Manifest — Turkey’s Pop Sensations Bring The Energy During Medina College Visit
Six women, one irresistible pop force, and a packed Medina Theatre audience discovering just why Manifest are being tipped for global stardom.
The event took place during the rapidly-rising Turkish group's visit to the Isle of Wight on Thursday (October 1).
Within moments of taking to the stage, it was obvious why there had been so much anticipation for their arrival.
Manifest delivered a high-octane performance packed with precision choreography, boundless energy and the kind of infectious confidence that had a theatre full of young people on their feet.
The six-piece — Esin, Hilal, Lidya, Mina, Sueda and Zeynep — are already a phenomenon in their native Turkey.
Now, they're setting their sights firmly on the UK.
Isle of Wight Radio was there at Seaclose Park before the performance to sit down with all six members and find out what makes Manifest tick.
Six Women, One Dream
The group was formed in 2025 after all six members emerged as winners of the Turkish talent competition Big5 Türkiye.
What began as six individual performers has developed into a tightly bonded group after months of collective singing and dance training.
Asked how they would describe Manifest to somebody hearing them for the first time, their answer was direct:
“We are six different women who manifested this life, who wanted to dance and sing and inspire little girls and women at the same time.
"So, we're making our dreams come true.”
That sense of purpose is central to the group.
They say their biggest inspiration is the joy they can spread as a girl group — with the Spice Girls and hugely influential Turkish group Hepsi among the acts they look up to.
And judging by the reaction at Medina Theatre, the connection is already being made.
The group's journey began with Big5 Türkiye, where the six eventually won their places in Manifest.
From Talent Show To Global Ambition
But becoming a group meant learning how to transform six solo performers into one team.
“We worked together so much, and gradually became a team,” they explained in conversation with Isle of Wight Radio's Dominic Kureen.
That teamwork is now at the heart of their live performances, with choreography playing just as important a role as the music.
Their rapid rise has been extraordinary.
Their debut album, Manifestival, reached number one in Turkey and Azerbaijan, while the group have built a huge online following.
Their YouTube videos have now generated more 4.2 billion views in total, while their audience continues to grow rapidly across streaming platforms.
One of their biggest recent hits, Hileli, has passed 130 million YouTube views alone, while Toz Pembe has also been racing towards the 100-million mark.
“We Don't Want To Be Put Into A Box”
The Isle of Wight visit comes at a pivotal moment.
Manifest are preparing for their first UK show at London's OVO Arena Wembley on Friday 16 October, where they will headline a venue capable of holding thousands of fans.
Before that comes another significant step — their first English-language single, TRALALA.
So why make the transition into English now?
The group told Isle of Wight Radio that their success in Turkey has given them the confidence to look beyond their home country.
“We're doing really well in Turkey, (we) think, and after that success we decided to try going global,” they said.
“We didn't want to be put into a box.
“We feel like it's the right time to release an English song, and it's something you need in your discography if you're aiming to go global.
"You need to express yourself in a language where everyone can understand you.”
It's an ambitious plan — but this is a group already accustomed to thinking big.
Connection with Dua Lipa
Among the biggest moments in Manifest's rapid rise came when global superstar Dua Lipa invited the group to perform at her Sunny Hill Festival in Kosovo.
The six admitted they were anything but relaxed beforehand.
“We were having a bit of anxiety beforehand,” they said.
“We were all shaking meeting her!”
But when Dua Lipa spoke to them, the nerves began to disappear.
“She was super relaxed when she came to talk to us. She told us to enjoy the moment, everything's fine.
“After Dua Lipa's speech, we were all (more relaxed).”
Dua Lipa has subsequently publicly backed the group, adding another major name to an increasingly impressive swell of support.
“We're Really Proud”
And then there's Wembley Arena.
For a group formed just last year, headlining their first UK show at the OVO Arena Wembley is a remarkable next chapter.
The six are clearly feeling the significance.
“It's incredible that we are performing at Wembley as a first stage in London,” they said.
“We're so excited and trying to present our country in the best possible light — we're really proud!”
Their growing international profile has also caught the attention of Isle of Wight Festival organiser John Giddings, who is backing the group and sees Manifest as a young band of enormous potential.
Having brought them to the Isle of Wight, there's one obvious question — could we one day see Manifest performing at the Isle of Wight Festival itself?
The answer from all six, delivered simultaneously, was an emphatic: “YES!!!”
A Message For The Next Generation
Their visit to the Island wasn't just about performing.
After speaking to Isle of Wight Radio at Seaclose Park, Manifest headed to Medina Theatre to meet students — and the young audience had plenty of questions.
One student asked what advice they would give to someone sitting in the audience who dreams of following a similar path.
Their response was straightforward:
“A lot of practice and following your dreams — we are six women who had dreams for Manifest, so I think that's the key: to have those dreams and believe in yourself.”
Another student asked what they had learned about the music industry that they wished they'd known before entering it.
Their answer touched on something rather more personal.
“There is a pressure that we all need to be perfect, all day and night.
“I think our fans like who we are and if we feel bad we're not afraid to show that.
“I think being perfect isn't the point, it's being (authentic) to who we are.”
And when another student asked how they cope with nerves before performing in front of huge crowds, the answer was a reassuringly relatable: “We do get nervous!”
The group explained that they try to rest and prepare properly before a show — but once they step onto the stage, the nerves disappear and they concentrate on enjoying the moment.
“These Girls Are Incredible!”
The impact Manifest are already having on young fans was clear inside Medina Theatre.
One student, Abbie Carver, arrived carrying a handmade sign bearing the band's name and explained how she had discovered them.
“When my mum showed me that you were going to be performing at our school, I looked into you because I already like a lot of girl groups,” she said.
“And when I heard the song Hileli, I thought, ‘These girls are incredible!’”
During the performance that preceded the Q&A with students, Manifest told me they had chosen their “hypest” song — Finger Snap — for the students.
And they weren't exaggerating.
The six tore through the performance with the sort of energy, synchronised choreography and sheer enthusiasm that explains why they have built such a devoted following in Turkey.
For a few minutes, the Medina Theatre gathering felt less like a school event and more like a major pop concert.
With Manifest now preparing to take their first UK headline show to Wembley, it may be that the Isle of Wight has just witnessed the beginning of something considerably bigger on these shores.
Esin. Hilal. Lidya. Mina. Sueda. Zeynep — six women who say they manifested this life.
Judging by what happened in Newport, they're only getting started.
Remember the name: Manifest.
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