Tarkan Pop star of Turkey Date of Birth: 17.10.1972 Country: Turkey

Biography of Tarkan

Tarkan, the Turkish pop star, loves to tell the story of his birth, which has already become a legend. Several months before little Tarkan was supposed to be born, his mother fell into a coma after an accident. Doctors, fearing for the patient's life, suggested terminating the pregnancy, but Tarkan's father had a prophetic dream. He saw a completely healthy boy, crying loudly... with a star on his forehead. "My father made the decision to keep the baby, he was sure that everything would turn out fine," says Tarkan. "I was indeed born healthy. And up until now, knock on wood, I have no complaints. And my mother is doing great too." Whether the truth or a fabrication by Tarkan's image makers, only Tarkan himself probably knows. But fortune undoubtedly favors the artist. His first album, released in 1993 at the age of 21, titled "Yine Sensiz" ("Without You Again"), sold 700,000 copies in Turkey, and the next album sold over two million copies. Within a few years, Turkey was hit by "Tarkanmania". The publishers of the local "Cosmopolitan" took an unprecedented step, featuring a photo of the Turkish number one male artist on the cover instead of a seductive woman. And then Tarkan began to set his sights on Europe. Germany was chosen as the first country to conquer. In 1994, Tarkan embarked on his first international tour to Germany. By the way, Tarkan, although an ethnic Turk, was born in Germany, in the town of Alzey, near Frankfurt. The family, which included five other children besides Tarkan, returned to Turkey when he was 14 years old. Before the start of the tour, Tarkan's manager sent his Turkish recordings to leading German radio stations, without much hope. He was pleasantly surprised when they not only made it into rotation but started topping prestigious hit parades, surpassing well-known American artists. Tarkan himself was equally amazed: "It's fantastic, people loved my songs without even knowing the words." Journalists interviewed the newly famous artist, fortunate that Tarkan spoke German fluently, albeit with a slight accent. He took the opportunity to tell the story of his happy birth. However, he shared very little of the rest of his biography: "In my childhood, I was a lively boy who loved playing football. I dreamed of becoming an ecologist or a veterinarian. But when our family returned to Turkey, I started attending a music school and seriously considered a career as a singer. Although I did attempt to enter university for engineering after high school, fortunately, I failed. After all, my calling is music." Starting in 1995, Tarkan's albums gained increasing popularity not only in Germany but also in other European countries. Over the years, approximately 1.5 million records were sold in Europe. However, Tarkan's growing popularity was not always welcomed. In Turkey, he was constantly harassed by paparazzi. One day, he opened a newspaper and saw a picture of himself kissing another man. The caption read, "Tarkan hid his homosexuality for a long time." It was soon discovered that the photo was a montage. Nevertheless, rumors of Tarkan's alleged homosexuality continued to circulate in the press. The situation worsened when a former producer of Tarkan wrote a memoir. Thanks to the efforts of the singer, the book was withdrawn from sale, and the published copies were destroyed by court bailiffs. But the echoes of those scandals continue to haunt the Turkish celebrity. This summer, during his tour in Moscow, Tarkan was once again forced to answer questions about his attitude towards sexual minorities. "I'm not gay, I have a girlfriend. But I do not judge homosexuals, in fact, I respect them very much," the singer said. "Lesbians, on the other hand, make me uneasy. In any case, I dislike the group 't.A.T.u.' and their promotion of sexual freedom for teenagers. It's all a show. I never put on a show." However, regardless of the rumors and scandals, Tarkan longed for a peaceful life. To achieve this, he went across the ocean to the United States, where he was almost unknown. In New York, the singer bought himself an apartment. However, some claim that Tarkan left Turkey not only because of the paparazzi. According to Turkish laws, the artist was supposed to serve in the army for about a year. However, citing his pacifist beliefs, he adamantly refused to do so. In Germany, such excuses might have worked, but in Turkey, all draft dodgers face imprisonment and criminal prosecution. For some time, Tarkan actually did not return to his homeland because of an arrest warrant. But recently, the Turkish parliament passed a new law according to which any Turk can declare themselves a pacifist for $15,000. Tarkan promptly paid the required sum and became a law-abiding citizen. Now nothing prevents him from freely traveling between Turkey and the United States. In America, the singer underwent plastic surgery, correcting his cheekbones and upper lip. There, he also caught the entrepreneurial spirit and expanded his sphere of activity. Like Hollywood stars, he launched his own perfume line. "Pleasant scents contribute to a good mood, just like pleasant music," believes the singer. Recently, fans have been able to purchase "Tarkan" eau de toilette for $80. For those with more modest incomes, shower gel is available for $30. Shooting commercials for a Turkish mobile communication company also added a significant amount to his million-dollar fortune. And recently, Tarkan signed a contract with one of the world's leading carbonated beverage producers. The singer will become the face of the company in Turkey. However, the main sources of income for the singer, as before, remain album sales and concert tours. This year, he visited Russia for the second time, performing in Moscow and St. Petersburg. According to the organizers, the Turkish star did not make any special demands. He brought his own security team of three people. He was satisfied with the food prepared by the hotel chefs. Pelmeni and blinis with caviar particularly delighted the esteemed guest. In St. Petersburg, the singer made an outing with his girlfriend Bilge Oztyurk. The couple had a gathering in a small café, where they chatted for about half an hour until one of Tarkan's fans recognized him. The girl expressed her love with an unusual gift - a bunch of dried fish. Tarkan and Bilge have been together for several years. Before their relationship, the singer spoke quite negatively about marriage: "I don't like the word 'marriage'," he said. "A person should live and enjoy life, love without restrictions. Marriage is not a panacea for loneliness. Marriage must be earned and desired." But, as close associates of the singer note, recently Tarkan has become less categorical. It is rumored that the couple has already agreed to get married. However, the wedding date is being kept strictly confidential. It is said that Tarkan has threatened to choke any of his friends who leaks information about the upcoming celebration. Tarkan Tavet-oglu was born on October 17, 1972. Height: 1m 74cm. Weight: 70 kg. Shoe size: 42. Place of residence: Manhattan (USA) and Istanbul (Turkey). Marital status: single. Religion: Islam. Hobbies: music, sports, literature, and girls. Favorite singers: Prince, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Madonna. Favorite actors: Al Pacino, Brad Pitt, Nicole Kidman. Family: mother, two brothers, and three sisters. Father passed away in 1995. Phobia: afraid to walk under a ladder. Favorite flowers: orchids.