Tarkan (singer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tarkan
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Tarkan in concert, 2011
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| Born | 17 October 1972 Alzey, Rhineland-Palatinate, West Germany
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| Nationality | Turkish |
| Education | Baruch College |
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| Spouse(s) |
Pınar Dilek
(m. 2016) |
| Children | 1 |
| Musical career | |
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| Years active | 1992–present |
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Tarkan Tevetoğlu (born October 17, 1972), known simply as Tarkan, is a famous Turkish singer and songwriter. He was born in Germany but is of Turkish heritage. Since the early 1990s, he has been a major star in pop music, not just in Turkey but around the world.
Tarkan was born in Alzey, West Germany. In 1986, when he was a teenager, his family moved to Turkey. He had loved music since he was a child, so he studied music in high school. Later, he met Mehmet Söğütoğlu, the owner of a record label called İstanbul Plak, and signed a contract to make his own albums.
His first album, Yine Sensiz, came out in 1992. His third album, Ölürüm Sana (1998), included the song "Şımarık". This song, also known as "Kiss Kiss" in its English version, became a huge hit in many countries. In 2001, he released his fourth album, Karma. His first English-language album, Come Closer, was released in 2006 and helped him become more famous in Europe.
Tarkan is often called the "Megastar" or the "Prince of the Bosporus" by the press. He is one of the few European singers to become famous worldwide without singing mainly in English. He is known for his amazing live shows. The co-founder of Atlantic Records, Ahmet Ertegun, once said Tarkan was one of the best live performers he had ever seen. His albums have sold over 15 million copies.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Tarkan Tevetoğlu was born on October 17, 1972, in Alzey, West Germany, to his parents Neşe and Ali Tevetoğlu. His mother named him after a character from a comic book. The name Tarkan comes from an old Turkic title, meaning bold and strong.
In 1986, Tarkan and his family moved to Karamürsel, Turkey. After his father passed away, his mother remarried. Tarkan began high school in Karamürsel and took music lessons. When his family moved to Istanbul, he continued his music studies and started performing in different places. After high school, he signed a contract with İstanbul Plak to release his first album.
Music Career
1992–2000: First Albums and "Şımarık"
Tarkan's first album, Yine Sensiz, was released in 1992. He wrote some of the songs himself. The album sold 700,000 copies and made him famous in Turkey. People noticed his unique style and catchy songs.
In 1994, his second album, Aacayipsin, was released. It was even more successful, selling two and a half million copies. Famous Turkish artists like Sezen Aksu and Yıldız Tilbe helped with the album. It won him the "Best Male Pop Music Artist" award at the Turkey Music Awards.
To get away from the media and learn English, Tarkan moved to New York in 1994. There, he studied at Baruch College. He also met Ahmet Ertegun, the founder of Atlantic Records, who became a mentor to him.
In 1997, Tarkan released his third album, Ölürüm Sana. It sold three and a half million copies. This album featured the song "Şımarık", which became a massive international hit. It reached the top of the charts in Belgium and was in the top five in France, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland. The song was so popular that many other artists recorded their own versions of it.
In 1999, Tarkan was named the Best-Selling Turkish Artist at the World Music Awards. He told CNN in an interview, "It feels wild... It's all in Turkish, you know, and nobody understands a word. But I think it's a groove. It's the kisses that are universal."
2001–2006: Karma and Come Closer
In 2001, Tarkan released his fourth album, Karma. It sold one and a half million copies. The music video for the song "Hüp" was directed by the famous director Ferzan Özpetek. The video caused some debate, but it won the "Best Video Clip" award at the Golden Butterfly Awards. During this time, Tarkan's style—with his tight pants, unbuttoned shirts, and new haircut—became a trend for many young men in Turkey.
In 2003, he released an EP album called Dudu. It was the first EP to sell over a million copies in Turkey.
In 2006, Tarkan released his first English-language album, Come Closer. He had been planning an English album since 1995. It featured 15 songs and performed well on the music charts in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.
2007–2015: Metamorfoz and Adımı Kalbine Yaz
Tarkan's sixth album, Metamorfoz, came out in 2007. He wrote all the songs himself. The Turkish Language Association praised him for using many Turkish idioms and proverbs in his lyrics, saying he was a good example for young people. The album sold 200,000 copies.
In 2010, his album Adımı Kalbine Yaz was released. It became the best-selling album of the year in Turkey, selling 355,000 copies. The album and its songs won many awards at the Turkey Music Awards, including "Best Album" and "Best Song."
2016–Present: Ahde Vefa and 10
In 2016, Tarkan released Ahde Vefa, his first album of Classical Turkish music. It was a big success, selling 170,000 copies in just one week.
His tenth pop album, titled 10, was released in 2017. Several songs from the album, including "Yolla" and "Beni Çok Sev," became number-one hits in Turkey.
In February 2022, Tarkan released a song called "Geççek". The song became very popular and was shared by many people in Turkey. In May 2025, Tarkan became the first Turkish singer to perform at The O2 Arena in London.
Personal Life
In 1999, Tarkan was required to do his military service. After a new law was passed following the 1999 İzmit earthquake, he was able to complete a shorter 28-day service by paying a fee that helped the earthquake victims. He completed his service in 2000.
On April 29, 2016, Tarkan married his long-time girlfriend, Pınar Dilek. They had met in 2011 after one of his concerts in Germany. On July 12, 2018, their daughter, Liya, was born.
Tarkan owns a property in Polonezköy, Istanbul, where he enjoys growing fruit trees and keeping animals.
Discography
Albums
- Yine Sensiz (1992)
- Aacayipsin (1994)
- Ölürüm Sana (1997)
- Tarkan (International debut) (1998)
- Karma (2001)
- Come Closer (First English album) (2006)
- Metamorfoz (2007)
- Adımı Kalbine Yaz (2010)
- Ahde Vefa (2016)
- 10 (2017)
- Kuantum 51 (2024)
Other Releases
- Dudu (EP) (2003)
- Metamorfoz Remixes (2008)
- Geççek (2022)
See also
In Spanish: Tarkan para niños
