Ajda Pekkan was born on 12 February 1946 in Istanbul, Turkey. Her father, Rıdvan Pekkan, was a naval officer, and her mother, Nevin Dobruca, was a homemaker. Due to her father’s profession, she spent part of her childhood in Gölcük, Kocaeli, among families of American military personnel stationed there. She later returned to Istanbul and continued her education at Kadıköy Middle School and Çamlıca Girls’ High School, where she developed a strong interest in singing and performing.
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Ajda Pekkan was born on 12 February 1946 in Istanbul, Turkey. Her father, Rıdvan Pekkan, was a naval officer, and her mother, Nevin Dobruca, was a homemaker. Due to her father’s profession, she spent part of her childhood in Gölcük, Kocaeli, among families of American military personnel stationed there. She later returned to Istanbul and continued her education at Kadıköy Middle School and Çamlıca Girls’ High School, where she developed a strong interest in singing and performing. Supported by her sister Semiramis Pekkan, she began taking her first steps into the entertainment world at a young age. In 1963, Pekkan won the cover star competition organized by Ses magazine, which aimed to discover new actors for Turkish cinema. This success launched her film career, and between 1963 and 1967 she appeared in nearly 47 films, many in black-and-white. In several of these films, she sang songs that later became associated with her early musical identity. Although she gained recognition as an actress, her true passion was music. By the early 1970s, she transitioned more fully into singing and became a leading figure in the Turkish “aranjman” movement, adapting Western pop songs into Turkish versions. She collaborated with influential names such as Fecri Ebcioğlu, and her songs quickly found large audiences. Her hit “Hoş Gör Sen” marked a major milestone in her career. She also recorded songs in multiple languages, including French pieces like “Viens Dans Ma Vie,” showcasing her international aspirations. Her modern style, strong voice, and glamorous stage presence earned her the title “Superstar,” a nickname that has remained synonymous with her identity. Pekkan performed in major international venues, including the Olympia Music Hall in Paris, and collaborated with well-known artists like Enrico Macias. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, she maintained her status as one of Turkey’s most prominent performers. In 1980, she represented Turkey at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Petrol,” composed by Atilla Özdemiroğlu with lyrics by Şanar Yurdatapan. Despite the song’s modest ranking in the competition, it became one of her signature pieces and remains widely recognized. In the 1990s, she reinvented her musical style once again, working with leading Turkish songwriters such as Sezen Aksu and Şehrazat. She released successful albums including “Ajda ’90,” “Ajda ’91,” “Ajda ’93,” and “Ajda ’96.” Her adaptability and constant evolution enabled her to stay relevant across different eras of Turkish pop music. From the 2000s onward, Ajda Pekkan continued to release singles, perform in major concerts, and maintain an influential presence in the Turkish music industry. Her distinctive image, discipline, and dedication to her craft have kept her at the forefront of pop culture for decades. Known for her commitment to aesthetics and performance quality, she has become a cultural icon and one of the most enduring figures in Turkish entertainment. Her personal life included two marriages: a brief marriage to Coşkun Sapmaz in 1973 and a second marriage to businessman Ali Bars from 1984 to 1989. Although she expressed a desire to have children, she did not become a mother. Nevertheless, her life has been defined by her artistic achievements and her status as a pioneering force in Turkish pop music. • Over more than fifty years, Ajda Pekkan has built a legacy that spans music, cinema, television, and live performance. Her ability to reinvent herself while maintaining her signature style has cemented her place as one of the most influential and celebrated artists in Turkey. • Internationalism: Ajda has sung in many languages, including Turkish, French, English, Italian, Arabic, and Japanese. Iconic Status: Known as the “Turkish Pop Diva,” she is widely considered one of the most influential female artists in Turkish popular music. • Pioneer of Arrangements: Her early adoption of the arrangement style helped shape the sound of Turkish pop music in the 1970s. • Stage Presence: Her concerts, strong voice, and glamorous image contributed to her “Superstar” persona.
