ILA in MEZZ

After an impressive show at Ik Zie U Graag 2025 and an extensive European tour, ILA returns to MEZZ in 2026. With the new album Motherland, which is set to be released in October and was produced by Mikko Gordon, the band led by Turkish-Belgian singer-songwriter Ilayda Cicek showcases an even more ambitious sound. Expect an evening filled with melancholic indie, powerful rock, and songs that you'll find hard to forget.

Motherland revolves around origins, change, and the traces that people leave behind. The inspiration partly comes from the story of Cicek’s father, who in the late 1980s left Turkey for Belgium, leaving behind family, language, and familiar places. This quest for what is lost and what remains runs like a red thread through the album.

A special moment is the song Deniz, Turkish for ‘sea’, in which her father's voice can be felt. The song is based on a poem he wrote about the sea as a symbol of resilience and perseverance.

For the first time, ILA has written a fully-fledged album as a four-piece band. During a songwriting session in Turkey, Motherland took further shape, with new musical influences, more dynamics, and a richer sound. Recognisable as ILA, but bigger, layered, and more personal than ever.