Sürpriz

Sürpriz is a German-Turkish pop music group best known for representing Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest 1999. The six-member group delivered an ethno-pop performance that earned Germany a strong result in the contest. 

Formation and Eurovision Journey (1998–1999)

Cihan Özden formed Sürpriz in 1998/1999 specifically to compete in Germany’s national Eurovision selection. The group originally had around ten members, but by the time of Eurovision 1999 it had settled as a six-member ensemble. In March 1999, Sürpriz participated in the Countdown Grand Prix (Germany’s national final) with the song “Reise nach Jerusalem – Kudüs’e Seyahat”. They initially finished second behind singer Corinna May. However, May’s winning song was disqualified because it had been released in 1997, breaking Eurovision’s rules. As the runners-up, Sürpriz were offered Germany’s Eurovision spot. Their entry sparked some controversy when accusations arose that “Reise nach Jerusalem – Kudüs’e Seyahat” plagiarized a 1984 song by the same composer. A review by the European Broadcasting Union concluded the similarities were not significant enough to bar the entry.

Despite the pre-contest drama, Sürpriz went on to perform in the Eurovision final on 29 May 1999. They delivered a lively multilingual performance, singing in German, Turkish, English, and Hebrew. The song’s title means “Journey to Jerusalem – Trip to Kudüs,” fitting the contest’s host city of Jerusalem. Sürpriz’s vibrant ethno-pop sound and choreography stood out. Germany, performing 21st on the night, received 140 points and achieved third place at Eurovision 1999. This was Germany’s best Eurovision result in five years. The high placing brought the group brief fame and recognition across Europe.

After Eurovision: Album and Break-Up (2000–2002)

After their Eurovision success, Sürpriz experienced some lineup changes. Several original members left, and young singer Aynur Aydın joined the group later in 1999. The remaining quartet (Cihan Özden, Deniz Filizmen, Bülent Ural, plus new member Aynur) focused on recording an album. In 2000, Sürpriz released their self-titled debut album “Sürpriz”, which was recorded in Istanbul. The album featured 15 songs and blended Western pop with traditional Turkish musical elements. However, this release was only published in Turkey and did not make an impact on the German music charts. The group’s momentum dwindled after Eurovision. They attempted to continue with the revised lineup, but maintaining success proved difficult. Ultimately, Sürpriz disbanded in 2002, ending their activity as a group. Their Eurovision entry remained their main claim to fame, as further hits eluded them.

Group Members and Later Projects

Sürpriz consisted of six original members, each of whom played a role in the group’s journey:

Cihan Özden

Founder of Sürpriz and one of the songwriters of “Reise nach Jerusalem”. He led the group’s creation and Eurovision project. After the group’s breakup, Özden stayed involved in music; he has worked as a musician and producer in later years (notably performing with other artists).

Deniz Filizmen

Vocalist and co-lyricist of the Eurovision song. Filizmen contributed to writing the multi-language lyrics alongside professional songwriter Bernd Meinunger and Cihan Özden. Following Sürpriz, she kept a low public profile, and little is documented about her subsequent projects.

Yasemin “Jazz” Akkar

Vocalist known for her strong stage presence in the group. Years after Sürpriz, Yasemin resurfaced in the public eye: in 2013 she auditioned for The Voice of Germany under the name Jazz Akkar. Her appearance on the popular TV show introduced her talent to a new audience.

Filiz Zeyno

One of the original female members of Sürpriz. She performed with the group at Eurovision 1999. After the contest, Zeyno departed the group . She was not part of the later four-member lineup. There is no notable public record of her pursuing a solo music career after leaving Sürpriz.

Savaş Uçar

One of the male vocalists in the Eurovision lineup. Uçar also left the band after 1999, when the group reformed for the album. Like Zeyno, he did not continue in the spotlight, and no significant musical projects of his are widely known post-Sürpriz.

Bülent Ural

Male vocalist who remained with Sürpriz through the album release in 2000. Ural was part of the core group that tried to carry on after Eurovision. When Sürpriz disbanded in 2002, he too stepped away from the public music scene.

Aynur Aydın

Aynur joined the group at age 15 after Eurovision 1999 and took part in recording the “Sürpriz” album. Following the group’s dissolution, she continued to chase musical success. Aynur became a member of another band called Tagtraeumer, which attempted to represent Germany at Eurovision 2003 with a song in Turkish. They were 5th in the national final. Aynur then moved to Turkey and released her debut solo album in 2011, for which she even won a Golden Butterfly Award as Best New Artist. Since then, Aynur Aydın has remained active as a singer-songwriter with several hit songs and albums in Turkey.