Tarkan: biography, personal life, photo of the Turkish performer

Singer Tarkan, biography: family

He was born on October 17, 1972 in the German city of Alzey. The father and mother of our hero are purebred Turks. How did they end up in a foreign country? Ali and Neşe Tevetoğlu immigrated to Germany. They were forced to leave their homeland by the economic crisis that broke out in Turkey.

Hüsametin Tarkan Tevetoglu is the real name of our hero. It’s not easy for a Russian person to pronounce this. The first name (Khyusametin) is translated as “sharp sword.” And his parents named him Tarkan in honor of a humorous book that is very popular in Turkey.

The future artist was brought up in a large family. He has two sisters (on his father’s side) - Gyulay and Nurai, and a brother Adnan (from his mother’s first marriage). That's not all. The singer has a brother (Hakan) and a sister (Handan).

What kind of child was Tarkan? His biography indicates that he grew up as an active and inquisitive boy. He liked outdoor games and dancing.

Singer Tarkan in the two thousandth

Drugs

On February 26, 2010, Tarkan was detained by the Istanbul drug police at the villa of the famous musician Omerli in Turkey, along with ten other people, after which they were taken to the police station, where they underwent a medical examination and then interrogation.
Tarkan was detained as part of a Turkish police operation to combat drug trafficking. Tarkan faces one to two years in prison on charges of “using, acquiring, storing and selling drugs.” This is stated in the indictment of the Istanbul prosecutor's office. 12.5 grams of hashish were found at Tarkan's villa. During interrogation, Tarkan allegedly admitted that he started using drugs six years ago and wanted to undergo treatment.

Tarkan Tevetoğlu was born, no, not in Turkey, but in the city of Alzey in Germany in the family of Ali and Neshe Tevetoğlu, on October 17, 1972. It is believed that he was named Tarkan in honor of the hero of the Turkish famous in the 60s of the twentieth century books, and his real name is Hüsamettin.

Tarkan’s parents, naturally Turks by nationality, ended up in Germany in a completely traditional way for the middle of the last century. At that time, Turkey was experiencing one economic crisis after another, and Germany needed a lot of foreign labor (does the situation resemble anything? :-)). I personally had the opportunity to observe the consequences of the policy of inviting labor from abroad into the country in Germany in 2009, and also communicated about this with both Germans and, in fact, local Turks.

So, the family of the singer Tarkan was one of thousands like her. His grandfather, according to some information, was a participant in the Russian-Turkish wars of the 19th century; there were also Turkmen folk singers in his family. The singer has a brother and sisters from Tarkan’s mother’s first marriage. Tarkan's father died in 1995 and Tarkan's mother married for the third time. In general, Tarkan’s biography is not an easy one.

Tarkan in childhood

In 1986, the family of the future pop music star moved to Turkey, as the country experienced stable economic growth. Tarkan began his education in the city of Karamürsel in the province of Kocaeli near Istanbul, and the singer’s parents began to educate him musically from the age of 13.

Tarkan loved music. From 1990 to 1992 he studied at Üsküdar Musiki Cemiyeti (a music academy in Istanbul in the Üsküdar district). There is information that the singer’s financial situation at that time left much to be desired and he worked part-time, so to speak, “in his specialty,” that is, he sang in bars and clubs, as well as at various events, including weddings, various music from pop music to national Turkish music. Yes, there were such moments in Tarkan’s biography.

Tarkan in the early 1990s

In 1994, Tarkan travels to the USA. The main goal is to learn English perfectly and get an education at Baruch College in New York. There he begins preparations for his first English-language album, but for a variety of reasons these plans are postponed, despite the album's announcement in 1995.

Then the singer Tarkan began to actively perform in Europe, and in 1997 Tarkan’s third album “Ölürüm Sana” (Crazy about You) and the single “Şımarık” were released, which immediately took the leading positions in the European hit parades. 3.5 million copies in Turkey. Platinum in Mexico, gold in France, Holland, Germany, Belgium, Sweden and Colombia. Did Tarkan himself expect such success?

The style, unusual for Turkish singers of that time, sharply distinguished Tarkan from the general mass of show business

In 2001, Tarkan entered into a contract and became the official representative of Pepsi in Turkey, as well as the mascot of the Turkish football team at the 2002 World Cup. For this, the singer recorded the song “Bir Ölürüz Yolunda”, which became a kind of anthem for the fans.

Also, in 2001, Tarkan’s long-awaited album “Karma” was released, on which the singer had been working over the past years. The singles “Kuzu-Kuzu” and “Hüp” occupy the top lines of the hit parades. The album sells 1 million copies in Europe.

The beginning of the two thousandth fans of Tarkan call the Karma Period

At the beginning of the 2000s, 2 scandals awaited the singer Tarkan. The first is with the book “Tarkan: Anatomy of a Star” (Tarkan – Yıldız Olgusu), which is first published and then withdrawn from sale due to accusations of plagiarism, according to one version, and according to another, due to the fact that it presents the singer as gay. The second is with the video for the song “Hüp”, due to the fact that some representatives of the Turkish public declared some scenes of the video to be pornographic and this caused a certain resonance in society.

In 2003, Tarkan’s album “Dudu” was released, which the singer recorded on his own label “HITT Music”. It sold 1 million copies throughout Turkey. In the same year, the singer tried his hand at producing perfumes under his own brand Tarkan.

At the beginning of the 2000s, Tarkan tried various businesses related to showbiz, for example, perfume

And he doesn’t just sing, but releases the album “Metamorfoz” in 2007 entirely in Turkish and is completely rehabilitated in the eyes of fans around the world. In the first weeks, over 300 thousand copies of the album were sold. This was the Tarkan music that fans loved.

Tarkan consolidates his success by releasing the collection “Metamorfoz Remixes” in 2008. Several videos are also shot for album songs. It seems that it was then that he regained the trust of his fans and determined the direction that most corresponds to both his internal vision of creativity and the preferences of consumers.

It seems that by the end of the two thousandth Tarkan had acquired the final image of a professional musician on a global scale

What kind of child was Tarkan? His biography indicates that he grew up as an active and inquisitive boy. He liked outdoor games and dancing.

The sultry brunette was never deprived of female attention. In his youth, he had affairs with beautiful girls. Then the guy calmed down. He wanted a serious relationship. And soon the Almighty sent him great love.

In 2001, Tarkan met Bilga Ozturk. The guy made every effort to win the beauty's heart. And he succeeded. Soon the chosen one moved to Tarkan’s apartment. The singer's friends and relatives were confident that the lovers would get married. However, fate had its own way.

In 2008, Tarkan and Bilga announced their separation. They managed to maintain friendly relations. After some time, the girl met a new love. And Tarkan continued to carry the status of a bachelor.

Despite his advanced age, the popular singer is not married. He has no children. At one time, rumors about his gay orientation were spreading on the Internet and in print media. And to many people this version seemed plausible. Such rumors only amuse the Turkish performer. He had never been attracted to men. At the same time, our hero does not condemn same-sex marriage, which is allowed in several European countries.

Our hero dreams of a magnificent wedding. Let's hope that in the near future this wonderful event will be added to Tarkan's biography. The wife must be economical, caring, faithful and, of course, beautiful. These are the demands that the famous singer makes of his potential chosen one.

Tarkan is a Turkish singer, producer, and singer-songwriter. He is called the prince of Turkish pop music. Tarkan became the only musician who gained popularity and recognition in Europe, without singing a single song in English.

Tarkan Tevet-oglu was born on October 17, 1972 into a Turkish family, Ali and Neshe Tevet-oglu. The boy was given a name in honor of a hero from a popular humorous book in Turkey, but Tarkan is his middle name. The first name of the star is Hysametin, which translates as “sharp sword.”

Singer Tarkan

Tarkan's parents immigrated to Germany during the economic crisis in Turkey. His grandfather is a hero of the Russian-Turkish War, and his mother’s ancestors were folk singers. The singer grew up in a large family: he has half-sisters Nurai and Gyulai, brother Adnan from his mother’s first marriage, and sister Handan and brother Hakan.

After moving to Turkey, the boy firmly decided to start a singing career. He began to study music, and then went to Istanbul, where he entered the music academy. At first it was very difficult, because he had no acquaintances in the capital, and he also had no money, so Tarkan began to earn extra money as a singer at weddings.

Tarkan

Back in 1995, Tevet-oglu was drafted into the army, but he took a deferment for three years. In 1999, he again received a summons, so after the release of his collection “Tarkan”, the singer did not return to Turkey. They even wanted to deprive him of Turkish citizenship. But after the adoption of the law on 28-day service and payment of $16,000 to the earthquake relief fund, Tarkan returned to his homeland. Before joining the army, he gave a concert, the proceeds of which were donated to charity.

Return to the homeland of our ancestors

In 1986, the family left Germany. They decided to return to Turkey. By that time, the economic situation in the country had improved. Tarkan continued to study at school. My father and older brothers got jobs. And mom did household chores: cleaning, cooking, and so on.

In 1995, grief happened in the family. Tarkan's father died of a heart attack. The man was only 49 years old. The singer and his relatives took this loss seriously. Some time later, the singer’s mother married for the third time. She was of a considerable age. Therefore, there was no longer any talk about having children.

Passion for music and first difficulties

Immediately upon returning to Turkey, the young man decided to begin realizing his old dream - to become a singer. To begin with, the boy entered a music school located in the city of Karamursel. He studied piano.

After graduating from school, the guy went to Istanbul. At first, Tarkan had a hard time. He rented a small room in which several people lived. Tarkan earned money by performing in restaurants and cafes. The biography and personal life of this period do not contain any outstanding facts. The guy's priorities were study and career.

He managed to enter the local music academy the first time. After receiving his diploma, Tarkan began to implement his creative plans. Let's take a closer look at this.

Beginning of a musical career

During another trip to Germany, our hero met the director of the İstanbul Plak recording studio, Mehmet Soyutoulu. They were united not only by their Turkish roots, but also by their love of music. This man offered Tarkan cooperation. The guy couldn't miss such a chance.

In 1992, the debut album of the Turkish artist, Yine Sensiz, was released. While working on this record, the singer met composer Ozan Colakolu. Their mutually beneficial cooperation continues to this day.

The singer with the fashionable name Tarkan has gained incredible popularity among Turkish youth. Guys and girls heard European notes in his songs. They really liked it. In total, over 1 million copies of the Yine Sensiz album were sold.

In 1994, the second album of the sweet-voiced singer went on sale. The record was called Aacayipsin, which translates into Russian as “You are beautiful.” The album sold 2 million copies in Turkey. Producer Ozan Colakol managed to “promote” his ward abroad. Almost 1 million copies of Tarkan’s second album were purchased by people living in European countries.

Our hero was not going to stop there. He literally disappeared into the recording studio, working on creating new musical material. And his efforts were not in vain. Together with Turkish pop singer Sezen Aksu, he recorded the song Hepsi Senin Mi. Subsequently, this song became a real hit. In Russia and Europe it is known under the name Şıkıdım.

Tarkan was invited to radio and television programs. In Turkey, his music sounded from almost every window. The singer's work schedule was scheduled by day and hour.

Music

Immediately upon returning to Turkey, the young man decided to begin realizing his old dream - to become a singer. To begin with, the boy entered a music school located in the city of Karamursel. He studied piano.

He managed to enter the local music academy the first time. After receiving his diploma, Tarkan began to implement his creative plans. Let's take a closer look at this.

In 1992, the debut album of the Turkish artist Yine Sensiz was released. While working on this record, the singer met composer Ozan Colakolu. Their mutually beneficial cooperation continues to this day.

In 1994, the second album of the sweet-voiced singer went on sale. The record was called Aacayipsin, which translates into Russian as “You are beautiful.” The album sold 2 million copies in Turkey. Producer Ozan Colakol managed to “promote” his ward abroad. Almost 1 million copies of Tarkan’s second album were purchased by people living in European countries.

Tarkan was invited to radio and television programs. In Turkey, his music sounded from almost every window. The singer's work schedule was scheduled by day and hour.

A leap in Tarkan’s career occurred when, during his next visit to Germany, he met with the director of the İstanbul Plak label, Mehmet Soyutoulu. He offered to produce the debut album of the aspiring singer. Tarkan, of course, agreed, and in 1992 his first album, “Yine Sensiz,” was released. During the recording of this album, the singer met composer Ozan Colakolu, with whom he works to this day. “Yine Sensiz” brought Tarkan huge success, because the singer introduced Western notes into Turkish music.

In 1994, he released his second album, Aacayipsin. At the same time, he began working with Sezen Aksu, who wrote two songs for him. In the same year, Tarkan left for the USA in order to study English and record songs in it: an album in English was released in 2006. Tarkan's songs were a huge success, and therefore in Europe he released the collection “Tarkan”, which brought him an award at the World Music Awards.

In 2000, Tarkan quarreled with Sezen Aksu, who wrote the popular songs “Şıkıdım” and “Şımarık” for the musician. The quarrel also led to legal consequences. After the contract was terminated, Sezen began to sell the copyrights to perform the compositions to other performers who made covers of these songs. Based on these tracks, the songs “Kiss Kiss” by Holly Valance and “Oh, Mom, Chic Ladies” by Philip Kirkorov were written.

In 2001, the singer’s next album, “Karma,” was released; it sold 1 million copies in Europe. The singles “Kuzu-Kuzu” and “Hüp” appeared. A video for the new composition “Kuzu-kuzu” was also released.

In Russia during this period, Tarkan became the most popular singer of non-Russian origin

At one of the festivals, Tarkan met his future manager Michael Lang. In the same year, the book “Tarkan: Anatomy of a Star” went on sale, but after some time the court ruled that the book violated copyright. Tarkan became the official face of Pepsi, as well as the mascot of the Turkish national team at the 2002 World Cup, for which he wrote the song “Bir Ölürüz Yolunda,” which became an anthem for the fans.

In 2003, the singer released his mini-album “Dudu” on his own label called HITT Music. In videos and at concerts in support of the album “Dudu,” Tarkan appeared with a new image. The musician got a short haircut and started wearing simple, not pretentious or glamorous clothes. The musician commented on these changes in appearance by saying that he wants to show fans that no matter what the singer looks like, what hairstyle he wears or what dances he performs, music remains the main thing in Tarkan’s work.

His next albums “Metamorfoz” (2007), “Adımı Kalbine Yaz” (2010) also became successful.

By some estimates, the album sold about 1 million copies. Apparently, the head of the İstanbul Plak label, Mehmet Söğütoğlu, was involved in this success. Around the same time, singer Tarkan met Ozan Çolakoğlu, a talented young composer, songwriter and producer who would become his business and creative partner for many years.

Tarkan's first album looks funny now, but then it was a huge success

In 1994, Tarkan’s second album “Aacayipsin” (You are beautiful) was released. Over 2 million copies were purchased in Turkey and about a million more outside its borders. Before the singer Tarkan, perhaps no one had achieved such success.

Two songs on Tarkan's new album were written by the famous Turkish pop singer and composer Sezen Aksu. The song “Hepsi Senin Mi?!”, which later became a hit and is known in Europe as “Şıkıdım”, was written by her.

About 20 concerts in Europe, thousands of fans in Turkey, a face on the cover of Cosmopolitan Turkey, interviews for radio, TV, newspapers and magazines, Tarkan’s music everywhere... Success!

In the mid-nineties, Tarkan was already known not only in Turkey

Conquest of the USA and Europe

Tarkan wanted to announce himself to the whole world. Soon such an opportunity presented itself to him. In 1994 he went to the USA. The young man began to study English. Friends helped him rent an apartment in New York. Soon the Turkish performer began recording an album aimed at English-speaking listeners. The album was planned to be released in 1995. But I had to put it on the back burner.

The singer went on a tour of Europe. The local public liked Tarkan's work. And in 1997, he presented a new album, Ölürüm Sana (“Crazy about You”). Tarkan also released the single Şımarık, which immediately topped the European charts. In Turkey, the entire circulation of the album Ölürüm Sana (3.5 million copies) was sold out in a few weeks.

Tarkan: first serious successes

The singer's noteworthy successes began in 1992. It was this year that Tarkan’s debut album “Yine Sensiz” (Again Without You) was released, which was warmly received in Turkey, especially by young people, who, against the backdrop of the rather conservative and traditional Turkish music of that time, heard in it fashionable European notes, as well as familiar slang words. By some estimates, the album sold about 1 million copies. Apparently, the head of the İstanbul Plak label, Mehmet Söğütoğlu, was involved in this success. Around the same time, singer Tarkan met Ozan Çolakoğlu, a talented young composer, songwriter and producer who would become his business and creative partner for many years.

Tarkan's first album looks funny now, but then it was a huge success

About 20 concerts in Europe, thousands of fans in Turkey, a face on the cover of Cosmopolitan Turkey, interviews for radio, TV, newspapers and magazines, Tarkan’s music everywhere... Success!

In the mid-nineties, Tarkan was already known not only in Turkey

Career continuation: 2000s

In 2001, Tarkan pleased his fans with his fourth album - Karma. The singles Kuzu-Kuzu and Hüp included in it conquered the European charts.

In 2003, a new album, Dudu, was released. This time the singer recorded compositions on his own label HITT Music. Turkish fans purchased 1 million records.

Tarkan has been working on creating an English-language album since the early 1990s. He recorded several fiery songs. And only in 2006 these compositions were presented to English-speaking listeners. It must be said that the Come Closer album did not live up to Tarkan's expectations. So he continued to write songs on

Military service

In the mid-90s, when the artist was already quite popular, he was drafted into the Turkish army. Tarkan did not want to leave his musical career, so he obtained from the authorities a deferment from service for 3 years. In 1999, the singer received a summons again, but instead of fulfilling his civic duty, Tarkan decided not to return to his homeland from Europe, where he was then located.

A loud scandal arose and they even wanted to deprive the artist of Turkish citizenship. The conflict was resolved with the help of a new law, which allowed a conscript to serve only a month, subject to a charitable contribution of 16 thousand dollars. In 2000, Tarkan paid the money and served for 28 days.

Tarkan, biography: personal life

In 2008, Tarkan and Bilga announced their separation. They managed to maintain friendly relations. After some time, the girl met a new love. And Tarkan continued to carry the status of a bachelor.

Our hero dreams of a magnificent wedding. Let's hope that this wonderful event will be added to in the near future. The wife must be thrifty, caring, faithful and, of course, beautiful. These are the demands that the famous singer makes of his potential chosen one.

Russian fans

Tarkan first came to our country in 1998. Thousands of fans came to his concert. They sang along with him, not knowing Turkish.

Soon Philip Kirkorov performed the song “Oh, Mom, I’ll give you some chic!” Listeners immediately recognized in it the motives of Tarkan’s famous song Sıkıdım. Many people rushed to accuse the king of Russian pop music of plagiarism. However, they were wrong. The fact is that Tarkan broke off business relations with the author of the song Sezen Aksu. She, in turn, began to sell the rights to perform her compositions to various performers. Philip Kirkorov liked the song Sıkıdım. He acquired the rights and translated it into Russian.

Appearance

Today many of us know who Tarkan is. The singer’s biography, height, weight - all this interests his fans. We talked above about the childhood, creative activity and personal life of the Turkish performer. Now let's look at his external data. He has naturally thick black hair. Eye color is green. A pleasant timbre of voice is another advantage that Tarkan has. Biography, height of the prince of the Turkish stage - not only fans of his talent, but also producers and directors want to know about this. With a height of 174 cm, our hero weighs 70 kg.

With such figure parameters and external data, Tarkan could well build a successful career in the modeling industry. But he chose music. Although he still managed to appear on the covers of fashion magazines. But the photographers saw him not as an attractive model, but as a famous singer.

Gossip

A lot of unpleasant gossip always arises around popular and talented personalities. Our hero was no exception. Several years ago, information was circulated in the world press that he was gay. Tarkan is also suspected of alcohol and drug addiction. The Prince of Turkish Pop denies this. However, not all rumors are unfounded.

In February 2010, the Istanbul drug police raided the villa of the famous singer. Tarkan and 10 of his friends were detained on suspicion of using prohibited substances. The star faced up to 2 years in prison. But everything worked out. Three days later, our hero was released from custody. The circumstances of this case have not been disclosed.

Tarkan: rumors, true or not?

The two most common rumors about Tarkan are that he is gay and that he is a drug addict. Naturally, both in support and in refutation of these rumors, you can find a lot of information, both similar to the truth and downright funny. This is what is trustworthy.

In addition to the fact that on many talk shows, singer Tarkan personally rejected all accusations of non-traditional sexual orientation, for about seven years he did not hide his relationship with Bilge Öztürk, with whom they broke up in 2008. After this, the singer did not advertise his relationship with anyone, saying that he was free.

There are also many rumors regarding the famous singer's drug use. But the only fact is that in 2010, during a large-scale operation by the Istanbul police, Tarkan and several other well-known figures of Turkish show business were detained in Istanbul in a private villa on charges of drug use and possession. A few days later, Tarkan was released. Whether this was an accident and a police mistake, most likely, we will never know, but in Tarkan’s biography it will be recorded forever.

In 2010, all newspapers were full of news about a drug scandal involving Tarkan, but it all ended in nothing

Personal life

Drugs

On February 26, 2010, Tarkan was detained by the Istanbul drug police at the villa of the famous musician Omerli in Turkey, along with ten other people, after which they were taken to the police station, where they underwent a medical examination and then interrogation. Tarkan was detained as part of a Turkish police operation to combat drug trafficking. Tarkan faces one to two years in prison on charges of “using, acquiring, storing and selling drugs.” This is stated in the indictment of the Istanbul prosecutor's office. 12.5 grams of hashish were found at Tarkan's villa. During interrogation, Tarkan allegedly admitted that he started using drugs six years ago and wanted to undergo treatment. But this turned out to be untrue. Three days after his arrest, the singer was released from custody. At the same time, his lawyer denied claims that cocaine was found at Tarkan’s villa.

Career break

In 2010, Tarkan released his eighth studio collection, after which there was a break in his activities. The artist did not appear at public events and did not give large-scale concerts. A loud return took place in 2020, when Tarkan released a new album called “Ahde Vefa”. The collection immediately became popular and hit the top of the music charts. Since then, Tarkan regularly pleases his fans with the appearance of new compositions.

But fans don’t forget about old hits either. most famous song is 25 years old. And how many artists have covered it in their own way!

Photo: Instagram @tarkan

Discography

Studio albums

1992: "Yine Sensiz"

1994: "Acayipsin"

2001: "Karma"

2010: "Adımı Kalbine Yaz"

2016: "Ahde Vefa"

2017: «10»

Collections

1999: "Tarkan"
2008: "Metamorphoz Remixes"

Singles

1998: "Şımarık"
1999: "Bu Gege"
2001: "Kuzu-Kuzu"
2001: "Hüp"
2005: "Bounce"
2006: "Start The Fire"
2016: "Cuppa"

Promotional singles released only in Turkey

2002: "Özgürlük İçimizde"
2002: "Bir Oluruz Yolunda"
2005: "Ayrılık Zor"
2008: "Uyan"
2010: "Sevdanın Son Vuruşu"
2012: "Benim Sadik Yarim Kara Topraktir"

Tarkan and Istanbul

Tarkan often gives concerts in Istanbul. Follow ours so you don't miss the next one!

Tarkan visited Russia several times, both for concerts and on personal matters.

Tarkan regularly gives concerts in Europe, Asia and, of course, in his native Istanbul

Tarkan's singles

Şımarık (international in 1998)
Şıkıdım (international in 1999)
Bu Gece (international 1999)
Kuzu Kuzu (Turkish in 2001)
Hüp (Turkish in 2001)
Bounce (Turkish in 2005 / International in 2006)
Start the Fire (Turkish/international in 2006)
Uyan (Turkish in 2008)
Sevdanın Son Vuruşu (Turkish in 2010)
Adımı Kalbine Yaz (Turkish in 2010)

Songs of Tarkan - promo releases (only in Turkey)

Özgürlük İçimizde (2002)
Bir Oluruz Yolunda (2002)
Ayrılık Zor (2005)
Uyan (2008)
Sevdanın Son Vuruşu (2010)

Tarkan concerts are a real show!

Notes

Turk Prince of Pop (undefined)
.
Chacko, Jessica © Hillsdale Collegian
. Retrieved November 11, 2004. Archived February 18, 2012.
News Bulletin (undefined)
.
The Sofia Echo
. Retrieved May 26, 2006. Archived February 18, 2012.
Key Artists in Euro Pop (undefined)
.
Rhapsody
. Retrieved May 18, 2007. Archived February 18, 2012.
Sezgin Burak's Tarkan (undefined)
.
Sezgin Burak Foundation
. Retrieved May 3, 2007.
Tarkan News Coverage in Brief (undefined)
.
Osmanli, Adelind © Tarkan Deluxe
. Retrieved September 29, 2009. Archived February 18, 2012.
Tarkan»ın dedesi teşkilatçıydı (undefined)
.
Sabah
(15 July 2007). Archived from the original on February 18, 2012.
Tarkan finds his moves take him across borders (English).

Tarkan can safely be called the most famous Turkish singer and musician. He managed to gain almost worldwide fame by performing songs only in Turkish.

He was adored and idolized by the public; Tarkan was literally carried in their arms and called the Prince of Pop. This was just ten years ago. Now his popularity has fallen, but people continue to enjoy listening to the songs of this impressive performer.

Hüsametin Tarkan Tevetoğlu was born in Germany, in the city of Alzey. By the way, the first part of his name is translated as “sharp sword.” After the economic crisis occurred in Turkey, his parents decided to move to Germany.

The boy grew up in a large family. The mother already had two daughters and one son from her first marriage. In her second marriage, in addition to Tarkan, she also had a son and a daughter. Despite the change of place of residence, the family carefully preserved the traditions of their people. Turkish music was always playing in the house.

In 1985, the family decided to return home to Turkey. Ten years later, his father died of a heart attack. Soon the mother got married for the third time. Her choice was a Turkish architect.

After returning from Germany, Tarkan decided to go study music. He was thirteen years old then. Later, he continued his musical education in Istanbul, at the Music Academy.

Biography

Childhood

Tarkan was born in the city of Alzey in Germany to Ali and Neshe Tevetoglu. He was named after the hero of a humorous book that was popular in Turkey in the 1960s.[4] In 2009, it became known that Tarkan was named after the mythical hero of the Turkic peoples. Tarkan is his middle name, and his first name is Khyusametin

(Turkish: Hüsamettin) translates as “sharp sword”[5].

His parents, Turkish by nationality, immigrated to Germany after the economic crisis in their homeland. On his father’s side, Tarkan’s ancestors are military men, for example, his grandfather is a hero of the Russian-Turkish War[6]. Tarkan has a brother and sisters - Adnan, Gyulay and Nuray (from his mother's first marriage), as well as a brother Hakan and a younger sister Handan.

When Tarkan was 13 years old, their family decided to return to their homeland[7]. In 1995, Tarkan's father died of a heart attack at the age of 49. Tarkan’s mother married for the third time - to the architect Seyhun Kahraman[8].

Beginning of a musical career

After moving to Turkey, Tarkan began studying music in the city of Karamursel, then went to continue his studies at the Istanbul Music Academy. In Istanbul, he had no friends or money and had to earn extra money as a singer at weddings.

During one of his visits to Germany, Tarkan met the head of the İstanbul Plak

Mehmet Soyutoulu. Subsequently, he produced Tarkan’s debut album, “Yine Sensiz,” which was released in 1992. During the recording of the album, Tarkan met an almost unknown composer at that time - Ozan Colakol, with whom he works to this day. The album was successful among Turkish youth, because Tarkan introduced Western notes into traditional Turkish music.

“Most likely this happened for the first time - Turkish slang began to be actively used in the lyrics of the brave guy with green eyes”

- this is how the Turkish magazine
Milliyet
.

In 1994, the second album "Aacayipsin" was released. At the same time, Tarkan began working with composer Sezen Aksu, who wrote two songs for the album, including “Hepsi Senin Mi?”, which later resulted in the European single “Şıkıdım”

.
In the same year, Tarkan went to the USA to continue his studies in New York and learn English. “Dön Bebeğim”
was also shot there . In America, Tarkan met Ahmet Ertegun, who was the founder of the American label Atlantic Records and wanted to start producing Tarkan's English-language songs. But Tarkan’s first English-language album was released after Akhmet’s death, in 2006.

Success in Europe

In 1997, Tarkan released his third album “Ölürüm Sana”, and in parallel the single “Şımarık”, which was successful in Turkey. But in Europe the single was released only two years later along with “Şıkıdım”. After the success of the songs, the collection “Tarkan” was released in Europe. In the same year, Tarkan received the World Music Awards for album sales. Afterwards the single “Bu Gece” was released.

In 2000, Tarkan quarreled with Sezen Aksu, who wrote the song “Şıkıdım”

and
"Şımarık"
.
After the contract was terminated, Sezen began selling copyrights to various artists who covered these songs. For example, Holly Valance as “Kiss Kiss”
, and Philip Kirkorov as
“Oh, Mama Chic Dame”
.

Army

In 1999, Tarkan was drafted into the army, from which he had a deferment from 1995, ending in 1998. Due to the fact that he was drafted into the army, he did not return to Turkey after releasing the collection “Tarkan”

.
This aroused great interest in the press, and the Turkish parliament also discussed the possibility of depriving Tarkan of Turkish citizenship[9][10]. After the Izmit earthquake at the end of August 1999, a law was passed on 28 days of military service, provided that the future soldier pays 16 thousand dollars to the fund to help those affected by the earthquake[11]. Taking advantage of this, Tarkan returned to Turkey in 2000 and completed 28 days of military service. Before leaving for the army, Tarkan gave a concert upon his return to Istanbul, the money from which also went to charity[12]. About his military service, Tarkan said: “It was January and wild snowfall.
It was difficult, the food was terrible. [But] Waste eighteen months of your life? I think my dreams are more important [11] .

2001-2002: Karma

In 2001, Tarkan became a face in Turkey. At the same time, the album “Karma” and two singles “Kuzu-Kuzu” and “Hüp” were released. The album was released both in Turkey and Europe. And in Russia, Tarkan became the most popular singer of non-Russian origin. The album sold 1 million copies in Europe[11]. Fans refer to the period from 2001 to 2002 as the "Karma period"

, because the album is radically different from the previous and subsequent albums.
Along with the musical style, Tarkan’s appearance also changed. He grew his hair long and began wearing tight trousers, unbuttoned shirts and T-shirts. This trend has been adopted by many young men in Turkey.[13] . At the Woodstock festival, Tarkan met his future international affairs manager, Michael Lang, according to whom, “Tarkan is a wonderful artist and his current success is just the beginning.
He will be a star in five years and will not disappear. No, he will remain a star[14].” In 2001, the book “Tarkan: Anatomy of a Star”

(Turkish Tarkan - Yıldız Olgusu), but after some time it was withdrawn from sale by a court decision, since the book violates all its rules.
Also, another scandal erupted after the release of the video for the song “Hüp”
, people who saw the video claimed that the kissing scene was too pornographic.
But the video was not banned, and it was nominated for an award from the Turkish music channel “Kral”
.

After Tarkan became the face of Pepsi

, he also became the official mascot of the Turkish football team at the 2002 World Cup, for which he wrote the song "Bir Oluruz Yolunda", which became an anthem for the fans.

2003-2004: Dudu

In the summer of 2003, Tarkan released the mini-album “Dudu”, which became the first album released on his own label “HITT Music”. The album sold 1 million copies in Turkey, and in Russia the song “Dudu”

became “Song of the Year”[15]. Also this year, Tarkan released his own perfume called “Tarkan”.

Once again, along with the musical style, the singer’s appearance also changed. He cut his hair short and started wearing simpler clothes, implying that looks and glamor were no longer the way to sell his music - "It doesn't matter how sexy I look or how I dance, it's the music I make that matters."

2004–2006: English album

The idea to release the album in English came to Tarkan back in 1995, when he met with Ahmed Erteun, but due to problems with his old producer, the release was postponed. In October 2005, Tarkan finally released his first single in English, “Bounce”. And the album “Come Closer” was released six months later on the Universal Music label. Tarkan was helped with the recording of the album by authors who worked with many famous singers. A second single, "Start The Fire", was released in August. In the fall, Tarkan went on a European tour. The album was not as successful as the producers had hoped, and sales in Turkey amounted to only 110 thousand copies[17].

2007–2008: Metamorfoz

In 2007, after the failure of the English-language album, the album "Metamorfoz" was released in Turkish. The album sold 300 thousand copies in the first two weeks. Videos were shot for four songs. The new album caused great controversy among critics, some said that Tarkan returned to his past, others on the contrary. In 2008, a collection of remixes of songs from the previous album, “Metamorfoz Remixes,” was released.

2010-2011: Adimi Kalbine Yaz

On July 29, 2010, Tarkan released his eighth studio album, Adime Kabine Yaz, consisting of eight new songs and one remix for each of them. The album received an enthusiastic reception from fans and critics and sold 300,000 copies throughout Turkey in its first week[18]. After its release, Tarkan partially goes underground, only periodically giving concerts, but almost never appearing in the press.

2016 - present: Return

In 2020, Tarkan emerged from the shadows when the digital release of his long-awaited ninth album, “Ahde Vefa,” took place on March 11. On this album, the singer again experimented, recording all the songs in the style of Turkish folk music. Despite the complete lack of advertising and the release of singles, the album became a hit immediately after its release, taking first place on the iTunes charts in the Americas, England, Denmark, Holland and Germany - in total in 19 countries around the world[19], thereby proving that Tarkan is still popular.

On June 15, 2020, the tenth album was released, which was simply called “” and marked Tarkan’s return to dance pop music with oriental motifs. Tarkan wrote some songs again in collaboration with Sezen Aksu[20]. On the 27th of the same month, a video for the single Yolla[21] was released. Video clips were also shot for songs from the album “10” “Beni Çok Sev” and “Çok Ağladım”.

Tarkan's musical career

During his years in Istanbul, he had to earn his own living, singing in restaurants and at weddings. One day, while in Germany, he met a person directly connected with the record company.

His name was Mehmet Soyutoulu. He listened to the young guy, appreciated his vocals and offered his help in recording his debut album.

During the recording of the album, fate brought Tarkan together with another talented person - composer Ozan Colakola. He, like the young performer, was practically unknown in those years. The acquaintance continued with many years of successful cooperation.

The success of the first album in 1992 was deafening. In it, Turkish melodies are intertwined with Western motifs, resulting in a unique color and sound. Two years later, the artist’s second album was recorded.

Soon Tarkan went to the USA to learn English and sing in it. True, the album in this language was released already in 2006. He also continued his musical education in the USA.

Tarkan's albums became popular not only in his native Turkey, but also in Europe. In 1997, his third disc was released. The performer began to receive prestigious music awards.

Despite his growing global popularity, his duties as a Turkish citizen have not been canceled. Namely, he was threatened with military service, the reprieve from which had ended by that time.

In Turkey this is very strict; evasion can lead to jail time; the country’s authorities have discussed depriving the singer of his citizenship. Everything was decided by the earthquake that occurred in Turkey in 1999.

Then parliament passed a law allowing, if one contributes 16 thousand dollars to help the victims, to serve only 28 days. Tarkan took advantage of this right and also gave a charity concert in Turkey.

In total, to date Tarkan has released 8 albums and recorded many video clips. The last disc was released in 2010. Many of his works became real hits. The performer was incredibly popular in Russia.

Tarkan now

After the 2010 release, Tarkan disappeared from the music scene. The break in the artist’s creative biography lasted six years. But fans’ expectations were met in the spring of 2020. On March 11, 2016, the digital release of the musician’s new, ninth long-awaited album, “Ahde Vefa,” took place.

The return to the musical horizon turned out to be triumphant. In the new album, Tarkan was not afraid to experiment. The singer recorded all the songs in the style of Turkish folk music, despite the fact that the album is intended for both the domestic market and Western listeners. Also, “Ahde Vefa” was released without advertising, and the release of the album was not preceded by a series of single releases, which were supposed to prepare listeners and stir up interest.

But experiments with style and advertising turned out to be successful. The album became a hit immediately after its release. The album “Ahde Vefa” took first place on the iTunes charts on the American continent. In total, the disc took first place in the charts in 19 countries around the world, including England, Denmark, Holland and Germany. Such a triumphant return showed that, despite a long break in creativity, Tarkan is still a world star.

Fans didn't have to wait as long for the next album. The musician’s tenth album was released on June 15, 2020. The tenth album received the laconic name “10”. Here Tarkan returned to his own style, familiar to the musician’s fans - dance pop music with oriental motifs. Some of the songs included in the album were co-written by Tarkan and Sezen Aksu.

On June 27, the musician released a music video for the single “Yolla”.

Personal life of Tarkan

The singer, despite being old enough to get married, is not yet married. At one time, rumors about his homosexuality were actively circulated in the press.

This was initiated by a Turkish publication that placed on the cover of its magazine a photo of Tarkan kissing another man. As it turned out later, it was a photomontage.

However, the photo created a lot of hype. Tarkan explained in an interview that he has a girlfriend and that he is not gay, although he does not condemn same-sex relationships.

For several years he dated a girl named Bilge Ozturk. However, the marriage never took place. Tarkan was generally not too eager to go to the registry office, saying that an open relationship is better and that marriage needs to be suffered through. Or it is necessary for his fiancee to be pregnant.

Now the singer lives on a ranch in Istanbul, where he grows plants and takes care of animals. He also has expensive apartments in New York.

Who has achieved success in the Turkish field, watch and read