Young Turks, the British label behind the likes of The XX and FKA twigs, has announced it will now be known as Young.
The rename comes after label founder Caius Pawson became aware of the name’s full historical connections, with Young Turks commonly referring to the group who committed the 1915 Armenian Genocide.
Pawson said that the label was named after the Rod Stewart hit of the same name in 2005, but decided on the name change after a “long period of reflection”.
“From today, Young Turks will become Young. The name change follows a long period of reflection and I wanted to explain the origins of the Young Turks name and the reasons for the change,” Pawson wrote on Instagram.
“We originally named Young Turks after the Rod Stewart song of the same name. When I first heard the song, it took a week of 2005-era internet searches to find out what it was and even longer to understand its meaning. The name intrigued me, evoking the solidarity of youth. In 2005, it seemed to perfectly sum up what we were: teenagers, wanting and waiting to do something, anything.
“However, we were unaware of the deeper history of the term and, specifically, that the Young Turks were a group who carried out the Armenian Genocide from 1915 onwards. Through ongoing conversations and messages that have developed our own knowledge around the subject, it’s become apparent that the name is a source of hurt and confusion for people.
“We loved the name for what it meant to us, but in retrospect should have listened more carefully to other voices and acted more quickly. We have always tried to affect positive change and knowing what we do now, it’s only right that we change our name.”
Confirming a charitable donation, Pawson added: “April 24 is the day of commemoration of the 1915 Armenian Genocide.
“In memory of those who were killed and those who survived, we have made a donation to the @armenianinstitute, London, a cultural charity that explores contemporary Armenian diasporan life in all its global diversity through research and the arts.”
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