Candan Erçetin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Candan Erçetin
Erçetin in 2015
Born	(1963-02-10) 10 February 1963 (age 62) Lüleburgaz, Kırklareli, Turkey
Education	Galatasaray High School Istanbul University University of Vienna
Occupation	Singer-songwriter record producer teacher actress
Partner(s)	Hakan Karahan
Musical career
Genres	Folk-pop
Years active	1986–present
Labels	Topkapı Pasaj DMC
Associated acts	Klips ve Onlar

Candan Erçetin (born 10 February 1961) is a famous Turkish singer and songwriter. For over 25 years, she has been known for creating and singing songs about everyday life. Even though she didn't do much advertising for her albums, her music has inspired many other artists.

Candan Erçetin has released many music videos with different themes. Her family comes from the Balkans, so she often uses sounds and styles from Balkan music in her songs. Besides Turkish, she has also written songs in French and Greek. She is also a teacher and an actress.

Candan Erçetin's Life and Music Career

Early Life and First Steps in Music (1961–1994)

Candan Erçetin was born on 10 February 1961 in Kırklareli, Turkey. Her family has roots in Albanian and Macedonian cultures. She finished her early schooling in Kırklareli. When she was 11, Candan won a scholarship. This allowed her to move to Istanbul by herself to attend Galatasaray High School. In 1978, she started taking singing lessons at the Istanbul Municipality Singing School.

In 1986, she represented Turkey at the Eurovision Song Contest. She performed the song "Halley" with a group called Klips ve Onlar. They achieved Turkey's best result in the competition at that time. She also took part in the Eurovision Turkey finals in 1990 and 1992.

First Albums: Hazırım and Çapkın (1995–1999)

Candan Erçetin's first album, Hazırım (meaning I'm Ready), came out in August 1995. It had 12 songs, including some written by famous artists. Popular songs from this album included "Umrumda Değil" and "Sevdim Sevilmedim". Music videos were made for several songs.

In 1996, she released Sevdim Sevilmedim, her first remix album. It had new songs and remixed versions of songs from her first album. After this, Candan started releasing remix albums for all her future works.

Her second studio album, Çapkın (meaning Flirtatious), was released in June 1997. This album also had 12 songs. The song "Yalan" (meaning "Lie") became a huge hit in Turkey. Her music video for "Her Aşk Bitermiş" (meaning "Every Love Ends") was even chosen as the Best Video Clip.

In August 1998, she released another remix album called Oyalama Artık. It featured remixed versions of songs from her second album.

Big Success with Elbette and Neden (1999–2003)

Candan Erçetin started planning her next album in 1998. Her third studio album, Elbette (meaning Of Course), was released in November 1999. Many of the songs were written by Mete Özgencil, and Candan herself composed six of them. She also re-recorded an old song from 1960.

Elbette became the best-selling album in Turkey for many weeks. By the end of 2000, it had sold over 1 million copies, making it the top-selling album of the year. Music critics loved the album, saying it showed her unique personality. In 2009, Elbette was named the Best Turkish Album of the 2000s by NTV's music experts.

In May 2002, her fourth studio album, Neden (meaning Why?), was released. Critics noticed that this album had a different feel from her earlier works. The lead song, "Gamsız Hayat" (meaning "Carefree Life"), became a hit. The album sold very well and received an award for its sales. In 2003, she released Chante Hier Pour Aujourd'hui, an album of French songs with modern styles.

New Sounds and Projects (2004–2012)

Candan Erçetin's fifth studio album, Melek (meaning Angel), was released in June 2004. This was her first album with a new production company. The album was very popular and sold over 400,000 copies in 2004, earning a gold award. In the same year, she performed in many cities as part of a youth festival.

In early 2005, she starred in a musical called Yıldızların Altında (meaning Under the Stars). Later that year, in December, she released her album Aman Doktor (meaning Oh Doctor). This album was special because it included both Turkish and Greek songs, celebrating the cultures. Aman Doktor was a top seller and also received a gold award.

From 2007 to 2008, she hosted her own TV show called Beraber ve Solo Şarkılar (meaning Together and Solo Songs). She also sang on albums by other artists. In 2009, she was a producer for the movie Gölgesizler. The song "Ben Kimim" (meaning "Who Am I?") from the movie became very popular.

Erçetin performing live in June 2012

Her sixth studio album, Kırık Kalpler Durağında (meaning At the Stop of Broken Hearts), was released in December 2009. It was her first album after a long break. The album was very successful and topped the sales charts. Critics praised the album, noting her thoughtful approach to music. In 2011, she released Aranjman 2011, another album with Turkish and French songs.

Recent Works and Public Role (2013–Present)

In May 2013, Candan Erçetin was appointed as a vice president for the famous Turkish sports club Galatasaray S.K.. She also became a board member for the club's basketball team.

She released her seventh studio album, Milyonlarca Kuştuk... (meaning We Were Millions of Birds...), in June 2013. The album's title and first song were inspired by an old legend. For this album, she turned a poem by the famous poet Nâzım Hikmet into a song. The album was a best-seller and one of the most downloaded albums of the year.

In January 2014, Candan Erçetin received a special medal, the Order of Arts and Letters, from the French President. This award recognized her efforts in strengthening the relationship between France and Turkey.

In late 2014 and early 2015, Candan Erçetin had a fun, friendly "battle of words" with TV host Beyazıt Öztürk. They exchanged funny parody songs based on her hit "Git". This playful exchange became very popular and increased her fame even more. She later performed a duet with him to end the battle. In 2015, she re-recorded a Turkish folk song in honor of a national memorial day.

After releasing her eighth studio album, Ah Bu Şarkıların Gözü Kör Olsun (meaning Oh, These Songs Should Blackout), in November 2015, she continued to release new singles like "Kim Korkar" and "Değişiyoruz" in 2018. In 2019, she released a new version of her song "Annem" for a movie soundtrack. To celebrate 25 years since her first album, she released a new single called "İyi ki" (meaning "Thankfully") in January 2020.

In 2022, her song "Gamsız Hayat" was featured in the movie Aftersun, which was praised by critics.

Discography

Here are some of Candan Erçetin's main albums:

• Hazırım (1995) (English: I'm Ready)
• Elbette (1999) (English: Of Course)
• Neden (2002) (English: Why?)
• Melek (2004) (English: Angel)
• Kırık Kalpler Durağında (2009) (English: At the Stop of Broken Hearts)
• Milyonlarca Kuştuk... (2013) (English: We Were Millions of Birds...)
• Ah Bu Şarkıların Gözü Kör Olsun (2015) (English: Oh, These Songs Should Blackout)

Filmography

Candan Erçetin has also appeared in films and musicals:

TV Programs

She has also hosted or appeared in TV shows:

• Kol Düğmeleri (1994)
• Randevu (1995)
• Günlük Hayat (2001)
• Candan Erçetin'le Beraber ve Solo Şarkılar (March 2007 – June 2008)

See also

In Spanish: Candan Erçetin para niños

• Music of Turkey
• Pop folk
• Southeastern European music
• Turkish pop music