Musician to raise awareness about refugees through music on Istanbul stage

Musician and activist Michael Franti will take the stage at Babylon on Oct. 12. Franti, who is known as a passionate human rights advocate apart from his musical and on-screen works, believes in the power of music to bring people together and raise international awareness. Franti writes songs about IDS, gay rights, homeless people, the death penalty, drug addiction and the justice system. The musician, who recorded a total of nine studio albums with his hand Spearhead, also has three solo albums. In his 2016 album "Soulrocker," Franti manages to successfully blend hip-hop, rock, folk and reggae and invites his fans to the dance floor. Previously this year, Franti attended the United Nations' Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul with Sean Penn and Forest Whitaker and drew attention to Turkey's works for refugees and the fact that the rest of the world should react to the refugee crisis as soon as possible. Franti said, "I make music in order to serve people; especially in hard times," and invited his Turkish fans to Babylon to get away from the chaos of life for a little while.

When: Oct. 12

Where: Babylon, Istanbul