Recent studies of recording industries have begun to shift from focusing on corporate structures and technology to increasing inclusion of the impact of such technologies on the musical craftsmen (Hesmondhalgh 2019; Stahl 2013). Compensatory studies that attend to musicians in studios reveal the extent to which music industries exploit creative joy for the sake of profit margins at the cost of human well-being and economic stability. In Türkiye Romani communities have been socially, politically and economically marginalized since the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires into the contemporary Republic period, yet throughout these periods have provided crucial services in niche occupations---musicianship constituting the most prestigious and audible work. By focusing on the role of Romani musicians in the changing structures of the Ottoman-Turkish recording industries, I propose a deeper understanding of the role of creative laborers whose musical production has been a crucial yet hidden factor in recording history. From 1890 to the present, the Ottoman to Turkish recording periods evidence dialectical influences by which musicians' subjectivities were shaped, as well profoundly impacted the structures of recording practices. In this way I expand upon Sterne’s 2013 insight into the mutual development of technology, fidelity and liveness into the co-development of musicians’ craftsmanship, subjectivity and recordings. Drawing upon field research and archival materials, I propose 5 areas of investigation: 1) local values and traditions of craftsmanship; 2) mimesis in terms of dialectical relationship between "live" and "recorded" sound; 3) genrefication; 4) tensions between commercial -v- state discourses; 5) transnational distribution networks.

In 2010, UNESCO classified Western Armenian as a “definitely endangered” language, highlighting the need for language revitalization in Armenian diaspora communities. This research examines a community-centered approach to revitalizing Armenian heritage language through the integration of folk songs that remain active in modern-day Turkey, Armenia, and diaspora communities worldwide. Many of these songs are preserved in Western Armenian dialects such as Hamshen, Gyumri, and Akhalkalak. Hamshen folk songs, now republished in contemporary musical formats like Black Sea Rock, increase their relevance and accessibility for younger generations. Folk songs, being communal, offer a supportive environment for diasporic Armenians to reconnect with their heritage language, helping to counteract the insecurity that often hinders language use. Research by Salcedo (2002) and Engh (2013) shows that language acquisition thrives in low-anxiety environments, and music can lower emotional barriers, enhance vocabulary recall, and improve pronunciation. Folk music’s deep connection to heritage language reinforces cultural identity, making it a key element in diaspora language education. This research includes ethnographic fieldwork conducted between October 2025 and March 2026 in various diaspora communities, participatory action research through folk singing workshops in diaspora communities, and analysis of interviews with the diaspora’s older generations and music educators, and performances. It uses frameworks from ethnomusicology, heritage language education, and affective theory in second language acquisition to explore how musical participation fosters linguistic confidence and emotional ties to Armenian identity. Ultimately, folk song practices in diaspora communities can serve as vital tools for sustaining Armenian heritage language and fostering a sense of collective belonging.

This paper examines female Islamic singing in the Balkans through a comparative perspective linking Southeast Europe with Central Asia. If Islam is transmitted not only through doctrine but also through sound—recitation, lamentation, devotional poetry, melodic formulae—then women’s vocal practices become important sites of religious continuity and lived knowledge.Based on ethnographic fieldwork in Bosnia-Herzegovina and comparative research in Uzbekistan, I explore devotional genres such as ilahije, na‘t, nesheed, salavat, mevlud and Hudoyi recitations, and zikr-related repertoires as gendered sound worlds of faith. In both regions, women’s singing often takes place in semi-private, domestic, yet socially meaningful settings. These performances cultivate what Mahmood (2005) calls pious agency—forms of ethical self-making shaped through devotional practice. Following Sugarman’s (1997) insight that singing produces subjectivity rather than simply expressing it, I argue that female devotional performance actively shapes religious identity. Through vocal timbre, maqam-based melodic patterns, poetic language, and performance context, women articulate moral commitment and communal resilience.The comparison highlights shared Islamic sound principles—clear delivery of sacred text, melismatic expression, modal organisation—alongside different historical experiences. In Central Asia, women’s Islamic singing adapted to Soviet secularism; in the Balkans, it responded to war, displacement, and post-socialist revival.Placing Balkan devotional singing within a broader Islamic acoustic tradition (Asad 1993; Hirschkind 2006), this paper argues that women’s voices function as forms of sonic authority through which piety, resilience, and religious meaning are sustained across Asia and Europe.