Kerim Tekin

Kerim Tekin — Biography

Kerim Tekin was born on 18 April 1975 in Erzincan and died on 27 June 1998 in a traffic accident near Sandıklı while returning to Istanbul after performing at a festival in Afyon the night before. A promising young footballer, he gave up the sport for music in 1992, taking up guitar and vocal training, and was later discovered performing in nightclubs by manager Halis Bütünley.

He entered the pop music scene with his 1995 album Kara Gözlüm, around the same time launching an acting career in television series. His second album, Haykırsam Dünyaya (1997), marked a change of style and image that won him a wider audience; from this record on he also began writing his own lyrics, working with figures such as Kenan Doğulu, Garo Mafyan, İskender Paydaş and Zeynep Talu on songs including "Cici Baba," "Kar Beyaz" and "Akşamlar." His work earned him nominations for the Kral Turkey Music Awards and the Golden Butterfly Awards.

Despite a career of barely five years, Tekin became one of the most beloved names in Turkish pop; he also appeared in the film Yaz Aşkım, released the year of his death, and his songs have continued to be covered by other artists since his passing.