Tüzmen

Tarkan Tüzmen (born 7 March 1968) is a Turkish singer and actor. He was born in Ankara and represented Turkey at the Eurovision Song Contest 1998. Tüzmen is also the brother of former Turkish government minister Kürşad Tüzmen. Notably, he is often known simply as “Tüzmen.” This stage name helped avoid confusion with another famous Turkish singer also named Tarkan.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Tüzmen earned a degree in civil engineering from Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ) in Ankara. In his youth he was also a national swimmer, showing his diverse talents even before music. However, his passion for music led him to pursue a singing career. In the early 1990s, he began performing in contests and shows in Turkey. He soon aimed to represent Turkey on the Eurovision stage.

However, Tüzmen’s first attempts at Eurovision were not immediately successful. He took part in Turkey’s national song selection competitions multiple times in the mid-1990s. In 1996 he entered the national finals with two songs, but neither won the ticket to Eurovision. He tried again in 1997 with another entry, yet that also did not secure victory. These early experiences helped him gain recognition in the Turkish music scene and prepared him for future success.

Eurovision Journey

After persevering through earlier attempts, Tüzmen finally achieved his goal in 1998. That year he won Turkey’s national selection with the song “Unutamazsın.” This victory earned him the right to represent Turkey at the Eurovision Song Contest. In May 1998, he performed “Unutamazsın” on the Eurovision stage in Birmingham, United Kingdom. Tüzmen delivered a strong performance. He finished in 14th place among 25 participating countries with a total of 25 points. This Eurovision appearance brought Tüzmen international exposure and became a highlight of his singing career.

Music Career and Later Years

Even before his Eurovision triumph, Tüzmen had begun recording music professionally. He released his debut studio album titled t1 in 1996. This album established him in the Turkish pop music scene. After Eurovision, he continued working on new music. In 2003, Tüzmen released his second album, appropriately titled t2, which featured a fresh collection of songs. Both albums showcased his vocal range and blended pop with Turkish musical influences.

After the mid-2000s, Tüzmen took a step back from producing full albums as he shifted focus to other endeavors. However, he did return to music occasionally. In 2018, he made a brief comeback by releasing a pair of new singles: “Yolculuk Rüzgara” and “Son Rüya”. These singles came out as digital releases and showed that Tüzmen still had a passion for singing and creating music. In recent years, he has kept a lower profile in the music industry. 

Acting Career

In addition to music, Tüzmen expanded his career into acting. He joined the cast of the popular Turkish television franchise Kurtlar Vadisi (“Valley of the Wolves”), an action-drama series. Starting in 2005, he portrayed a character named Alper in Kurtlar Vadisi: Pusu (“Valley of the Wolves: Ambush”). Alper was an intelligence officer in the story. This role marked the beginning of his acting journey. Tüzmen appeared in multiple seasons of the show during the late 2000s, becoming a familiar face to TV audiences. His involvement in this successful series further broadened his fame in Turkey beyond his singing career.

Tüzmen’s crossover into acting demonstrated his versatility as an entertainer. In the series, his performance as Alper received attention and proved that he could handle dramatic roles. By balancing both singing and acting, Tüzmen established himself as a multi-talented figure in Turkish entertainment.