Sertab Erener facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sertab Erener
Erener in 2019
Born	(1964-12-04) 4 December 1964 (age 60) Istanbul, Turkey
Education	Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University
Occupation	Singer-songwriter record producer
Spouse(s)	Aykut Altın ​ ​ (m. 1985; div. 1988)​ Levent Yüksel ​ ​ (m. 1990; div. 1996)​ Emre Kula ​ (m. 2015)​
Partner(s)	Demir Demirkan (1996–2014)
Relatives	Nil Karaibrahimgil (sister-in-law)
Awards	State Medal of Distinguished Service
Musical career
Genres	Pop classical Turkish rock
Years active	1987–present
Labels	Tempa Foneks İmaj Sony Columbia Epic Simya Motéma DMC GNL

Sertab Erener (born 4 December 1964) is a famous Turkish singer, songwriter, and composer. She has a powerful voice, known as a coloratura soprano. Sertab started her career singing backup for the well-known artist Sezen Aksu. With Aksu's help, she released her first album in the 1990s.

Even though she studied classical music, Sertab chose to focus on pop music so more people could hear her songs. She often mixed Western and Eastern music styles, using elements from opera and Ottoman classical music. In the early 2000s, her music became popular not only in Turkey but also in many European countries.

Sertab Erener became very famous in the 1990s with albums like Sakin Ol! (1992), Lâ'l (1994), Sertab Gibi (1997), and Sertab Erener (1999). Many of her songs from these albums, such as "Sakin Ol!" and "Vur Yüreğim," became number-one hits in Turkey. In 2003, she won the Eurovision Song Contest 2003 with her song "Everyway That I Can." This was Turkey's first victory in the competition!

After her Eurovision win, she released more successful albums like No Boundaries (2004) and Aşk Ölmez (2005). In 2010, her album Rengârenk brought her back to the top of the music charts with hit songs like "Bu Böyle" and "Açık Adres." She also released Ey Şuh-i Sertab (2012), an album dedicated to her father, and Sade (2013), which featured popular songs like "İyileşiyorum." Her 2016 album, Kırık Kalpler Albümü, brought back her 90s style and was well-received.

Sertab Erener is known for her unique music style and is one of the most successful artists discovered by Sezen Aksu. For her Eurovision win, she received the State Medal of Distinguished Service. She has won many awards throughout her career, including seven Kral TV Video Music Awards and two Golden Butterfly Awards.

Life and Career Journey

Early Years and Music Start (1964–1991)

Sertab Erener was born on 4 December 1964 in Istanbul, Turkey. She was the second child of Nizamettin and Yücel Erener. Her father loved Ottoman classical music, and Sertab grew up listening to it. Her father named her Sertab, which means "main light," after a song he liked.

During her high school years, Sertab faced serious health challenges, including a long-term illness that required hospital visits. Despite this, she became very interested in music, especially opera. She studied opera at Istanbul University State Conservatory and later at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University. Although she didn't finish her opera studies, she decided to become a stage singer.

In 1987, Sertab met Sezen Aksu at a party. Aksu liked Sertab's voice and asked her to be a backing vocalist. Sertab first said no because she was already a soloist, but later accepted. She also tried to represent Turkey in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1989 and 1990, but didn't win the national selections. In 1990, she married Levent Yüksel.

Rising to Fame (1992–1998)

Sertab Erener's career really took off in the early 1990s with the help of Sezen Aksu. Her first album, Sakin Ol!, was released in 1992. The main song, "Sakin Ol!", became a huge hit. The album sold 750,000 copies and brought a fresh sound to Turkish pop music. Other popular songs from this album included "Aldırma Deli Gönlüm" and "Ateşle Barut."

Between 1993 and 1994, Sertab had surgeries for her health issues. This experience made her think deeply about life, and she started reading philosophy books and practicing meditation.

Her second album, Lâ'l, came out in 1994. Most of the songs were written by Sezen Aksu. The album sold 640,000 copies. Songs like "Sevdam Ağlıyor" and "Rüya" became popular. In 1995, Sertab won the Best Female Artist award at the 1st Kral TV Video Music Awards.

In 1996, Sertab voiced the character of Esmeralda in the Turkish version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. She also started working with guitarist Demir Demirkan. For her third album, Sertab Gibi, released in 1997, she wrote some of her own songs for the first time. This album was an important step in her career, and songs like "Aslolan Aşktır" became popular.

Eurovision Success and Beyond (1999–2004)

In March 1999, Sertab released her self-titled album, Sertab Erener. It included unique works like a poem by Abdülhak Hâmid Tarhan and a piece from Mozart's opera. The album sold 427,000 copies and topped the charts. Hit songs from this album included "Yanarım," "Zor Kadın," and "Vur Yüreğim." "Vur Yüreğim" even won an award for Best Lyrics. She also sang with Ricky Martin on his song "Private Emotion" that year.

In May 2001, her fifth album, Turuncu, was released. Sertab chose the name "Turuncu" (Orange) because it represents positive energy. The album was number one on the best-selling list and sold 260,000 copies. Songs like "Kumsalda" and "Söz Bitti" were made into music videos.

A big moment came in January 2003 when TRT announced that Sertab Erener would represent Turkey at the Eurovision Song Contest 2003. The song was "Everyway That I Can" and it was sung in English. On 24 May, in Riga, Sertab won the contest with 167 points, giving Turkey its first-ever Eurovision victory! "Everyway That I Can" became a hit in many European countries, topping charts in Sweden and Greece.

After her victory, Sertab received many awards and honors, including the State Medal of Distinguished Service. In January 2004, her first English album, No Boundaries, was released in Europe. It also topped the charts in Turkey. She opened the Eurovision Song Contest 2004 in Istanbul by performing "Everyway That I Can" and "Leave."

New Projects and Collaborations (2005–2009)

In 2005, Sertab Erener released her seventh album, Aşk Ölmez. It was a very personal album and sold 160,000 copies. Songs like "Aşk Ölmez, Biz Ölürüz" became popular. That same year, she performed at the Congratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest event, where "Everyway That I Can" was named the ninth most popular Eurovision song of its first fifty years.

In 2007, Sertab released a greatest hits album called The Best of Sertab Erener - En İyiler. She also released a remix album, Sertab Goes to the Club. To celebrate her 15th year in music, she gave a special concert in September, telling her life story through songs. This concert was later released as a live album in 2008, called Sertab Erener Otobiyografi: 15. Sanat Yılı Konseri.

Erener and Demir Demirkan released the album Painted on Water in 2009

In 2009, Sertab and Demir Demirkan released a special album called Painted on Water. They turned traditional Turkish folk songs (türkü) into English and performed them in a jazz style. Demirkan described it as "Anatolian music and jazz and blues mixed with Western instruments."

Recent Works (2010–Present)

In June 2010, Sertab's eighth album, Rengârenk, was released. Songs like "Açık Adres" and "Rengârenk" became number-one hits. The album was one of the best-selling albums of the year, and Sertab won the Best Female Pop Artist award.

Erener performing in June 2014

In April 2012, she released Ey Şûh-i Sertab, an album of Ottoman classical music dedicated to her father. She won the "Best Female Classical Turkish Music Soloist" award for this album. Her album Sade was released in April 2013.

In July 2015, Sertab Erener married Emre Kula. In June 2016, her eleventh album, Kırık Kalpler Albümü, was released. Her husband, Emre Kula, worked on the production of this album.

In 2015, Sertab formed a rock group called Oceans of Noise with her husband Emre Kula and other musicians. They started making English rock music and released their first EP in 2017. They also created the soundtrack for the movie Ayla: The Daughter of War. From late 2017, Sertab began performing in a musical called Sertab'ın Müzikali to celebrate her 25th year in music. The show featured her hit songs and professional dancers.

In 2018, Oceans of Noise released their second EP, Not Safe. Sertab also released new singles like "Bastırın Kızlar" and "Belki de Dönerim."

Erener performing in the second semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2024

On 12 June 2020, Sertab Erener released her twelfth studio album, Ben Yaşarım. Many talented musicians contributed to this album. Critics praised it as a "dynamic album, full of detail and depth."

Most recently, Sertab Erener performed "Everyway That I Can" as a special guest during the second semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 in Malmö. She also released new albums Her Dem Yeşil (2023) and Her Dem Akustik (2024).

Music Style and Voice

Sertab Erener has an amazing voice with a wide range, known as a coloratura soprano. She is mainly a pop music artist, and her songs often blend Middle Eastern melodies with modern sounds.

When she first started, Sertab studied opera. But she decided to switch to pop music because she wanted to reach a bigger audience. It was a challenge to change her singing style from opera to pop. Early in her career, some people thought she sang better in English than in Turkish.

With her third album, Sertab Gibi, she began writing and composing her own songs. She saw this album as an experiment. She realized that to connect with more people, pop music was the best way to share her message.

Her album Turuncu (2001) was made to bring positive energy and connect people to life. Her Eurovision-winning song, "Everyway That I Can," mixed classical pop with Turkish music and ethnic elements. With her album Aşk Ölmez, she focused on singing in a more natural and simple way, letting the emotions of the songs shine through.

With Demir Demirkan, she explored jazz fusion in Painted On Water, where they gave a new sound to traditional Turkish folk songs by singing them in English. In her album Rengârenk, she sang in a calmer style, showing her versatility.

Musical Influences

Sertab Erener grew up listening to her father sing classical Turkish songs. Some of her favorite artists who influenced her include Alanis Morissette, Sting, and Tina Turner.

She has said that Barbra Streisand was a huge inspiration for her. Sertab used to imitate Streisand a lot before she became famous. She worked hard to find her own unique voice and style, moving beyond just imitating others.

Awards and Recognitions

• State Medal of Distinguished Service

Discography

• Sakin Ol! (1992)
• Lâ'l (1994)
• Sertab Gibi (1997)
• Sertab Erener (1999)
• Turuncu (2001)
• No Boundaries (2004)
• Aşk Ölmez (2005)
• Painted on Water (with Demir Demirkan) (2009)
• Rengârenk (2010)
• Ey Şûh-i Sertab (2012)
• Sade (2013)
• Kırık Kalpler Albümü (2016)
• Ben Yaşarım (2020)
• Her Dem Yeşil (2023)
• Her Dem Akustik (2024)

Filmography

Television

See also

In Spanish: Sertab Erener para niños