Yıldız Tilbe

Yıldız Tilbe — Biography

Born the youngest child of a Kurdish and Zaza family in the Gültepe neighborhood of İzmir's Konak district, Yıldız Tilbe left school early and began singing in nightclubs as a girl. In 1991 she caught Sezen Aksu's attention, moved to Istanbul, and worked for a time as her backing vocalist, before becoming known as a soloist on Cem Özer's programme Laf Lafı Açıyor. Her 1994 debut album, Delikanlım, sold three million copies and made her a star overnight; she followed it with hits such as Dillere Destan, Aşkperest, Gülüm, Haberi Olsun and Yürü Anca Gidersin, while also composing many songs recorded by other artists. In 2004 she was diagnosed with uterine cancer and treated at Hacettepe University Medical School. In 2014, social media posts she made about Israeli airstrikes on Gaza drew accusations of antisemitism; she later said her words were not meant to praise Hitler. She served as a judge on O Ses Türkiye in the 2017-2018 season and has continued performing since. Turning 60 in July 2026, she declined to celebrate the milestone, saying "what is there to celebrate about a life that is ending," and gave concerts in İzmir and Bursa that same month.