Contents
Ajda Pekkan
The Turkish pop star behind Süperstar, whose polished stage style helped define modern Turkish pop.
Süperstar · Pour Lui
- Born
- 12 February 1946
- Birthplace
- Türkiye
More people
Ajda Pekkan
Ajda Pekkan moved from 1960s films into a long recording career, adapting international pop into Turkish before working with successive generations of local songwriters.
Early life
Istanbul childhood
Born in Istanbul, she grew up partly in Gölcük, where her father served in the navy.
First stages
Her sister Semiramis helped introduce her to Istanbul’s nightclub scene.
Career
- 1961
Nightclub beginnings
Started singing with Los Çatikos at the Çatı club.
- 1963
Screen career
Won a magazine talent competition and began acting in Turkish films.
- 1970s
Pop takes priority
Concentrated on recording, working closely with lyricist Fikret Şeneş.
- 1980
Eurovision
Represented Türkiye with Pet’r Oil.
Selected work
Süperstar
The album associated with her enduring public nickname.
Pour Lui
A French-language album from her international recording period.
Süperstar ’83
Included Uykusuz Her Gece and Bir Günah Gibi.
Beyond music
Another performer in the family
Her sister Semiramis Pekkan also became a singer and actor.
Public image
Fashion and an assertive stage persona became central to her appeal.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Eurovision: 1980 results ↗Photo: Firuza48. CC BY-SA 2.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
