Sezen Aksu

Turkish pop singer Sertab Erener, who won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2003 with her song "Everyway That I Can," took the Eurovision stage once again after a 21-year hiatus in the second semi-final of the event on May 9.

At a meeting of a decision-making body of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) earlier this week, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and party officials discussed the virtual world Metaverse, with the president demanding a comprehensive study on the matter.

Turkish singer Sezen Aksu performing in Amsterdam December 2005. Photo: EPA/RICK NEDERSTIGT

"Sezen Aksu will never walk alone," the intellectuals said in an open letter and added that they were watching President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's targeting of Sezen Aksu, which violated freedom of expression.

Rome-based Turkish director Ferzan Özpetek's latest film "La Dea Fortuna" (The Fortune Goddess) was promoted at a press screening.

A special screening was held at the Quattro Fontane cinemas in the Italian capital Rome for the 13th feature film in Özpetek's career, which is a romantic drama.

June 16 will be the 100th day of the beginning of the hunger strike of two jailed educators, Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça, in protest at being dismissed from their posts through state of emergency decrees. 

"Semih has become so thin. He is having difficulty even walking," said Semih Özakça's wife, Esra Özakça, who herself has also been on a hunger strike for the last 24 days. 

Not only does she have an excellent voice, but she also has a charming style focusing on powerful melodies with highly emotional lyrics. So, whenever she releases new material, we all know that we are going to have some more beautiful sad love songs.

Following Fahir Atakoğlu's latest release "Live at Umbria Jazz," the 17th album in his vast catalogue of music, the Fahir Atakoğlu Trio will perform at three venues on the East Coast of the U.S. this month.

Ceyl'an Ertem, one of the most prominent alternative singers in Turkey, has released four studio albums full of original songs, and her authentic style has attracted many listeners for years, resulting in sold-out concerts and pretty good album sales, too. 

Veteran Turkish musician and composer Atilla Özdemiro?lu died on April 20 at the age of 73 in an Istanbul hospital where he had been receiving lung cancer treatment.

In a career spanning five decades, Özdemiro?lu worked with a number of Turkish groups and singers. He is best known for his award winning film scores in the 1970s and 1980s. 

The world-renowned British Royal Philharmonic Orchestra interpreted the songs of Sezen Aksu, known as the diva of Turkish pop music, for an exclusive concert accompanied by the Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra on Dec. 10.

The orchestra, directed by famous Italian maestro Marcello Rota, interpreted Aksu's songs as her journey through the music world marks its 40th anniversary.