Pınar Ayhan

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Pınar Ayhan (born Karakoç) was born in 1972 in Diyarbakır, Turkey. She grew up with a love for music. In the early 1990s, she began performing while at university and soon appeared on national television. Karakoç worked for the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) as both a singer and presenter starting in 1994. Her big break came when she entered Turkey’s Eurovision selection contests. In 1996 she competed in the national song final with a duet and finished second. The next year she tried again and placed second once more. 

Eurovision Song Contest 2000 Breakthrough

In 2000, Pınar Ayhan finally earned her spot on the Eurovision stage. She teamed up with the group S.O.S and entered the Turkish national final with the song “Yorgunum Anla” (“I’m Weary, Understand”). TRT held the competition on 18 February 2000. Ayhan’s entry won over nine other songs to become Turkey’s Eurovision pick. Notably, Ayhan co-wrote the song’s lyrics, and her husband, composer Dr. Sühan Ayhan, wrote the music. That spring, she traveled to Stockholm for the 45th Eurovision Song Contest. Ayhan delivered an elegant performance in the final, taking the stage 22nd on the night. Her energetic yet emotional song impressed many. At the end of voting, Turkey had received 59 points and placed 10th out of 24 countries. This success made Ayhan a household name in Turkey. Remarkably, she achieved this milestone less than a month after giving birth to her first child. 

Post-Eurovision Career and Television

After Eurovision 2000, Ayhan took a step back from competitive music to focus on her young family. However, she remained in the public eye. She continued working with TRT for many years as a host and singer. In the 2000s, she became a familiar face on Turkish television by presenting various programs. For example, she hosted an educational daily show called Günlük Rehber (“Daily Guide”) on TRT’s educational channel. Audiences welcomed her warm presence and clear voice. During this period, Ayhan balanced her life as a mother and a media personality. She stayed active in the entertainment industry without releasing new music for a while. Her experience on stage and screen made her a confident communicator. Ayhan also began appearing as a speaker at events and on talk programs, sharing stories from her career. She used her voice in media to inform and inspire. 

Return to Music and Debut Albums

Pınar Ayhan returned to the music scene in the 2010s. She had not released any albums immediately after Eurovision, but she never gave up on her musical dreams. In 2012 she finally released her debut studio album titled “Duyuyor musun?” (meaning “Do You Hear?”). This album featured nine tracks, including a new version of her Eurovision song “Yorgunum Anla”. The release marked a comeback for Ayhan, who had devoted much of the 2000s to her children and TV work. She followed up with a second album, “İkimiz İçin” (“For The Both of Us”), in 2014. The album contained a fresh collection of songs and collaborations. The albums reestablished her in the Turkish music industry and introduced her artistry to a new generation of listeners.

Musical Documentaries and Cultural Projects

In the mid-2010s, Pınar Ayhan expanded her career into innovative cultural projects. She created and starred in one-woman musical documentary shows that combine history, storytelling, and live music. In 2016, she premiered a production called “Orada Duruverseydi Zaman” (“If Time Had Stopped There”). In this show, Ayhan takes the audience on a journey through Turkey’s history. She shared true but little-known stories from the early days of the Republic. Her performance blends narrative and song, bringing historical events to life on stage. The success of this production led to a follow-up in 2017 titled “Kemal”, centered on the life of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, modern Turkey’s founder. Through Kemal, Ayhan dramatized important moments from Atatürk’s childhood to his leadership years, using music and monologue to honor his legacy. These musical documentaries have toured across Turkey, including universities and cultural centers, often to sold-out audiences.

Ayhan has given hundreds of performances of these shows, captivating people with her engaging storytelling and clear message about understanding history. This creative turn in her career solidified Ayhan’s role as a cultural educator.

Advocacy and Public Outreach

Beyond music and performing, Pınar Ayhan has dedicated herself to public service and advocacy. She has used her fame and voice to support causes close to her heart. In 2008, Ayhan founded the “Awareness Choir”. This was a special choir composed of women diagnosed with breast cancer, to spread hope and highlight the importance of early cancer detection. The choir, which started with a dozen members and grew to dozens more, gave concerts in Turkey and abroad as a form of musical therapy and public awareness campaign. Ayhan led this initiative to show that music can heal and empower patients. In addition, she launched a non-profit foundation in 2020 called Tohumluk Vakfı. Through this foundation, she works to bridge rural and urban communities via social support, education, culture, and arts programs. Ayhan regularly speaks at universities, cultural events, and TEDx conferences to inspire others. She often emphasizes the value of history, arts, and early education in her talks. In 2022, Ayhan was honored with the “Atatürkist of the Year” award in culture and arts. Therewith her efforts to keep Atatürk’s democratic and progressive ideals alive through her projects were recognized. Also, she remains involved with several civic organizations focusing on women’s leadership and child welfare. Pınar Ayhan’s multifaceted career as a singer, presenter, storyteller, and activist has made her a respected public figure in Turkey. She continues to use her talents and platform to entertain, educate, and advocate, leaving a lasting impact on Turkish music and society.