Who is singer-songwriter Bülent Ortaçgil?

So, with that in mind, you can be somewhat forgiven if he’s yet to cross your musical radar. But not completely.

That’s because Ortaçgil is no new kid on the block; instead the singer-songwriter has been performing for five decades, inspiring generations of fans in his native Turkey with his poetic lyrics and timeless melodies. 

So as we got set to welcome Ortaçgil to our stage, we felt it only right to offer a little more insight for those of you yet to discover this legendary figure in Turkish music

He was born in the Turkish capital

Although the majority of his life has been spent in Istanbul, Bülent Ortaçgil was actually born in Ankara on 1 March 1950. Only after the young Bülent had started school did his family leave the Turkish capital for Istanbul. And it was while studying at Istanbul’s prestigious Kadıköy Maarif College that Ortaçgil’s artistic interests began to show, as he acted in school plays, enjoyed fine arts and tried his hand at the drums in a number of bands, before taking up the guitar.

He has a degree in chemistry

Although clearly talented as a musician – and despite sharing school corridors with future member of the band MFÖ, Mazhar Alanson – Ortaçgil, as writer Vefik Karaege details, was ‘known to be a quiet and hard-working student’ who ‘unlike his peers, didn’t want to become a rock star’. And so, though he continued to show talent with the acoustic guitar, he also dedicated himself to his studies, going on to earn a degree from the University of Istanbul’s Faculty of Chemistry.

He released his debut single as a student

Ortaçgil was still studying at the University of Istanbul when he was given the opportunity to record his first single by friend Ahmet Güvenç with whom he’d previously formed the band Filozoflar. Güvenç, now part of the band Bunalim, offered Ortaçgil some time within one of the band’s recording sessions, and the result was. ‘Anlamsiz’, which translates as ‘Meaningless’. The record was released in 1971 as an LP that also featured the track ‘Yuzunu Dokme Kucuk Kiz’ (‘Don’t Show Me Your Face, Little Girl’).

His debut album was something of a sleeper hit

Before he graduated, Ortaçgil would follow up that debut single with a debut album, 1974’s Benimle Oynar Mısın? (Will You Play with Me?). With its influences in Western music rather than the prominent Anatolian folk scene, it took time for the album to resonate with the Turkish music audience. ‘It’s unusual to find a 1970s album that is so musically distant from Anatolian folk elements,’ writes Hayat Sebep of the album for Turquazz. ‘Instead of writing melancholic tunes that the Turkish audience could relate to, his songs are optimistic.’ As Sebep goes on to summarise, ‘underrated when it was released, it has since become a highly regarded work of art’.

His influences span Turkish and ‘western’ music

With Ortaçgil’s debut having been so notably distinct from the prevalent music of the day, it’s hard to pin down Turkish influences on his sound, but Sebep highlights the experimental performer Fikret Kızılok as a ‘Turkish folk singer-songwriter who most resembles his song writing style’. Beyond Turkey, The Beatles, Donovan and Cat Stevens are all said to have been influences on Ortaçgil, but for Sebep, his ‘sound mirrors Vashti Bunyan’s poetic aesthetic, vocal style, and folk ensemble,’ while his ‘careless vocals and his ability to question listeners through storytelling remind me of Bob Dylan’.

He initially chose not to become a musician

Upon completing his studies at the University of Istanbul Ortaçgil found himself at a crossroads. Recently married, he faced a choice between continuing down the musical path begun with the release of Benimle Oynar Mısın, or following the route of his studies. He chose the latter, working for a decade as a chemical engineer with companies including Pfizer and Netaş Telecom. Of his choice Ortaçgil would later explain, ‘I became an engineer because I was scared. I didn’t want to destroy the musical world I had created for myself by playing music I didn’t want.’

But he eventually found his way back

According to Karaege, Ortaçgil would come to regret his choice, believing that ‘he could have written even more great songs in the time he spent studying and working as an engineer’. But he would eventually find a route back to music, a journey that began in 1981 when he met Kızılok, who had also taken a break from recording. The two went on to set up Cekirdek Sanatevi, an arts house for musicians at which they could not only record sessions, but also press and release their own recordings and perform concerts. 

One such concert, performed by Ortaçgil in 1984, would mark his musical return when it was released as a live album under the name Ruzgara Soylenen Sarkilar (Songs Sung to the Wind). Following Ruzgara Soylenen Sarkilar, Ortaçgil went on to cement his connection with Kızılok further with the pair performing together and releasing two albums, the live album Biz Şarkılerimiz… (We Sing Our Songs…) and 1987’s Pencere Önü Çiçeği (Window Flower).

He’s been going it alone for more than three decades

Musical disagreements meant that Ortaçgil and Kızılok’s partnership sadly ended soon after, and with his marriage also coming to an end, Ortaçgil took the decision to leave the world of chemical engineering behind, and return to music full-time, at the age of 37. He’s been performing and recording, primarily as a solo artist, ever since. Along the way his sound has evolved – 1990’s 2. Perde (Second Act) had an 80s synth pop sound about it, 1994’s Büyükler Icin Cocuk Sarkilari (These Songs Won’t Do Any Good), was harder and heavier than its predecessors – but at the root of it all, is the simple premise of Ortaçgil and a guitar, making music he enjoys.

He’s been the subject of his own tribute album

For a real mark of Ortaçgil’s standing and impact in Turkish music, you need look no further than the release of Şarkılar bir Oyundur (Songs Are a Game) in 2000. The album, a tribute to Ortaçgil, featured 22 Turkish singers and bands, including some he had previously performed with and spanning multiple genres, come together to record his music.