Ajda Pekkan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ajda Pekkan
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Pekkan in 2013
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Ayşe Ajda Pekkan
12 February 1946 Beyoğlu, Istanbul, Turkey
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Coşkun Sapmaz
(m. 1973; div. 1973)Ali Bars
(m. 1984; div. 1990) |
| Parent(s) | Rıdvan Pekkan (father) Nevin Pekkan (mother) |
| Relatives | Semiramis Pekkan (sister) |
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| Years active | 1963–present |
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Ayşe Ajda Pekkan (born 12 February 1946) is a famous Turkish singer. People in Turkey often call her "superstar." Ajda Pekkan became a very important person in Turkish pop music. Her songs often featured strong female characters.
She has stayed popular for over 50 years by keeping her music fresh. She often used ideas from Western music. This helped her become one of Turkey's modern and lasting music icons. Many music experts have praised her singing style and albums. She has also inspired many new singers.
Ajda Pekkan started her music journey in the early 1960s. She first sang in a nightclub with a group called Los Çatikos. In 1963, she won a competition for movie artists. This made her famous as an actress. For several years, she acted in many black and white films. She starred in nearly 50 movies. Later, she decided to focus only on her singing career.
For the first 20 years of her singing career, she released many songs. These were often Turkish versions of popular foreign songs. Famous songs like "Kimler Geldi Kimler Geçti" and "Palavra Palavra" became very well-known. From the 1990s, she worked with new songwriters. Songs like "Yaz Yaz Yaz" and "Yakar Geçerim" became big hits.
Her fame grew in the 1970s, especially in Europe. She gave concerts in many countries. In 1978, she even released a French album. Because she was so popular, she was asked to represent Turkey in the Eurovision Song Contest 1980. She agreed, but her song "Pet'r Oil" finished 15th. This made her very sad, and she took a break from music for a few years.
Ajda Pekkan has sold over 15 million records. This makes her one of the best-selling artists in Turkey. She has also received the title of "State Artist" in Turkey. The French government honored her with a special award. Three of her albums were listed among the "Best 100 Albums of Turkey." In 2016, she was named one of the 100 most powerful women in entertainment by The Hollywood Reporter. Even though she doesn't call herself a feminist, many of her songs about strong women are seen as anthems for women's rights.
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Early Life and Family
Ajda Pekkan was born in Istanbul on 12 February 1946. Her family has roots from Bosnia. Her father, Rıdvan Pekkan, was a commander in the Turkish Navy. Her mother, Gülten Nevin Dobruca, was a homemaker.
Her family moved to Gölcük, Kocaeli, because of her father's job. Ajda Pekkan always wanted to have children. She married in her 20s, but her husband wanted her to stop her music career. She divorced him and later said that not having children was her biggest sacrifice for her career.
Her close friend, singer Sezen Aksu, said that Ajda Pekkan opened the way for many artists. She called Ajda "Angela" and said they often meet and share everything.
Music Career Highlights
Starting in the 1960s
In 1961, Ajda Pekkan started her music career. Her sister, Semiramis Pekkan, helped her meet İlham Gencer, a nightclub owner. She began singing songs like "Il Cielo In Una Stanza." She performed with the music group "Los Çatikos."
In 1963, she won a singing and acting competition. This made her well-known for her modern style. Before becoming an actress, she met Fecri Ebcioğlu. He helped her with her music. In 1965, he arranged her first record, Her Yerde Kar Var. This was a Turkish version of a song by Salvatore Adamo.
I am very happy with the Ajda Pekkan brand that I have brought up to this day. But that's because I stood behind it, if it weren't me it wouldn't have come to this place. Because there was no promotional system at the time. To create that system alone as a woman really requires courage, it's really hard.
Throughout the 1960s, Pekkan and Ebcioğlu worked together on many records. Ebcioğlu wrote Turkish lyrics for popular French, Italian, or English songs. Pekkan sang them in her unique way. In 1967, her record İki Yabancı sold very well in Turkey. It was a Turkish version of Frank Sinatra's "Strangers in the Night."
She also represented Turkey at music festivals in Athens in 1968 and 1969. She sang "Ozleyis" and "Perhaps One Day." In 1969, she performed "Ve Ben Şimdi" at a festival in Barcelona. Her songs were used in many movies. She also started performing with the famous singer Zeki Müren.
Success in the 1970s and Beyond
In the early 1970s, Ajda Pekkan began working with Fikret Şeneş. Their first song, "Sensiz Yillarda," broke sales records. This was a big moment for her career. She started releasing records in other countries. She released songs in Greece, Germany, Spain, Japan, and France. Her French album, Pour Lui, came out in 1978.
In 1972, she joined İstanbul Plak. Her song Dert Bende Derman Sende also sold very well. In 1973, Fikret Şeneş insisted she record "Kimler Geldi Kimler Geçti." Even though she thought it wasn't her style, it became a huge hit. Many people say it's one of the most meaningful Turkish songs ever.
In 1975, she released her first collection album, Ajda. It included a new song called "Erkek Adın." By 1977, she was known as "Superstar." She released her new album, Süperstar, that year. She also performed in Tokyo and Tehran. Her Tehran concert was shown on Turkish television and was very popular.
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After the Eurovision contest in 1980, Ajda Pekkan took a break. She lived in London and Los Angeles. She needed time to recover from the disappointment. She also got sick with jaundice in Los Angeles. She fully recovered and returned to Turkey in 1982.
She then decided to focus only on releasing songs in Turkey. In 1981, she released the album Sen Mutlu Ol. In 1982, she performed in a musical called Büyük Kabare. Her ninth studio album, Süperstar '83, came out in 1983. It was very successful and topped music charts. Songs like "Uykusuz Her Gece" became classics. This album won "Light Music LP of the Year." She was also named "Light Music Artist of the Year" in 1984.
In 2011, Ajda Pekkan released the song "Yakar Geçerim." It was written by the famous Turkish singer Tarkan. The song reached second place on Turkey's music chart. Her album Farkin Bu came out a month later. It was the best-selling album in Turkey and sold 175,000 copies. In 2013, she released "Ara Sıcak," which was also a hit. She has continued to release new songs like "Yakarım Canını" (2015) and "Ayrılık Ateşi" (2016).
Public Image and Activism
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In the 1960s, when Ajda Pekkan appeared in many movies, some people criticized her new style. She published an article called "I destroy the idols." She became known for her songs and her unique fashion sense. She once said that she would always stay true to her style, as a soldier's daughter.
A book about her life and music, Hür Doğdum Hür Yaşarım, was published in 2007. It talks about her views on women's rights. Ajda Pekkan is an activist for women. She has spoken out against domestic violence, abuse, and discrimination. She even released a music video about violence against women. In 2013, she sang "Hürriyet Benim" (Liberty is Mine) for a TV commercial about freedom.
She also sang "Kadın Dediğin" for an album that helped a helpline for domestic violence. She supported the democratic initiative proposed by the Turkish government. She visited a women's prison to support singer Deniz Seki.
Ajda Pekkan is respected by many Turkish artists. She is good friends with Sezen Aksu, Nilüfer, and Nükhet Duru. She is also a favorite artist of singers like Sertab Erener and Funda Arar.
She is also seen as a gay icon in Turkey's LGBT community. In a 2007 survey, she was chosen as the second most popular gay icon in Turkey.
Ajda Pekkan supports animal rights. In 2011, she met with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to discuss animal rights issues. She has adopted and cared for many street animals. In 2013, she visited the Turkish Parliament to watch a discussion about animal rights.
In 2011, she visited Somalia with President Erdoğan and other artists. She also gave a concert to help Somalis who had moved to Istanbul. In 2018, she visited Hatay with President Erdoğan to meet soldiers.
Personal Life
Ajda Pekkan has been married twice. Her first marriage in 1973 to Coşkun Sapmaz lasted only six days. In 1984, she married Ali Bars, and they were together for six years. She has mentioned that not having children is her biggest regret, as she chose to focus on her career.
She has performed in many places around the world. Besides Turkish, she has sung in English, French, Italian, and Japanese. She did not finish high school, but she started her music and acting career early. She took singing lessons from Leyla Demiriş. In 2017, she became a citizen of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
Images for kids
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Pekkan in 2013
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Ajda Pekkan (left) and her group represented Turkey at the Eurovision Song Contest 1980.
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Pekkan sings on a winch crane at the Kuruçeşme Arena in July 2012
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Pekkan performing at a concert in 2009
See also
In Spanish: Ajda Pekkan para niños
