APersonIndependent states
Sezen Aksu
The "queen" of Turkish pop (b. 1954), singer and songwriter for dozens of artists.
Sezen Aksu was born in Sarayköy, Denizli, and grew up in İzmir. She began releasing records in the mid-1970s and became known by the nickname "Minik Serçe" (Little Sparrow).
She wrote songs that changed the language of Turkish pop — "Firuze", "Gidiyorum", "Git", "Kaybolan Yıllar", "Seni Yerler" — and penned the first big hits of many artists, including Tarkan, Sertab Erener, Işın Karaca and Levent Yüksel.
Her songs also address city life, women's voices and peace, and they are among the most-sung pop songs in Türkiye.
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Updated: October 2, 2026