Sedat Yüce

Sedat Yüce (born 1976 in İzmir, Turkey) is a Turkish pop singer. He is best known for representing Turkey at the Eurovision Song Contest 2001. Yüce studied music at the Dokuz Eylül University State Conservatory in İzmir, where he trained in singing and trumpet performance. From a young age, Yüce aspired to perform on the Eurovision stage, and he began his music career in the 1990s by participating in song contests and national music competitions.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Sedat Yüce was born in 1976 in the coastal city of İzmir, Turkey. He developed an early passion for music and learned to play the trumpet in addition to singing. Yüce attended the conservatory at Dokuz Eylül University, receiving formal musical training that helped shape his pop music style. His first foray into the Eurovision scene came in 1993, when he performed as a backing vocalist in the Turkish national song contest final.

This experience motivated him to pursue a solo career in music competitions. In 1996, Yüce entered Turkey’s Eurovision national selection with the song “Vazgeç,” placing third in the competition. He tried again in 1999 with the ballad “Bırak Beni,” finishing in fourth place that year. These early attempts, while not winning, established Yüce as a promising name in Turkish pop and set the stage for his later success.

Eurovision Song Contest 2001

After multiple attempts, Sedat Yüce finally achieved his dream of representing Turkey in 2001. He won Turkey’s national selection final on 23 February 2001 with the song “Sevgiliye Son,” a slow-tempo modern ballad composed by Semih Güneri with lyrics by Nurdan Güneri and Figen Çakmak. The victory earned Yüce the right to compete at the Eurovision Song Contest 2001. In the Eurovision final on 12 May 2001, Yüce performed 15th in the running order, delivering an emotional on-stage rendition accompanied by live musicians on instruments like flute and violin. At the end of the night, “Sevgiliye Son” earned a total of 41 points, placing Turkey 11th out of 23 participating countries. 

Post-Eurovision Career and Later Activities

Following his Eurovision appearance, Sedat Yüce continued to be active in the music scene. In 2003, he entered an international song festival, the 2nd Megahit–International Mediterranean Song Contest in Fethiye, Turkey. Yüce represented Turkey at that event with the song “Nereye Kadar” and won first place, ahead of contestants from several Mediterranean countries. He remained a familiar face in Turkey’s Eurovision circles as well, attempting to return to the Eurovision Song Contest in 2005. Yüce participated in the Turkish national final of 2005 with a song titled “Yeniden,” but this time he finished in last place and did not advance to the international contest.

Outside of Eurovision, Sedat Yüce has pursued various musical endeavors. In late 2011, he auditioned for O Ses Türkiye, the Turkish version of The Voice, aiming to reach a new audience on reality television. However, he did not advance past the preliminary audition stage on the show. Despite this setback, Yüce remained dedicated to music and performance. In 2012, he took an entrepreneurial step by opening an art and music school in İzmir. He began providing education in singing, instruments, and performing arts to aspiring talents. Around the same time, he also became a radio personality. Yüce started hosting a weekly radio program every Tuesday, showcasing music and engaging with listeners.

2020-2025

Sedat Yüce has continued to record and release music in the years after his Eurovision stint. He has released several singles, and in 2020 he recorded and released a Turkish-language cover version of Marc Lavoine’s song “Rue des Acacias,” demonstrating his versatility as a vocalist. In 2022, Yüce made a return to the recording scene with a new extended single (EP) titled Beklenen Şarkılar (“Expected Songs”). This EP featured a collection of new pop tracks including the songs “Kölen Olurum” and “Bebeğim”. This release marked an important milestone, as it was a long-awaited project that connected Yüce with fans on digital music platforms.

Today, Sedat Yüce remains active in the music industry as a singer and mentor. He continues to perform live, work as a vocal coach, and contribute to Turkey’s music culture.