🎤 Bülent Ersoy

About

Bülent Ersoy (born 9 June 1952 in Istanbul) is a Turkish singer and actress, widely regarded as one of the greatest voices in Turkish classical music (sanat müziği) and arabesque. She began her career as a male performer, underwent gender reassignment surgery in London in 1981, and was subsequently banned from the Turkish stage under the military junta - returning only in 1988 after the law changed. Over more than five decades she has released over thirty albums and earned the nickname "Diva" from her fans, who also call her "Abla" (elder sister) as a mark of affection.