Tarkan Tevetoglu (born 17 October 1972), known as
Tarkan, is a
World Music Award-winning
Turkish pop singer. He was born in
West Germany and raised in
Turkey. Tarkan has been known for the use of romantic themes in his work and has been nicknamed the "Prince of Pop" by the media. He has released several
platinum-selling albums during his career, with an estimated 29 million albums and singles sold. He also produces music through his company
HITT Music, which he established in February 1997. One of a few European singers who has managed to span chart success over three continents without singing in English, he is also noted for his live stage performances. Tarkan's effect on
Turkey has been compared by the
Washington Post to that of
Elvis Presley in the US around 1957 and
Atlantic Records co-founder
Ahmet Ertegün described him as one of the best live performers he had ever seen. He has also been listed by
Rhapsody as a key artist in the history of European pop music, with his
signature song "
Simarik" as a keystone track that moved the genre forward.