Favorite Club Music in 2009

Top Favorite songs 

on Istanbul’s gay scene in 2009

Based on an article written by Rene Ames and published by Time Out Istanbul.

Turkish Pop and the Gay audience

It is often Pop music that is played for the listening pleasure of mixed audiences in restaurants and bars. In such places Turkish Pop is seamlessly interwoven with imported selections. That can easily be done because Turkish Pop sounds both familiar and exotic, and because it is a blend of imported genres (electronic, hip hop, rap) fused with original elements.

As a gay audience we identify strongly with pop music when the songs exalt certain essential values – such as pride, boldness, self realization, and understanding – and when the performers fascinate us. Unfortunately, in Turkish Pop music there are very few songs that extol fundamental human values. There is, however, an abundance of fascinating performers.

The winning songs each year are naturally the ones with the catchiest tunes; songs that stick in your mind and are impossible to ignore; the songs you start humming to yourself after hearing them 2-3 times.

Here are six of the most popular songs on Istanbul’s gay scene in 2009:

1.   Toz Pembe by Demet Akalin

The title – Pink Powder – is probably what makes this song so popular anywhere gay arms are up in the air, waving imaginary disco sticks. Could it be more gay? “Pink powder” squirting in relentless tempo after a gentle opening!

2.   Hayrola by Hande Yener

This pop superstar is arguably the queen of Turkey’s dance music. All the albums she has released since her debut in 1999 have produced top hits that make people’s bodies move even when they’re not on the dance floor. Having adopted Madonna’s formula of constant cosmetic and musical reshaping, Hande Yener is assured of her gay fans’ innocent devotion. They would never ask themselves “hayrola/what’s up?”, this song sounds like a rehash of Romeo, her number one hit in 2008. And why should they when her songs call for demolition of taboos, tolerance for alternative lifestyles, and diversity in love?

3. Herkes Evine by Ziynet Sali

This mega-hit is the title song of Ziynet Sali’s second album released in 2008. It didn’t start to dominate the gay club scene until a year later, when some DJs tinkered with the upbeat tempo arising from her melancholy voice. The slow popularity may also be because she is a Northern Cypriot, and considered an outsider in the tight Turkish music world. Yet another inhibiting factor could be the Greek tavern songs she has included in her repertoire. Consequently, many people don’t know how to define her as a singer.

4. Bu Böyle by Sertap Erener

Turkish pop diva Sertab Erener has an amazing voice, which is said to hit the high F. Perhaps this is why her songs are seldom played in bars and clubs; her delivery is too blazing for comfort and she’s better off seen on stage.  The couple of times she was on everybody’s play list was right after winning Eurovision 2003 with Every Way That I Can. The public’s fascination continued that year with Here I am, a single obviously designed to cash in on her recent victory. After that, she was accorded national icon status and mainly appreciated on TV guest appearances. Bu Böyle appeared this year with Sertab singing in her middle register - meaning no vocal pyrotechnics - and immediately she retrieved her lost charm. The song is easy on the ears and smooth for dancing.

5. Kasaba by Murat Dalkiliç

With most Turkish club music, there is a tendency to produce aggressive studio sounds that kill the human quality of the singer’s voice and make it sound mechanic. Luckily for Murat Dalkilic, this catchy song muffles the pumping techno beat and let the lyrics be heard loud and clear. No wonder it became a raging success all over Turkey and in some parts of the EU when the video clip was released in late December 2008.

6. Vur by Gökhan Tepe

Gökhan Tepe, talented actor/singer/composer, is widely considered to be the most handsome performing artist in Turkey and a serious rival to Tarkan. After studying music at Istanbul Conservatory, Gökhan Tepe released his debut album, Çöş Beni, in 1996. He has lived up to his early promise and produced a series of hit songs, including Gel Aşkım Gel, Yürü Yüreğim, and most recently Vur, a big hit in 2009.