İbrahim Tatlıses

Early years

İbrahim Tatlı was born in Urfa, Turkey to an Arab father and Kurdish mother inside a cave. His native language is Kurdish and Arabic. He lost his father during childhood and did not attend high school. He did not know how to read or write growing up.

Musical career

İbrahim Tatlıses is often regarded as one of the best-known singers of Turkey, being so famous that he has the nicknames "İbo" and "İmparator". He has had a critically acclaimed and illustrious music career in genres such as Turkish folk music and Arabesk, beginning in 1970 at the age of 18 with his first tape Kara Kız/Beni Yakma Gel Güzelim. He sold tapes and sang at weddings/restaurants until a producer discovered him in 1976. The following year his album Ayağında Kundura, featuring songs such as Ayağında Kundura, İndim Gülüm Bağına and Kırmızı Kurdele, was a smash hit and propelled him to fame. Some of his earlier songs have Kurdish origin and were translated into Turkish. From then on, the hit albums came one after another, such as the 1983 album Yalan,

the 1985 album Mavi Mavi, and the 1987 album Allah Allah. He has recorded a total of 42 albums from 1970 to 2014. His music also took influence from old Armenian folk songs as the writer for his songs was an Armenian named Garo Mafyan.

Business

Tatlıses is involved in the restaurant and tourism businesses, as well as in construction projects with business partner Ali Sarıyıldız in Iraq.

Marriages

Tatlıses married his first wife, Adalet Sara, in Urfa. The couple had three children, a son named Ahmet Salim, and two daughters named Gülşen Sara and Gülden Ferrah. In 1979, he began a relationship with his Kara Yazma co-star Perihan Savaş. From his marriage to Savaş, he has a daughter named Melek Zübeyde. Savaş and Tatlıses later got divorced. In 1984, it was reported in the media that claims were made by Savaş that she was beaten for seven hours after being kidnapped by İbrahim Tatlıses, following which she applied to the prosecutor's office and asked for his arrest. Tatlıses said in his interrogation by the police, "Savaş is the mother of my child. To let her wander around would make it feel beneath me." From his relationship with his Günah co-star, Derya Tuna, he has a son, named İbrahim "İdo" Tatlıses.

After returning from Germany, Tatlıses married Ayşegül Yıldız on 27 September 2011 in the rehabilitation facility where he was receiving treatment. Mayor of Şişli Mustafa Sarıgül officiated the marriage service, while Fatih Terim was the witness. Together the couple had a daughter, named Elif Ada. They divorced in November 2013.

From his relationship with Işıl Çıtak, Tatlıses had a daughter named Dilan Çıtak, who was born in 1989. He acknowledged and accepted her as his child in 2013. In 2021, he announced his relationship with Gülçin Karakaya, who is 43 years his junior.