Fatih Ürek

Fatih Ürek — Biography

Fatih Ürek was among the recognised voices of fantasy and pop music in Turkey, and also appeared on screen as a game-show host and actor. His recording career began in 1993 with Yaktı Yaktı and, after a thirteen-year silence, picked up again in 2008 with the album Sus. He died in Istanbul on 30 January 2026, aged 59, and was buried at Karacaahmet Cemetery.

He grew up in Bursa in straitened circumstances and from the age of six worked in jobs from a fabric shop to a jeweller's. He warmed to the stage by imitating Zeki Müren, joined the extras of the Bursa State Theatre at 15 and took acting lessons from Mahir Canova, but did not pursue theatre and turned to singing. After performing at the Taylan Gazino he moved to Istanbul. On his first album he gave a new reading to "Sefam Olsun", which Bülent Ersoy had recorded, and on Sen İki Gözümsün (1995) he added classic songs to his pop numbers. "Hadi Hadi" and "Sus" from the album Sus climbed high on the charts; Hayde and Altın Çağ followed, and in later years he kept releasing singles.

On television he played Fred Çakmaktaş in Reyting Hamdi and Burhan in the film Şeytanın Pabucu. He hosted Gelinim Mutfakta on Kanal D, sat on the jury of Kuaförüm Sensin and in 2024-2025 presented Gelin Görümce.