Tarkan
Tarkan has enjoyed a Ricky Martin-style popularity in Turkey since the release of his second album, Aacayipsin, in 1994--it sold 2 million copies in Turkey and Europe and foreshadowed a string of outrageously successful albums. His 1997 release, Ölürüm Sana ("I Would Die for You"), sold 2 million copies in Turkey alone, 1.5 million being preorders. So it's no surprise that this 28-year-old star with hunky good looks opens his latest CD with the sound of a smoochy kiss on "Simarik" ("Spoilt"), one of Tarkan's most recognizable singles in Turkey. It's a killer tune, too, soaked with the heavy beats needed to keep bodies moving on the dance floor while the landsliding violins of rai build emotional tension. There are several magnetic dance tunes here, mostly collected from his earlier albums, with "Bu Gece" ("Break Free") and "Sikidim" ("Dirty Dancing") among the strongest and most popular. What's intriguing is that Tarkan is not just another pretty face; he was classically trained in Istanbul and penned most of the album's songs. Add the notion of challenging traditional Islamic values with such lyrics as "Don't dance so sexy / Oh, the way you move, you drive me crazy" or "Come on, let's make love / Close your eyes," and you've got the sort of national sensation that parents might hate but the kids will love. --Karen K. Hugg
2000-05-16 - Universal Latino
