II
Teoman

About:

20 November 1967

Fazlı Teoman Yakupoğlu was born in Istanbul. After studying business administration and mathematics at Bogazici University, he transferred to and graduated from the sociology department of the same university. He is a master at the University of Istanbul, but his thesis and research on "The Role of Women in Comics" remains incomplete. His formal music career was first started in his first band Mirage in 1986. Teoman staged with various bands for 10 years until his breakthrough song, "Ne Ekmek Ne de Su" (Neither Bread Nor Water) (music by Barlas Erinç- lyrics by Barlas Erinç and Teoman) which won the first prize in Roxy Müzik Günleri (Roxy Music Days). This led a his debut album in 1996. Universal Music recognised the talent and signed Teoman to record his second album ‘O’. The company invested heavily with four video’s and a big marketing campaign. It gave him the nickname ‘King of the video’s’. His third album gave him one of the biggest hits to date with the song ‘Paramparça’ (All In Pieces). It also features a duet with Şebnem Ferah called 'iki yabancı'. A year later a remix-album of his first albums appears.

With his 2003 self-titled album Teoman takes a step to becoming a more serious recording artists. On i the get’s help from Turkish female rock singer Özlem Tekin (on Papatya). Women’s rights turn out to be a returning subject in his music. A year later he is teams up with  singer Göksel for het single ‘Taş Bebek’ (also with the singer of MaNga) which is about the theme that a woman is not a doll. Nest to his singing career Teoman also appears regurarly as an actor. In 2005 he tries to make a movie himself. For ‘Balans ve Manevra’ Teoman appears as writer, director and leading actor. The art house movie about a group of people living in an Aegian coast towns who just can't seem to find the "balance" didn’t get much positive reviews but the soundtrack (also by Teoman) sold reasonably.

In 2008 he releases the album ‘Music & words by Teoman’ and contributes to a tribute album to composer and songwriter Uzay Heparı. In February 2009, Teoman’s album ‘İnsanlık Halleri’ (The State of Humanity) was cause for controversy. One song on the album handled the story of young Erdal Eren who as a member of Patriotic Revolutionary Youth Association was hanged at the age of 17 by the then Coup d’etat (led by Kenan Evren). There was pressure to ban the song from the album. In 2011 Teoman appears on a duet album by Nilüfer before releasing a new album on his own.

On the web:

- Teoman's website: http://www.teoman.com.tr/

If you like this, you probably like.. / european counterparts:

- Enrico Ruggeri (Italy)

- Nikos Portokaloglou (Greece)

What do we think:

DB: Teoman has taken his musical in his own hands since the start. The downside to his huge popularity is that he also gets lots of gossip and rumours around his persona (especcially around his sexual orientation) and an easy target for fellow musicians who find his music either to commercial or to soft. Fact is that the work Teoman made since 2003 is neither of those two. He perfected his music into a modern Euro-Turkish variety and with that he has a unique place in Turkish pop. Also his activity around female rights and political issues get critique from more conservative groups. I believe Teoman actually does not care what others think.

Albums :

- Teoman (1996)

- O(She) (1998)

- Onyedi(Seventeen) (2000)

♪♪♪ - Teoman (aka Red Album) (2003)

- Gönülçelen(Heart Stealer) (2001)

♪♪♪♪ - En güzel Hikayem (My Most Beautiful Story) (2004)

- Renkli Rüyalar Oteli (Colorful Dreams Hotel) (2006)

- Teoman-Bülent Ortaçgil Konser (Live Performance) (2007)

- Söz Müzik Teoman (Music and Lyrics by Teoman) (2008)

- Insanlık Halleri (The State of Humanity) (2009)

- ♪♪♪♪ - Aşk & Gurur (2011)

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♪♪♪♪♪ = outstanding album, an absolute must-have
♪♪♪♪ = great album, highly recomended
♪♪♪ = nice album
♪♪ = be careful, requires listening before buying
♪ = best to be avoided