Sezen Aksu Quick Info | |
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Height | 5 ft 4.5 in |
Weight | 62 kg |
Date of Birth | July 13, 1954 |
Zodiac Sign | Cancer |
Eye Color | Hazel |
Sezen Aksu is a Turkish singer, songwriter, composer, music producer, actress, and author, best known for her long-lasting career as a singer and songwriter that started in 1974. She gained prominence with her 1st and 2nd studio album Allahaısmarladık (1977), and Serçe (Sparrow) (1978), and then released albums Sevgilerimle (1980), AÄŸlamak Güzeldir (1981), Firuze (1982), Sen AÄŸlama (1984), Git (1986), Sezen Aksu’88 (1988), and Sezen Aksu Söylüyor (1989). In 1991, Sezen released a studio album titled Gülümse, and then Deli Kızın Türküsü (1993), Işık DoÄŸudan Yükselir (1995), Düş Bahçeler (1996), Düğün ve Cenaze (1997), Adı Bende Saklı (1998), and Deliveren (2000).
Sezen also went on to release notable studio albums titled Åžarkı Söylemek Lazım (2002), Yaz Bitmeden (2003), Bahane (2005), Kardelen (2005), Deniz Yıldızı (2008), Yürüyorum Düş Bahçeleri’nde… (2009), Öptüm (2011), Biraz Pop Biraz Sezen (2017), and Demo (2018). She has had roles in movies such as Minik Serçe (1978), Büyük Yalnızlık (1990), Crossing The Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul (2005), and The Ottoman Republic (2008), and released 2 books of poetry – Eksik Åžiir (2006, 2007), and Eksik Åžiir İkinci Kitap (2016). Sezen has also amassed a large fanbase online, with more than 1.5 million followers on Facebook and more than 1 million subscribers on YouTube.
Born Name
Fatma Sezen Yıldırım
Nick Name
Sezen Seley, Kralice, Queen of Turkish Pop, Minik Serce (Little Sparrow)
Sun Sign
Cancer
Born Place
Sarayköy, Denizli, Turkey
Residence
Kanlıca, Beykoz, Istanbul
Nationality
Education
Sezen attended İzmir Girls High School in İzmir, Turkey, and studied painting, music, and theatre. She then enrolled in Ege University in İzmir, Turkey, and studied agriculture, but left before graduating to focus on music.
Occupation
Singer, Songwriter, Composer, Music Producer, Author, Actress
Family
- Father – Sami Yıldırım
- Mother – Åžehriban Yıldırım
- Siblings – Nihat Yıldırım (Brother)
Manager
Sezen Aksu is represented by –
- StageArt Organisation (Talent Agent) in Istanbul, Turkey
- SN Music Publishing (Talent Agent) in Istanbul, Turkey
Genre
Pop
Instruments
Vocals
Labels
- Hop
- Kent
- Kervan
- Sembol
- Fono
- CoÅŸkun
- Foneks
- Karma
- Raks
- PolyGram
- Post
- DMC
- Seyhan
- SN Music Publishing
Build
Average
Height
5 ft 4.5 in or 164 cm
Weight
62 kg or 136.5 lbs
Boyfriend / Spouse
Sezen Aksu has dated –
- Hasan Yüksektepe (1972) – She got married to Hasan Yüksektepe in 1972. They got divorced in the same year.
- Ali Engin Aksu (1974-1978) – Sezen married the doctor of geology, Ali Engin Aksu in 1974, but after 4 years, asked for a divorce, and Ali moved to Canada. Despite having no connections after 1978, Sezen decided to keep his last name as her stage name so that she remains recognizable by the audience.
- Sinan Özer (1981-1983) – Sezen got married to Sinan Özer in 1981. They were married for 2 years before getting divorced in 1983. She also had a son with him, named Mithat Can Özer (b. November 8, 1981).
- Onno Tunç (1984-1989) She was in a long-term relationship with music producer Onno Tunç in the 1980s. Studio albums Sen Aglama (1984), Git (1986), Sezen Aksu’88 (1988), and Sezen Aksu Söylüyor (1989) were all results of the combined professional and romantic relationship they had. They dated for about 5 years from 1984 to 1989.
- Ahmet Utlu (1993-1997) – Sezen and Ahmet Utlu got married in 1993. They were married for about 4 years but ultimately went their separate ways.
Race / Ethnicity
Middle Eastern
She is of Turkish descent.
Hair Color
Dark Brown
She has also dyed her hair ‘Blonde’ and ‘Black’ in the past.
Eye Color
Hazel
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Fuller Lips
- Bob haircut
Religion
Islam
Best Known For
- Releasing more than 25 studio albums between 1977 and 2018, out of which the most notable were Serçe (Sparrow) (1978), Gülümse (Smile) (1991), Düş Bahçeleri (Dream Gardens) (1996), Şarkı Söylemek Lazım (Gotta Sing) (2002), Bahane (Excuse) (2005), Kardelen (Snowdrop) (2005), Deniz Yıldızı (Starfish) (2008), Öptüm (I Kissed) (2011), and Biraz Pop Biraz Sezen (A Little Pop A Little Sezen) (2017)
- Her roles in movies The Little Sparrow (1978), Büyük Yalnizlik (1990), The Ottoman Republic (2008), and Paddle Pop Adventures 2: Journey Into the Kingdom (2012)
First Album
Sezen Aksu released her debut studio album Allahaısmarladık (Goodbye) in 1977. It consisted of 10 tracks, titled Allahaısmarladık (Farewell), Kendi Kendime (By Myself), Haydi Söyle (Come on Tell Me), Uzun Lafın Kısası (To Cut it Short), Seni Gidi Vurdumduymaz (You Insensitive Thing), Geçen Yaz (Last Summer), Gözlerindeki Bulut (Mist in Your Eyes), Söyle, Kimsin? (Tell Me, Who Are You?), Alev Alev (In Flames), and Olmaz Olsun (Wish It Never Happened).
First Film
Sezen Aksu made her feature film debut as Hülya in Minik Serçe (The Little Sparrow) in 1978.
As a voice actress, Sezen Aksu made her feature film debut as Kraliçe Shifa in the action-adventure film Paddle Pop Adventures 2: Journey Into the Kingdom in 2012.
First TV Show
Sezen Aksu made her first TV show appearance as herself in an episode of the comedy, talk-show series Laf lafi açiyor on October 21, 1994.
Sezen Aksu Favorite Things
Animals – Goat, Sheep, Donkey, Pony, Cow, Dog, Cat
Sezen Aksu Facts
- Her family moved to Bergama, Izmir, Turkey when she was 3 years old. She spent her childhood and early youth there.
- Sezen’s parents tried to discourage her from singing because they wanted her to be an engineer or doctor. She waited for them to be away from home to go up on the family’s balcony and sing.
- She and her close friend Ajda Pekkan were credited as singers who laid the foundation for the Turkish pop music in the 1970s and the 1980s.
- In the mid-1970s, Sezen wanted to represent her country at the Eurovision Song Contest, but despite multiple performances, didn’t make the cut for performance abroad.
- Her musical pupil, Sertab Erener, won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2003.
- In 1976, she received the award for the “Promising Female Artist of the Year.”
- Sezen promotes causes such as minority rights, women rights, environment preservation, educational reform, and constitutional reform.
- In 1999, Sezen organized and sang at the Aide Concert to raise money for an earthquake that was Turkey’s biggest natural disaster.
- She gave her support to so-called “Saturday Mothers”, whose children were lost or killed in police custody.
- Sezen has supported the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan and his democratic initiative in 2009.
- She wrote a song named Tanrının Gözyaşlar, which translates to Tears of God, in memory of the military personnel that died during the Kurdish-Turkish conflict in 2012.
- In 2013, Sezen participated in a youth revolution called Gezi Park protests. She also paid tribute to all the young people that showed up via her single Yeni ve Yeni Kalanlar (2014).
- Due to her support for the fight against misogyny, bullying, homophobia, illiteracy, and discrimination, Sezen was named a major gay icon by the KAOS GL, an LGBT magazine.
- Sezen appeared in 2 musicals – Sezen Aksu Aile Gazinosu (Sezen Aksu Family Music Hall) (1982), and Bin Yıl Önce Bin Yıl Sonra (1000 Years Before, 1000 Years Later) (1986).
- The soundtrack for the movie O Kadin (2007) contained a majority of her songs.
- She has collaborated with musicians and singers such as Goran Bregovic, Haris Alexiou, Alessandro Safina, Sertab Erener, Sebnem Ferah, Hande Yener, Levent Yüksel, and Tarkan.
- Her 2 studio albums Bahane (Excuse), and Kardelen (Snowdrop), as well as remix album Bahane Remixes (Excuse/Remixes), were all best-selling Turkish albums of 2005.
- Sezen released 9 “45s” albums between 1975 and 1983. The most notable were Haydi Åžansım / Gel Bana (1975), Olmaz Olsun / Seni Gidi Vurdum Duymaz (1976), Gölge Etme / AÅŸk (1978), and Heyamola (1983).
- Visit her official website @ sezenaksu.com.tr.
- Follow her on Facebook, YouTube, Spotify, Deezer, iTunes, and Muud.
Featured Image by Sezen Aksu / Instagram