Ay Yola is a Bashkir folk-pop group founded in Ufa in 2024. The project stands at the crossroads of ethnic, pop, and electronic music, blending Bashkir culture, traditional instruments, and epic storytelling into a modern sound.
Formation and Members
The group was launched in 2024 as a trio:
- Adel Shaikhitdinova — vocals, guitar, dombra;
- Ruslan Shaikhitdinov (known as DJ Ruslan Sever) — keyboards, bass, kyl-kubyz;
- Rinat Ramazanov — vocals and the kurai instrument.
The idea for the project emerged after their collaboration on the song “Ufa Moya,” dedicated to the 450th anniversary of the city. The creative synergy inspired the musicians to form a group uniting the ancient and the modern.
Musical Style and Concept
Ay Yola builds its sound around ethno-pop, combining:
- traditional Bashkir instruments (kurai, dombra, kyl-kubyz);
- modern electronic and pop arrangements;
- melodic vocal lines and repetitive rhythmic motifs;
- lyrics primarily in the Bashkir language, referencing the epic “Ural-Batyr” and the region’s cultural heritage.
The group’s name, Ay Yola, can be interpreted as “universal laws” or “order of the cosmos.” The project aims to connect cultural heritage with modern ideas through music.
Breakthrough and Hits
The band’s first public track, “Batyr”, was released in February 2025 and reflected the unity of eras and epic themes.
However, real success came with the single “Homay”, released on March 14, 2025. The track went viral and entered Shazam charts, gaining traction across the Turkic world and beyond. “Homay” tells the mythological story of the bird Huma — a symbol of wisdom and light — while remaining a modern musical creation.
Thanks to “Homay,” the band gained recognition not only in Russia and Bashkortostan but also in Kazakhstan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and other regions.
Recognition and Influence
Within months of their debut, Ay Yola received widespread attention from media and the music community. Their project is seen as a bridge between tradition and innovation — especially significant in an era of renewed interest in cultural identity.
The group is recognized as one of the most promising new acts in the modern ethno-pop scene, with “Homay” compared to other viral Turkic hits for its ability to climb charts and captivate audiences far beyond its native region.
