Sezen Aksu
Sezen Aksu (
13 July,
1954) is a
Turkish pop music singer, song-writer and producer, popular both with a mass audience in Turkey, and with
world music fans internationally. So far her albums have reached a total circulation of 40 million
[CD Baby]. She is widely considered to be the "Queen of Turkish Pop"
[6Moons Review] and her fans call her "Minik Serçe" (Little Sparrow). Along with
Ajda Pekkan, Sezen is considered one of the true
superstars of the
Turkish pop sub-genre.
Well respected and a favourite among her peers, Aksu has also groomed and collaborated with many other musicians securing the furture of her legacy in Turkish pop, including
Sertab Erener,
Şebnem Ferah,
Aşkın Nur Yengi,
Hande Yener, and
Levent Yüksel[Sezen Aksu and Her Children]. Possibly the most well-known is her musical partnership with
Tarkan that resulted in continental hits like "
Şımarık" and "
Şıkıdım".
Sezen Aksu was born
Fatma Sezen Yıldırım in
Denizli,
Turkey. Her family moved to
İzmir when she was 3 years old and she spent her childhood and early youth there. After finishing high school, she began to study at the local agricultural institute, but gave up her studies to concentrate on music full time.
Aksu is credited with laying the foundations of Turkish pop music in the 1970s with female star and close friend
Ajda Pekkan, both reaching superstar status domestically. It was Aksu's songwriting talents, however, that is credited with giving Turkish pop its unique sound, which is emulated across the
Balkans and
Greece today
[Close friends Haris Alexiou and Giorgos Dalaras often quote Sezen Aksu as inspiration, while the diaspora of Greeks in the seventies to Greece also took their musical tastes, which included Aksu's music.] and it was this sound that changed the face of the
Eurovision song contest when her protegé Sertab Erener won in
2003.
A staunch activist and spokeswoman for the environment and the oppressed, each of Aksu's releases over the last few years have turned huge media events where she often performs with her famous 35-piece Oriental orchestra
[6Moons Review]. Her concert tickets are sold for high prices, with local celebrities attending most events.
Aksu has been married and divorced four times. She has a son from her first marriage with Sinan Özer.
|
Sezen Aksu pictured during her younger days |
Aksu released her first single,
Haydi Şansım/Gel Bana (Come on My Luck/Come to Me) in
1975 under the name of Sezen Seley. However, she remained undiscovered until her
1976 single
Olmaz Olsun/Vurdumduymaz (Wish It Never Happened/Insensitive) reached number one in the Turkish charts. Her first album was
1978's
Serçe (Sparrow), which gave her also her nickname, penned by a Turkish journalist.
Collaborating with producer
Onno Tunç, the couple have put their signatures to works that broke new ground in Turkish pop music, starting with the album
Sen Ağlama (Don't Cry). United both profesionally and romantically, the albums
Git (Go),
Sezen Aksu'88 and
Sezen Aksu Söylüyor (Sezen Aksu Sings) produced by the couple throughout the 80s are considered to be pop music classics.
A Sezen Aksu drive finally got Turkey to apply for the Eurovision Song contest in the mid-70s. Ironically however, even though she competed in the national finals for the competition three times; "Küçük Bir Aşk Masalı" (A Little Love Tale) was a duet with Özdemir Erdoğan, "Heyamola" was performed as a trio with Coşkun Demir and Ali Kocatepe and "1945" was her solo performance; none got the chance to represent Turkey abroad. It was to be left to her pupil Erener to win the Eurovision and realise Aksu's dream to push her musical vision further into
Europe.
Aksu's more mature attempts came with the 90's, when she co-produced her best selling album to-date
Gülümse with Tunç. The A-1 track from the album called
Hadi Bakalım (Come On Now) was a hit in Turkey and Europe, and was published as a single in
Germany.
She also began to produce albums for her vocalists, notably producing
Aşkın Nur Yengi's debut album
Sevgiliye (To the One I Love) again with Tunç. She was to repeat this successfully with artists Erener and Yüksel.
Parting ways with Tunç, in
1995, Aksu branched out with the experimental album
Işık Doğudan Yükselir (Light Rises From the East), drawing both on western classical and regional Turkish musical traditions. This album made her name outside Turkey and gave her a devoted world music following across Europe.
In
1996, she released
Düş Bahçeleri (Dream Gardens) as a tribute to Tunç, who died that same year tragically when his private plane crashed.
In
1997, she released
Düğün ve Cenaze (Wedding And Funeral), this time colloborating with
Goran Bregović.
She returned to her roots with
Adı Bende Saklı (His Name Is Hidden In Me), which was released in
1998. She began to use experimental sounds and was once again pushing Turkish pop into the future.
Aksu continued with this trend with her subsequent albums
Deliveren (Crazymaker),
Şarkı Söylemek Lazım (Gotta Sing),
Yaz Bitmeden (Before The Summer Ends) between the years
2000 -
2003.
After a two year hiatus, she returned with
Bahane (Excuse) in 2005, which refined the standards of Turkish pop music. That same year she released
Kardelen (Snowdrop) where all proceeds went to charity, and before the end of
2005 released a
Bahane/Remixes (Excuse/Remixes) double-CD album which contained the original
Bahane album in disc one and the remixes of songs in Bahane in disc two.
Aksu has recently been re-releasing all her old classics digitally remastered and with specially designed new sleeves.
After her concert tour in summer 2006, she will record a new album in the USA.
45 rpm
| Year | Cover | Title | | 1975 | | Haydi Şansım/Gel Bana
(Come on My Luck/Come to Me) |
| 1976 | | Kusura Bakma/Yaşanmamış Yıllar
(Excuse Me/Wasted Years) |
| 1976 | | Olmaz Olsun/Vurdumduymaz
(Wish It Never Happened/Insensitive) |
| 1977 | | Allahaısmarladık/Kaç Yıl Geçti Aradan
(Goodbye/How Many Years Have Passed) |
| 1977 | | Kaybolan Yıllar/Neye Yarar
(Lost Years/What's the Use) |
| 1978 | | Gölge Etme/Aşk
(Don't Shadow Me/Love) |
| 1979 | | İlk Gün Gibi/Yalancı
(Like the First Day/Liar) |
| 1979 | | Allahaşkına/Sensiz İçime Sinmiyor
(For God's Sake/Doesn't Feel Right Without You) |
MC & CD
| Year | Cover | Title | Tracklist | Sales | | 1997 | | Cumartesi Türküsü
(Saturday Ballad) Cassette only - Not commercially released
* Cumartesi Türküsü
* Cumartesi Türküsü Instrumental |
| 1999 | | Erkekler
(Men)
from album Düğün ve Cenaze (Wedding and Funeral)
* Erkekler Etnik Mix
* Erkekler Ambient Mix
* Helal Ettim Hakkımı (Give You My Blessing) | 10.000[Milliyet] |
| 1999 | | Sarı Odalar
(Yellow Rooms)
from album Deliveren (Crazygiver)
* Trumpet Intro
* Full Version
* Instrumental
* Trip Mix |
| 2001 | | Remix Maxi Single
Concert promo - not commercially released
songs from album Deliveren (Crazygiver)
* Kahpe Kader Full Vox Mix (Foul Fate)
* Oh Oh Full Vox Mix
* Kahpe Kader Club Mix
* Oh Oh Club Mix |
MC/LP
| Year | Cover | Title | Tracklist | | 1977 | | Allahaısmarladık (Goodbye)
* Allahaısmarladık (Goodbye)
* Kendi Kendime (To Myself)
* Haydi Söyle (Come on Tell Me)
* Uzun Lafın Kısası (Cut it Short)
* Seni Gidi Vurdumduymaz (You Insensitive Thing)
* Geçen Yaz (Last Summer)
* Gözlerindeki Bulut (Misty Eyes)
* Söyle, Kimsin? (Tell Me, Who Are You?)
* Alev Alev (Burning Flame)
* Olmaz Olsun (Wish It never Happened) |
| 1978 | | Serçe (Sparrow)
* Kaybolan Yıllar (Lost Years)
* İçime Sinmiyor (Doesn't Feel Right)
* Minik Serçe (Little Sparrow)
* Gölge Etme (Don't Shadow Me)
* Gün Gelir (Day Will Come)
* Yorgun Akşamlar (Weary Nights)
* Sızı (Pain)
* Gelen Gideni Aratır
* Kaç Yıl Geçti Aradan (How Many Years Have Passed)
* Sen (You)
* Neye Yarar (What's the Use)
* Kime Kalmış Bu Dünya
* Ölürsem Yazıktır (It's A Pity If I Die)
* Olmaz İlaç (Medicine Won't Do)
* Akasyalar Açarken (When Acacias Bloom)
* Silemezler Gönlümden
* Karam
* Aşk (Love)
Later re-released on CD| 1980 | | Sevgilerimle (With my Love)
* Dört Günlük Birşey (Something Shortlived)
* Küçük Yaz Çiçeği (Little Summer Flower)
* Uzaklarda Bir Çizgide (On A Line In The Distance)
* Sürüklüyorum Çaresizliğimi (Dragging My Hopelessness)
* Bir Acı Kahvenin (A Bitter Coffee)
* Hani
* Dilimin Ucunda Kelimeler (Words on the Tip of my Tongue)
* Sensizim (I'm Without You)
* Çocuk (Child)
* Hata (Mistake)
Later re-released on CD | | 1981 | | Ağlamak Güzeldir (To Cry is Beautiful)
* Düşünce
* Ağlamak Güzeldir (To Cry is Beautiful)
* Yak Bir Sigara (Light a Cigarette)
* Köprü (Bridge)
* Yalnız Kullar (Tanrım)
* En Uzun Gece (The Longest Night)
* Biliyorsun (You Know)
* Ben Her Bahar Aşık Olurum (I Fall in Love Every Spring)
* Lunapark
* Hoşgörü (Tolerance)
Later re-released on CD | | 1982 | | Firuze (Turquoise)
* Firuze (Turquoise)
* Ayrılıklar Bitmez
* Neredesiniz
* İkinci Bahar (Second Spring)
* Dümtek
* Zelzele
* Bazen (Sometimes)
* Zavallı Bir Gece
* Şöyle Yürekli Bir Sevda
* Bir Zamanlar Deli Gönlüm (Once Upon A Time My Crazy Heart)
Later re-released on CD | | 1984 | | Sen Ağlama (Don't Cry)
* Sen Ağlama (Don't Cry)
* Benimle Ol (Be With Me)
* Geri Dön (Come Back)
* Yeter (Enough)
* Bu Gece (Tonight)
* Dağlar Dağlar (Mountains Mountains)
* Çocuklar Gibi (Like Children)
* Tükeneceğiz
* Bir Başka Aşk (Another Love)
* Bin Dokuzyüz Kırkbeş (nineteen hundred fortyfive)
Later re-released on CD | | 1986 | | Git... (Go...)
* Değer mi? (Is It Worth It?)
* Git... (Go...)
* Beni Unutma (Don't Forget me)
* Kolay Değil (It's Not Easy)
* Ünzile
* Sonbahar (Autumn)
* Ali
* Ah Mazi (Oh Past)
* Yalnızca Sitem (Simply Regret)
Later re-released on CD | | 1988 | | Sezen Aksu'88
* Sarışınım
* Geçer
* Sultan Süleyman
* El Gibi
* Unut (Forget)
* Oldu mu?
* Kavaklar
* Bir Çocuk Sevdim (I Loved A Boy)
* Hasret (Longing)
* Bir Kuş Uçur
* Hayır (No)
* Seni İstiyorum (I Want You)
Later re-released on CD | |
MC/CD
| Year | Cover | Title | Tracklist | Sales | | 1989 | | Sezen Aksu Söylüyor
(Sezen Aksu Sings)
* Bırak Beni (Let Me Go)
* Şinanay
* Gidiyorum (I'm Going)
* Son Bakış (Last Look)
* Yıllar Sonra (Years Later)
* Beni Kategorize Etme (Don't Categorize Me)
* Belalım
* Kış Masalı (Winter Tale)
* Aynalar (Mirrors)
* İstanbul Hatırası
* Zor Yıllar (Difficult Years)
* Gamsız | 1.650.000[Ibid] |
| 1991 | | Gülümse
(Smile)
* Hadi Bakalım (Come On Now)
* Tutsak
* Ne Kavgam Bitti Ne Sevdam
* Gülümse (Smile)
* Güllerim Soldu
* Vazgeçtim (I've Given Up)
* Her Şeyi Yak
* Namus (Honor)
* Seni Kimler Aldı?
* Değer mi? (Was It Worth It?) | 1.720.000 (Estimated: more than 2 million)[Ibid] |
| 1993 | | Deli Kızın Türküsü
(Crazy Girl's Ballad)
* Sude
* Masum Değiliz (We're Not Innocent)
* Adem Olan Anlar
* Deli Kızın Türküsü (Crazy Girl's Ballad)
* Kalbim Ege'de Kaldı (I Left My Heart In The Aegean)
* Dert Faslı
* Tenna
* Dua (Prayer)
* Gözlerine Göz Değmiş
* Homini, Pufidi, Tumba
* Aşkları da Vururlar
* Küçüğüm (My Little One) | 700.000[Ibid] |
| 1995 | | Işık Doğudan Yükselir
(Light Rises From the East)
* Işık Doğudan Yükselir (Light Rises From the East)
* Davet (Invitation)
* Son Sardunyalar (Late Geraniums)
* Alâturka (Alla Turca)
* Yaktılar Halim'imi
* Rakkas (Dancer)
* Onu Alma Beni Al (Don't Take Her Take Me)
* Yeniliğe Doğru (Towards Progress)
* Ne Ağlarsın (Why Do You Cry)
* Ben Annemi İsterim (I Want My Mother)
* Var Git Turnam (Go My Crane)
* Lâ İlahe İllallah (There is Only One God) | 600.000[Ibid] |
| 1996 | | Düş Bahçeleri
(Dream Gardens)
* Seni Yerler
* Yarası Saklım
* Bile Bile (Knowingly)
* Kaçın Kurası
* Le Le Le
* Rakkas (Remix 1)
* Yalnızlık Senfonisi (Symphony of Loneliness)
* Düş Bahçeleri (Dream Gardens)
* İki Gözüm
* Zalim
* Onursuz Olmasın Aşk
* Rakkas (Remix 2) | 520.000[Ibid] |
| 1997 | | Düğün ve Cenaze
(Wedding and Funeral)
* O Sensin (It's You)
* Allah'ın Varsa (If You Have A God)
* Kasım Yağmurları (November Rains)
* Hıdrellez (Summer Festival)
* Düğün (Wedding)
* Erkekler (Men)
* Gül (Rose)
* Helal Ettim Hakkımı (Give You My Blessing)
* Ayışığı (Moonlight)
* Kalaşnikof (Kalashnikov) | 230.000[Ibid] |
| 1998 | | Adı Bende Saklı
(His Name is Hidden in Me)
* Ud Taksimi (Oud Intro)
* Tutuklu (Arrested)
* Kaderim (My Fate)
* Hazan (Aumtumn)
* Erkek Güzeli (Pretty Boy)
* Kusura Bakma (Excuse Me)
* Ruhuma Asla (Never To My Soul)
* Adı Bende Saklı (His Name is Hidden in Me)
* Ben Sevdalı Sen Belalı (I'm in Love, You're Trouble)
* Şimal Yıldızı (North Star)
* Yola Çıkmalı (Must Set Out)
* İnce Mevzu (Sensitive Issue)
* Denge (Balance)
* Adı Menekşe (It's Name is Violet) | 700.000[Ibid] |
| 2000 | | Deliveren
(Crazymaker)[Album review by CD Baby]
* Deliveren (Crazymaker)
* Oh Oh
* Kahpe Kader (Foul Fate)
* Keskin Bıçak
* Rumeli Havası
* Gidiyorum Bu Şehirden
* O-kudum-da
* Yine mi Çiçek?
* Hoş Geldin (Welcome)
* Sarı Odalar (Yellow Rooms)
* Yalancı Dünya
* Hayat Sana Teşekkür Ederim (Life I Thank You) | 750.000 (Estimated: about 1 million) |
| 2002 | | Şarkı Söylemek Lazım[Album review by 6moons]
(Gotta Sing)
* Şarkı Söylemek Lazım (Gotta Sing)
* İstanbul İstanbul Olalı
* Savaşma Seviş Benimle
* Su Gibi (Like Water)
* Nihayet (Finally)
* Seni İstiyorum (I Want You)
* Dansöz Dünya
* Tanrı İstemezse
* Güngörmemişler
* Şen Şarkı
* Deli Gönlüm
* Kıran Kırana
* Ablam Aşktan Öldü (My Sister Died From Love)
* Dansöz Dünya (version 2) | 600.000 |
| 2003 | | Yaz Bitmeden
(Before the Summer Ends)
* Yaz (Summer)
* Farkındayım (Kıvanch K. Mix)
* Aşktan Ne Haber
* Şu Saniye (This Moment)
* Arka Sokaklar (Back Streets)
* Karşı Pencere (Opposite Window)
* Oyalanma
* Yaz (Akustik)
* Farkındayım
* Şu Saniye (Trip Mix)
* Oyalanma (Enstrumantal)
* Şu Saniye (World Dub) | 780.000 |
| 2005 | | Bahane
(Excuse)
* Bahane (Excuse)
* Eskidendi, Çok Eskiden
* Perişanım Şimdi
* Yanmışım Sönmüşüm Ben
* Pişman Olduğun Zaman
* İkili Delilik
* Kalp Unutmaz (Heart Doesn't Forget)
* Herkes Yaralı
* Şanıma İnanma
* Geçiyor Bizden De
* Tebdil-i Mekan
* Hükümsüz
* Ahdım Olsun
* Kınalı Kuzum
* Çile (Sorrow)
* Şanıma İnanma (Kıvanch K Versiyon) | MÜ-YAP (Turkey) certification: Diamond412.200[Michael Show](Best-selling album in 2005) |
| 2005 | | Bahane/Remixes
* Şanıma İnanma (Kıvanch K)
* Yanmışım (Kıvanch K)
* İkili Delilik (DJ U.F.U.K, DJ Met, Genco Arı)
* Tebdil-i Mekan (Sharp Boys)
* Perişanım Şimdi (Miracleworkz, Murat Uncuoğlu, Aytekin Kurt)
* Kalp Unutmaz (Cervus)
* Hükümsüz (Kıvanch K)
* Eskidendi (DJ U.F.U.K, DJ Met, Genco Arı)
* Yanmışım (Mercan Dede)
* İkili Delilik (Kıvanch K, Cem Oyalı)
* Perişanım Şimdi (DJ U.F.U.K, DJ Met, Genco Arı)
* Şanıma İnanma (DJ Tongun, DJ Sai)
* Kalp Unutmaz (DJ Tongun, DJ Sai)
* Eskidendi (Kıvanch K, Cem Oyalı)
* Yanmışım (Miracleworkz, Murat Uncuoğlu, Aytekin Kurt)
* Perişanım Şimdi (Kıvanch K, Cem Oyalı)
* Kınalı Kuzum (Mercan Dede) |
| 2005 | | Kardelen
(Snowdrop)
* Kapalıyız (Kıvanch K. Mix)
* Gidemem
* Kardelen (Kıvanch K. Mix)
* Ünzile
* Kapalıyız (Orijinal Mix)
* Kardelen (Orijinal Mix)
* Ünzile (Enstrümantal)
* Kardelen (Club Mix) | MÜ-YAP (Turkey) certification: Diamondover 300.000[[1]] |
* Sezen Aksu Aile Gazinosu - (Sezen Aksu Family Music Hall) (1982)
* Bin Yıl Önce Bin Yıl Sonra - (1000 Years Before, 1000 Years Later ) (1986)
*
Sezen-Aksu.com Sezen-Aksu.com.
*
Sezen.net Sezen.net.
*
Sezen Aksu (June 19, 2002).
The Guardian.
*
Songs Must Be Sung (November, 2002).
6 Moons.
*
Sezen Aksu And Her Children (September 15, 2004).
DEUTSCHE WELLE.
*
*
Sezen-aksu.com (Turkish Sezen Aksu Portal)
*
Sezen.net Sezen.net*
SezenAksu.Biz (Fan Forum)
*
Sezen-aksu.blogspot.com (A fan Blog)
*
Music of Turkey*
Turkish pop music*
Tarkan*
Sertab Erener
