Fatma Sezen Yıldırım (born 13 July 1954), known professionally as Sezen Aksu, is a Turkish pop singer, songwriter and producer. She was born in Sarayköy, Denizli Province, Turkey. Her family moved to İzmir when she was about three years old, and she completed her primary, secondary and high-school education there. In 1973 she enrolled at the Faculty of Agriculture at Ege University, but left her studies to move to İstanbul in order to pursue a music career. Her first single, “Haydi Şansım/Gel Bana”, was released in 1975 under the name Sezen Seley. She first rose to widespread popularity with her 1976 single “Olmaz Olsun/Vurdumduymaz”. Over the course of her career she has sold more than 40 million albums worldwide, earning her the titles “Queen of Turkish Pop” and “Minik Serçe” (“Little Sparrow”). Her influence has been profound on Turkish pop music and beyond: since her debut in 1975, she has collaborated with and mentored many other artists, helping shape their careers. Some of her most commercially successful albums include Gülümse (1991) — which became one of Turkey’s best-selling albums. In the mid-1990s, her album Işık Doğudan Yükselir (1995) marked a more explicit incorporation of Turkish folk‐influences, showing her evolving artistry. She has continued to release music and remain active from the 1970s up to the present. Away from the studio, Aksu has also engaged in public life, championing causes such as women’s rights, minority rights, educational reform and environmental protection in Turkey. Aksu is the mother of Mithat Can Özer, who is also a musician.