Aylin Vatankoş

Aylin Vatankoş — Biography

Aylin Vatankoş is a Turkish singer born in 1970 in İzmir. She trained in voice at the state conservatory of Istanbul Technical University and began her career performing Turkish classical and art music as well as voice work.

She is best known for winning Turkey's 1992 national final and going on to represent the country at that year's Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö, Sweden. Performing "Yaz Bitti," written by composer Aldoğan Şimşekyay with lyrics by Aylin Uçanlar, she placed 19th with 17 points. Around the same period she held a contract with Turkish state broadcaster TRT and appeared as a guest vocalist with its Classical Turkish Music choir.

Vatankoş released her debut album, "Çözemedim," in 1995, and married guitarist Engin Şenyaylar, whom she met through her recording work. During a subsequent break from solo albums she lent backing vocals to other artists' recordings and voiced characters for television series. She contributed two tracks to a 2006 compilation of Turkish classics, and in 2010 released "Yeniden," a nine-track album of neoclassical material made together with her husband. Decades on, she remains a recognized name in Turkey's Eurovision history and among İzmir's notable musicians.