Features
The dream of hope: Sueños de Esperanza
“My greatest joy in life is curating, shaping and organising musical experiences”
Since launching in 2023, Sueños de Esperanza has been making confident strides across both local and international terrains of the electronic music scene. While expanding its reach through events in different corners of the world, it has also built a multi-faceted structure with artist management and label operations. We spoke with founder Bugra Baktir about the brand’s origin story, the evolution of its musical vision, and the ambitions shaping its future.
Can you tell us about the foundation of Sueños de Esperanza and the vision behind it?
I’ve been involved with music for many years. I started out learning DJing, which later led to advanced instructor training abroad, before moving into working with radio platforms.
The name Sueños de Esperanza means “the dream of hope”, and that carries deep personal meaning for me. I was never just a passive participant at events — I moved with the music. My greatest joy in life is curating, shaping and organising musical experiences. Today, we’ve grown into a team of around 20 people.
If you exclude our legal and finance team, we’re essentially a close-knit crew of 15 talented artists. The name says it all, many of them had hit a ceiling in Turkey, and we began managing their careers. Now they’re performing across Europe and beyond, from Italy to Spain, Georgia to Dubai, and releasing their own music.
We currently operate as a label, management company and promoter all at once.
What guides your choice of event locations? How do you approach discovering new destinations?
Finding a decent venue in Turkey, or rather, a good one, is a challenge in itself. Even if you manage to secure a well-known spot, it’s become nearly impossible to turn a profit as a promoter. The country’s current economic climate has pushed us, like many others, into a tough corner, especially financially.
There are very few brands in Turkey truly doing this properly. You need to communicate well and express yourself clearly. Some events are all about PR, but others have to generate real income. As you’d expect, we work with international artists who are paid in foreign currencies, while our income comes in Turkish lira.
So we’ve decided to work with fewer, more serious partners — companies that really know what they’re doing. Our business model is now sharply focused. This year, we launched a new strategy to explore fresh markets through our Esperanza Showcase series. We’ve taken it to Madrid, Tbilisi, Batumi and Dubai, and now we’re heading to Milan. We take pride in doing this as a Turkish company.
We’re beginning to receive investment interest from across Turkey. In many ways, our international journey is just beginning. We’re on the verge of becoming flag-bearers for certain concepts, and it’s an incredibly exciting time.
You’ve held events in cities like Amsterdam, Madrid and Istanbul. How has the experience been in these major hubs, and what feedback have you received?
These cities are among the world’s cultural powerhouses. The competition is fierce. On any given night, when you compare across cities, you realise just how intense that competition is.
But we know what we’re doing and we stick to it. I’d say we’ve reached a point of becoming more institutional. We have a strong team, including my dear friend Emrah Is — one of the pioneers of EDM in Turkey — who now serves as our general manager. Okan Evci leads our group operations, and Hayri Cetin is in charge of booking and supervision. Let’s just say we do our homework.
Feedback has been great. We’re planning to return to Madrid soon, and we’ve also received a request from Milan. We’re excited, but keeping our feet firmly on the ground.
Beyond hosting your own events, do you collaborate with other organisations? How do those partnerships usually take shape?
We used to, but truthfully, dual leadership is a tricky business in this industry. Expectations vary wildly. As you know, the sector isn’t fully professionalised, so partnerships tend to operate by street rules. We’ve mostly moved away from that model. That said, we do have one or two important collaborations in the works with close friends — we’ll keep the details under wraps for now.
What guides your artist selection process when building a line-up?
Every morning from 7:30 to 9:00, I listen to newly released live sets and take notes. I watch the artists carefully. I’m hands-on when it comes to scouting.
One key reason we’ve succeeded with debut performances in Turkey is that we don’t just look at Spotify metrics or follow trends. Instead, I draw on my network of internationally renowned artist friends and combine their insights with local data — how often they’re streamed in Turkey, audience feedback, their scene impact — and all that goes into the final decision.
Aside from music, what other elements do you focus on during your events?
Our community. That’s incredibly important to us. From the very beginning, we wanted to build a real following. Now, the people who follow us are starting to create their own communities, which I love to see. We’ve begun to attract dedicated followers who care more about us than just the artists on the bill. Even if it’s a small base, these loyal groups are growing.
It took us time to cultivate this — a crowd that loves good music, enjoys the moment in style, and leaves a venue just as vibrant as they entered it.
What’s next for Sueños de Esperanza? What kind of impact do you want to create within the electronic music community?
Next year, one of our headquarters will be based in Barcelona. I’m announcing it for the first time here, and it’s thrilling. We’ll offer our artists studio time and training opportunities there.
At the same time, we’re building lasting collaborations in Europe. In Turkey, we’re nurturing two major festivals, both already in early planning stages. Each of them will have a Turkish and European leg — one foot in Turkey, the other in two European cities.
I want to emphasise this: we aim to continue working closely with KLEIN Entertainment Group, a key player in our sector. Together, we’ve created standout events, and we’re preparing for even better ones in summer 2025 — ready to meet our audience at a whole new level.
