By Rachel Na
Ilhan Saferali, currently in Grade 11, is a dedicated musician who oozes passion and purpose when performing or simply speaking about his music. He is greatly admired by his peers and younger musicians for his impressive musical accomplishments at the ripe age of sixteen.
Outside of his active musical commitments—performing at various cafes, restaurants and private events—Ilhan is a live music enthusiast, big-time rooibos tea drinker, and can be found working at his family’s donut-shop-plus-cafe, Honey Doughnuts and Goodies. Although he is an only child, he wishes that he had grown up with siblings. Ilhan prefers to surround himself with people rather than being alone; a reflection of his musical style. He believes that having a charismatic and open-minded personality is valuable in the music community and that remaining modest is key. This is one of the reasons why he was hired and currently plays in the band “Cantaloupe Lounge”, a 7-member hip-hop group “making music out of a garden shed in East Vancouver”. In this close-knit group, Ilhan has met some of his closest friends who also share his love for creating music. Ilhan and his band’s original music can be found on a playlist linked here: Cantaloupe Lounge.
Ilhan Saferali, currently in Grade 11, is a dedicated musician who oozes passion and purpose when performing or simply speaking about his music. He is greatly admired by his peers and younger musicians for his impressive musical accomplishments at the ripe age of sixteen.
Outside of his active musical commitments—performing at various cafes, restaurants and private events—Ilhan is a live music enthusiast, big-time rooibos tea drinker, and can be found working at his family’s donut-shop-plus-cafe, Honey Doughnuts and Goodies. Although he is an only child, he wishes that he had grown up with siblings. Ilhan prefers to surround himself with people rather than being alone; a reflection of his musical style. He believes that having a charismatic and open-minded personality is valuable in the music community and that remaining modest is key. This is one of the reasons why he was hired and currently plays in the band “Cantaloupe Lounge”, a 7-member hip-hop group “making music out of a garden shed in East Vancouver”. In this close-knit group, Ilhan has met some of his closest friends who also share his love for creating music. Ilhan and his band’s original music can be found on a playlist linked here: Cantaloupe Lounge.
He is also passionate about travelling, particularly he is interested in the distinct styles of music from different regions of the world. On his recent trip to New York City, Ilhan experienced the wonders of this upbeat and lively city but the highlight of his time there was “being able to immerse [himself] in a city where music goes from 2pm to 2am”.
Ilhan’s philosophy on life is to always “look at things on a bigger scale” rather than get caught up in the little things. He plays music simply because it make him happy; he can always count on it to put a smile on his face. Ilhan takes pride in being able to share his music with other people, hoping to put a smile on their faces as well. When playing the trumpet or composing a piano piece, it is in its purest form, a means for him to express his deepest sentiments. Ilhan strongly believes that “music is a universal language” and he plays every weekend with the goal of making a meaningful connection to audience members and “keeping music alive”.
Visit Ilhan’s website at ilhansaferali.com to find out more about him and his upcoming performances!