Döner Date with UFO361
An Interview by Brenda Weischer
UFO361 was born and raised in Kreuzberg as Ufuk Bayraktar, and his stage name pays homage to his West Berlin roots through the use of postal codes from before the fall of the Berlin Wall. His audience is primarily German, but through collaborations with artists like Gunna and Quavo, he has attracted an international audience. We met with UFO361 at Imren Grill in Kreuzberg to discuss the release of SONY, his biggest inspirations and fashion while eating his favourite döner.
What is the best döner in Berlin?
UFO361: I have been coming to this Döner spot for years now (Imren Grill in Kreuzberg). It’s so classic and authentic and is probably my favourite outside of Turkey.
What is your go-to order?
UFO361: Döner with everything with no sauce and Ayran. It is the only way to order a Döner in my opinion.
How did your travelling 7 weeks in Los Angeles and hanging around american rappers influence the making of SONY?
UFO361: It didn’t have an influence on SONY. I’ve been to LA many times in the past years and was influenced by a lot of things that shaped my last six projects. But the inspiration doesn’t come from only American rappers. This album is more reflective of what I’m going through currently,
How does it feel to see fans’ reaction to SONY after recent successes like Stay High, and how does it feel seeing your music become more internationally recognised?
UFO361: Everyone’s response has been really good so far. Especially because of collaborations, my music is getting more international recognition through social media. It makes me happy to see my music acknowledged by the international audience. It proves more how music is understood even if you can’t understand the words.
You’ve been seen in recent years wearing a lot of Rick Owens and Balenciaga. How did you develop this fashion style?
UFO361: I have always been really into fashion – when I was still in school I would always be aware of what I was wearing. I think my development with Balenciaga and Rick Owens was due to me exploring my darker side with music, and also a lot because of collaborations.
Who is someone you would like to work or collaborate with soon?
UFO361: Regarding music, I would say Young Thug or Kanye West. They just bring something different and are some of my biggest music inspirations since I started. If we are talking fashion, I would say Raf Simons or Rick Owens. I have been a long time collector of Raf and I love everything that Rick does.
What is next for UFO361?
UFO361: Now that my album is out, I’m going to focus mainly on my merch and staying chronically offline and off social media. I want to relax for a bit.
