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 | |
| Genres |
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| Years active | 1992–present |
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Tarkan Tevetoğlu (born 17 October 1972) is a famous singer and songwriter from Turkey. He was born in Germany. Since the early 1990s, he has been a big name in pop music. People know him well in Turkey and all over the world.
Tarkan grew up in Alzey, which was in West Germany at the time. In 1986, he moved to Turkey with his family. Tarkan loved music from a young age. He took music lessons in high school. Later, he met Mehmet Söğütoğlu, who owned İstanbul Plak. Tarkan then signed a contract to release his music.
His first album, Yine Sensiz, came out in 1992. The song "Kıl Oldum" was a big hit from it. His second album, Aacayipsin, was released in 1994. Then came Ölürüm Sana in 1998. This album had the very popular song "Şımarık". This song became famous in many countries. It even had an English version called "Kiss Kiss".
In 1999, Tarkan's album Tarkan sold millions of copies. It won awards in many countries. In 2001, he released his fourth album, Karma. Two years later, his EP Dudu also sold very well. In 2006, he released his first English album, Come Closer. This made him even more known in Europe.
Tarkan's seventh album, Metamorfoz, came out in 2007. The words in his songs were praised by the Turkish Language Association. In 2010, his album Adımı Kalbine Yaz was the best-selling album in Turkey. In 2016, he released Ahde Vefa, which featured Classical Turkish music.
Besides music, Tarkan helps with many social projects. People often call him "Megastar" or "Prince of the Bosporus". He is one of the few European singers who became famous without singing in English. He is also known for his amazing live shows. Tarkan's impact in Turkey has been compared to Elvis Presley in the US. His albums have sold over 15 million copies. He has won many awards, including four Turkey Music Awards and a World Music Award.
Contents
Tarkan's Early Life
Tarkan Tevetoğlu was born on 17 October 1972. His parents were Neşe and Ali Tevetoğlu. He was born in Alzey, West Germany. His mother named him after a comic book hero called Tarkan. The name Tarkan comes from an old Turkic word. It means bold and strong.
Tarkan loved music from when he was a child. In 1986, he and his five brothers and sisters moved to Turkey. They settled in Karamürsel, Kocaeli. After his father passed away, his mother married an architect named Seyhun Kahraman. Tarkan has three step-siblings from his mother's first marriage. He also has a brother and a younger sister from his mother's marriage to his father.
Tarkan started high school in Karamürsel. He took lessons in Turkish Art and Music there. Later, his family moved to Istanbul. He continued his music studies in Istanbul. He also started performing at different places. After high school, he planned to study more in Germany. But first, he signed a contract with Mehmet Söğütoğlu. This was to release his first album.
Tarkan's Music Career
Early Albums: 1992–2000
Tarkan's first album, Yine Sensiz, came out in December 1992. He wrote the words for three songs on the album. He also wrote the music for three songs. The song "Kıl Oldum" was the first single. In June 1993, new versions of the album were released. He made music videos for songs like "Kimdi" and "Vazgeçemem". The album sold 700,000 copies. Critics said it was new to use everyday words in Turkish songs.
In May 1994, his second album Aacayipsin was released. It later came out in Germany and Russia. Famous artists like Sezen Aksu helped with the album. Tarkan wrote and composed many songs himself. Songs like "Hepsi Senin mi?" and "Kış Güneşi" had music videos. Aacayipsin sold two and a half million copies. Tarkan won "Best Male Pop Music Artist" for it.
In 1994, Tarkan moved to New York. He wanted to learn English and continue his education. He studied at Baruch College. While in the US, he met Ahmet Ertegun. Ertegun was a Turkish founder of Atlantic Records. Tarkan saw Ertegun as a guide in music.
In 1997, Tarkan started his own company, Hitt Müzik. That same year, he released his third album, Ölürüm Sana. It sold three and a half million copies. Tarkan wrote many of the songs on this album. "Şımarık" became a huge hit worldwide. It reached high spots on music charts in many countries. The song was later sung by many other artists.
In 1998, Tarkan signed a deal with Universal Music Group. His album Tarkan was released in many countries. It included his most famous songs. This album sold one and a half million copies worldwide. It won platinum and gold awards. In 1999, Tarkan won the "Best-Selling Turkish Artist" award at the World Music Awards. He was the first Turkish artist to sell 500,000 albums in France. He said it felt "wild" because no one understood the Turkish words. But he believed the "groove" and "kisses" were understood everywhere.
His success helped Turkish pop music become popular in Europe. He showed that Turkish music could be loved outside Turkey.
New Sounds: 2001–2006
In May 2001, Tarkan released "Kuzu Kuzu". This song sold 700,000 copies. Three months later, his fourth album Karma came out. Tarkan wrote and composed many songs on it. Other artists like Nazan Öncel also helped. The album Karma sold one and a half million copies. It was sent to Russia, where Tarkan was very popular.
Music videos were made for "Hüp" and "Verme". The video for "Hüp" caused some talk. Some people thought a kissing scene was too much. But the video won "Best Video Clip" at the Golden Butterfly Awards. Tarkan also won "Best Male Turkish Pop Music Soloist". Tarkan's style during this time was new. His clothes and hairstyle became popular with young Turkish men.
In 2003, Tarkan released his EP album Dudu. It was produced by Ozan Çolakoğlu. It sold over a million copies in Turkey. The main song "Dudu" won a "Song of the Year Award" in Russia. Music videos were made for "Dudu", "Sorma Kalbim", and other songs. The album sold one million copies. In 2004, Tarkan was named "Best Male Pop Music Artist".
In 2006, Tarkan released his English album Come Closer. He had been planning this album since 1995. It had 15 songs. The album reached music charts in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. It sold 110,000 copies in Turkey. Before it was officially released, some songs were leaked online. This caused problems, but Tarkan's team took action.
Later Success: 2007–Present
In December 2007, Tarkan's sixth album Metamorfoz was released. Tarkan wrote all the songs and composed many of them. The Turkish Language Association praised his use of Turkish words. This showed a good example for young people. The album sold 200,000 copies. Songs like "Vay Anam Vay" and "Dilli Düdük" had music videos. In 2008, remixed versions of the songs came out. Dutch DJ Tiësto helped with these remixes.
In July 2010, Tarkan's seventh album Adımı Kalbine Yaz was released. It sold 355,000 copies. The song "Sevdanın Son Vuruşu" won many awards. The album itself was named "Best Album". Music videos were made for "Öp" and "Kayıp". "Öp" won "Best Video Clip". In 2011, Tarkan was the most searched artist on Google in Turkey.
In 2016, Tarkan released his ninth album Ahde Vefa. This album focused on Classical Turkish music. It sold 170,000 copies in its first week. In July 2016, he released the single "Cuppa". In 2017, Tarkan released his album 10. The song "Yolla" was the first single and had a music video. Other songs like "Beni Çok Sev" also had videos. "Yolla" and "Beni Çok Sev" became number one songs in Turkey.
In 2022, Tarkan released a new song called "Geççek".
Tarkan's Popularity
Ahmet Ertegun said Tarkan is a great dancer. He said Tarkan has a special magic. This magic helps him share feelings through his music.
His song "Şımarık" has been used by many artists. Indian movies, called Bollywood films, have used his songs too. Songs like "Şıkıdım" and "Dudu" have appeared in films. His song "Kış Güneşi" was chosen as one of "The Unforgettable Hits of Turkish Music".
Tarkan's Personal Life
Military Service
In 1999, Tarkan was called to do his military service. He had put it off since 1995. But he had contracts to perform outside Turkey. After a big earthquake in Turkey in 1999, a new law was made. It allowed people to pay $16,000 to help earthquake victims. In return, they could serve only 28 days in the military. Tarkan returned to Turkey in 2000. He used this law and completed his service. He said it was tough, but his dreams were more important.
Family Life
Tarkan likes to keep his personal life private. He was in a relationship with a lawyer, Bilge Öztürk, for seven years. They ended their relationship in 2008. Tarkan has said that he would only get married if he had children.
Tarkan owns a ranch in Polonezköy, Istanbul. He grows fruit trees and keeps animals there. He also used to own an apartment in Murray Hill, New York City.
On 29 April 2016, Tarkan married Pınar Dilek. They had met in 2011 after a concert in Germany. Pınar was a fan of Tarkan before they met. On 12 July 2018, they had their first child. It was a daughter named Liya.
In June 2019, Tarkan had surgery. He had been having trouble sleeping and with his voice. The surgery was successful.
Tarkan's Albums
- Yine Sensiz (December 1992)
- Aacayipsin (May 1994)
- Ölürüm Sana (July 1997)
- Tarkan (International debut) (September 1998)
- Karma (July 2001)
- Come Closer (First English album) (April 2006)
- Metamorfoz (December 2007)
- Adımı Kalbine Yaz (July 2010)
- Ahde Vefa (March 2016)
- 10 (June 2017)
- Kuantum 51 (June 2024)
Other Music Releases
- Dudu (EP) (June 2003)
- Metamorfoz Remixes (July 2008)
- Geççek (February 2022)
Awards Tarkan Has Won
- 1998 Kral TV Music Awards
- Song of the Year: Şımarık
- 2001 MGD Golden Objective Awards
- Best Pop Singer of the Year
- 2001 Kral TV Music Awards
- Male Pop Singer of the Year
- Song of the Year: Kuzu Kuzu
- Video of the Year: Hüp
- 2002 MGD Altin Objektif Ödülleri
- Best Male Singer
- Album of the Year: Karma
- 2003 Kral TV Music Awards
- Best Male Pop Singer
- 2011 Kral TV Müzik Ödülleri
- Best Album: Adımı Kalbine Yaz
- Best Male Artist
- Best Song: Sevdanın Son Vuruşu
- Best Composition: Sevdanın Son Vuruşu
- Most Played Artist for Airplay
- Mü-Yap (Best-Selling Album of the Year): Adımı Kalbine Yaz
- 2011 Golden Butterfly Awards
- Best Turkish Pop Music Male Soloist
- Best Song of the Year: Sevdanın Son Vuruşu
- 2017 Golden Butterfly Awards
- Best Turkish Pop Music Male Soloist
- Best Song of the Year: Beni Çok Sev
Images for kids
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Tarkan vienna2006 3.JPG
Tarkan with fans in Vienna, 2006
See also
In Spanish: Tarkan para niños
