Demet Akalın facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Demet Akalın
Akalın in 2011
Born	(1972-04-23) 23 April 1972 (age 53) Gölcük, Kocaeli, Turkey
Education	Gölcük Barbaros Hayrettin Lisesi
Occupation	Singer model (formerly) TV presenter
Spouse(s)	Oğuz Kayhan ​ ​ (m. 2006; div. 2006)​ Önder Bekensir ​ ​ (m. 2010; div. 2010)​ Okan Kurt ​ ​ (m. 2012; div. 2018)​
Children	1
Musical career
Genres	Dance pop
Years active	1996–present
Labels	Elenor Şahin Özer Ozan Seyhan DMC

Demet Akalın (born April 23, 1972) is a famous Turkish singer and former model. She became one of the biggest names in Turkish pop music because of her many hit songs, especially since the mid-2000s.

Akalın was born in Gölcük, Kocaeli. She first started a career in modeling with the help of Neşe Erberk's agency. In the 1990s, she also acted in some movies and TV shows. While modeling, she began singing in clubs. Her first album, Sebebim, came out in 1996 but wasn't very successful.

She became famous in Turkey with her 2004 album Banane. The album's main song, "Aşkın Açamadığı Kapı," won a Turkey Music Award for Song of the Year. Her 2006 album Kusursuz 19 sold so well it earned a gold award. With her 2008 album Dans Et, she became a major star in Turkish pop. In 2015, her album Pırlanta was the best-selling album in Turkey.

Many of her songs, like "Afedersin," "Mucize," "Toz Pembe," and "Hayalet," have reached number one on the music charts in Turkey. Other popular songs like "Tecrübe" and "Çanta" were also top hits.

Music experts say Akalın has her own unique style. She has often been on the cover of magazines. From 2007 to 2018, she had a well-known rivalry with singer Hande Yener. After two earlier marriages, she married Okan Kurt in 2012. Their daughter, Hira, was born in 2014. The couple divorced in 2018 but later got back together. Akalın has won many awards for her music, including two Golden Butterfly Awards and four Kral Turkey Music Awards.

Life and Career

1972–1996: Early Life and First Steps in Career

Demet Akalın was born on April 23, 1972, in Gölcük, Kocaeli. Her family has roots in different cultures, including Laz, Tatar, and Bosniak. She went to school in Gölcük.

With her mother's encouragement, she took modeling classes and joined a modeling agency. At the same time, she started acting. She appeared in movies like Günlerden Pazar (1992) and TV shows like Tele Anahtar (1994).

1996–2005: Building a Music Career

While modeling, Akalın also began singing in clubs. In 1996, she released her first album, Sebebim (My Reason). It was a mix of pop and Arabesque music. However, critics said her voice wasn't strong yet, and the album did not sell well.

In 2003, she released her second album, Unuttum (I've Forgotten). The songs "Unuttum" and "Gazete" had music videos.

Her big break came in 2004 with her third album, Banane (I Don't Care). It sold 40,000 copies. The song "Aşkın Açamadığı Kapı" won Song of the Year at the Turkey Music Awards. The album had many popular songs with music videos, including "Vuracak" and "Pembe Dizi."

2006–2009: Rise to Stardom and Rivalry

Akalın's fourth album, Kusursuz 19 (The Perfect 19), was released in 2006. It was a huge success, selling 147,000 copies and earning a gold award. The main song, "Afedersin," became a number-one hit in Turkey. Akalın won Best Female Artist at the 13th Turkey Music Awards.

Akalın performing in Samsun in 2008

Around this time, a famous rivalry began between Akalın and another pop star, Hande Yener. They disagreed publicly about their music styles. Yener said she made "western" music, while Akalın's music was different. Their arguments were often covered in the news.

In 2008, Akalın released her fifth album, Dans Et (Dance). It sold 128,000 copies and also received a gold award. The song "Mucize" was number one on the charts for seven weeks. Another song, "Bebek," was one of the most played songs on the radio that year.

During a concert in 2008, Akalın made a joke that some people found offensive. She later apologized, explaining that she was joking with her friends from Diyarbakır who were in the audience. To resolve the issue, a court asked her to write about the Turkish national anthem, the İstiklal Marşı.

2010–2014: Continued Success and Personal Life

In 2010, Akalın released her sixth album, Zirve (Peak). It sold 83,000 copies and made her one of the top-selling artists in Turkey that year. The album had several hit songs, including "Tecrübe," "Çanta," and "Olacak Olacak."

Akalın performing at a concert in 2011

In 2012, she married her third husband, Okan Kurt. That same year, she released her seventh album, Giderli 16 (Break Up 16). It sold 69,000 copies. The song "Türkan," a tribute to the actress Türkan Şoray, won Best Song at two major award shows.

From 2013 to 2014, she was a judge on the TV show Popstar 2013. In February 2014, she gave birth to her daughter, Hira. Two months later, she released her eighth album, Rekor (Record). It became the best-selling album in Turkey that year, selling 89,000 copies. The song "İlahi Adalet" was a number-two hit.

2015–Present: Recent Albums and Projects

In 2015, Akalın signed with a new record label, DMC. Her ninth album, Pırlanta (Diamond), was released in June. It was the best-selling album in Turkey for 2015, selling 105,000 copies. The song "Ders Olsun" was a big hit. That year, she was also a judge on the singing competition Rising Star Türkiye.

Her tenth album, Rakipsiz (Unrivaled), came out in 2016. Its lead song, "Hayalet," was a number-one hit for two weeks. In 2018, Akalın and her husband Okan Kurt divorced but they later reconciled. That same year, Akalın and Hande Yener also made up after their long rivalry.

Akalın's eleventh album, Ateş (Fire), was released in 2019. It included popular songs like "N'apıyorsan Yap" and "Ağlar O Deli." In 2020, she started hosting a morning TV show with singer Alişan. She has continued to release new singles and collaborate with other artists. In 2023, she began co-hosting the TV show Demet and Jess'le Gel Konuşalım.

Charity Work

Demet Akalın is also known for her charity work. She has donated money to the Mehmetçik Foundation, which supports soldiers and their families. In 2019, she gave the money from one of her concerts to the same charity.

She has also spoken out on important social issues. In 2019, she met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to discuss topics like protecting children and stopping violence against women.

In 2022, she helped build a school in Giresun as part of a project to support village schools. She named the school after her father, Ali Akalın. After the major earthquakes in Turkey in 2023, she opened four of her homes to families who had lost theirs. She also promised to pay for the education of a 14-year-old boy who was rescued from the earthquake.

Discography

• Sebebim (1996)
• Unuttum (2003)
• Banane (2004)
• Kusursuz 19 (2006)
• Dans Et (2008)
• Zirve (2010)
• Giderli 16 (2012)
• Rekor (2014)
• Pırlanta (2015)
• Rakipsiz (2016)
• Ateş (2019)

Filmography

Films

• Günlerden Pazar (1992)
• Sensiz Olmaz (1994)
• Tele Anahtar (1994)
• Osman Pazarlama (2016)

TV series

• Sibel (1998)
• En İyi Arkadaşım (2006)

Television programs

As judge

• Popstar 2013 (2013)
• Bu Tarz Benim (2014) (guest judge)
• Rising Star Türkiye (2015)

As presenter

• Daha Ne Olsun (2007) (presented together with Alişan)
• Evlilik Hayatı (2010) (presented together with Önder Bekensir)
• Demet ve Alişan ile Sabah Sabah (2020–2021) (presented together with Alişan)
• Gelinim Mutfakta (2021)
• Demet ve Jess'le Gel Konuşalım (2023–2024) (presented together with Jess Molho)

Commercials

See also

In Spanish: Demet Akalın para niños