology, Egyptian mythology."
SEAN: And then what's something that's been on your mind recently?
DENIZ: I'd love to say something positive, but unfortunately it's just the only thing in my mind is the whole horrible events going around the world. Just horrible situations people are in. And, yeah, unfortunately, that's all I can think about, right now.
SEAN: No, it's understandable. It's not always sunshine and rainbows.
DENIZ: And both of my parents are coming from like. So my mum's ancestors are the victims of another genocide and my dad had to leave their hometown during the war times, so it hits close to home to know that other people are struggling and you can't really do much about it other than inform others and help as much as you can.
SEAN: We're gonna go back to, like, the creative process. So what was your inspiration, process or source?
DENIZ: So my source would definitely be classical art, 18th, 19th century art as well. And a lot of mythology really. A lot of different types of mythology, like Greek, old Anatolian mythology, Egyptian mythology. So like, when I'm designing a necklace or something, I usually think about all those things.
SEAN: Do you have any examples, like anything particular that you remember, I mean?
DENIZ: I did like a necklace. It's inspired by the Birth of Venus. So it's like just pearls, a lot of pearls, and like just this big pearl necklace.
SEAN: That sounds cool. Yeah, it's cool that they have a story. So was there anyone who encouraged you to nurture your creativity?
DENIZ: I would say yeah, definitely my mom, because, like I said, she was a painter herself, so she knows how important it is to just kind of go with what you want to do. She always encouraged me to talk about my necklaces more, because I don't usually talk about anything I do. So, she was like, “Just go for it.”
SEAN: So you started for a hobby and then you just grew out. That's cool. Describe the moment you fell in love with your passion.
DENIZ: I kind of realized it when I was in like a really bad spot and I used to compare myself a lot with other people because they all looked like they figured everything out yeah so I was like, “Oh, I don't have the thing I love the most, like I can't really choose only one thing to focus on.” So I kind of just wanted to grow into different things. Just try new art styles, try new fashion items, all of that stuff. Try writing, playing another instrument. So yeah, I was just thinking to myself one day and I was just like I don't have to.
SEAN: Then the last question is there a specific food or drink you like to consume while you're being crazy?
DENIZ: (Laughs) A lot of coffee. That’s like my essential.
SEAN: Coffee, of course, yeah. I think most people have said hot drinks.
DENIZ: Definitely. Well, I do like iced vanilla lattes or like iced lattes, mostly like, even if it's winter.
SEAN: I even have it, it doesn't matter, it's good.
DENIZ: Just caffeine is caffeine.
SEAN: Any food, in particular?
DENIZ: Not really. No, I eat a lot, just whatever.
SEAN: Any food from your background that you would eat while being creative?
DENIZ: I bring a lot of Turkish food back here like as much as you can yeah, of course like as much as I can fit in my suitcase. As I don't get in trouble. So I kind of just eat a lot of that and, yeah, that's, it's kind of a way of like staying intact with my identity and stuff like that.I bring this thing called borek, which is kind of like a roll that has like meat in it. It's really good. It's like it comes with different shapes and sizes.
SEAN: I'm glad that you took the time out of your day to come talk to us. Thank you so much. I hope you enjoy it for sure.
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Photographers: Dante Richardson & Paolo
Photo editor: Dante Richardson
Photoshoot assistants: Hyla Etame, Vanessa Mbeko, & Jolanda Oruni
Interview editor: Hyla Etame
