Ibrahim Tatlıses, born as İbrahim Tatlı, was born on 1 January 1952 in the Siverek district of Şanlıurfa. His father is Ahmet Tatlı and his mother is Leyla Hanım. Tatlıses is one of the leading figures in Turkish music. In addition to singing, he has been active in many fields including production, acting, directing, television presenting, and business. Known by the nickname “The Emperor,” Tatlıses has appeared in numerous films both as an actor and a director.

Early Youth

The family had seven children and faced limited economic resources. At the time of his birth, his father was in prison; this situation affected the family’s economic and social standing. From a young age, Tatlıses worked various jobs to contribute to the family’s livelihood. Some of these jobs included selling water, painting shoes, and working as a cold iron craftsman on construction sites.

Tatlıses did not have the opportunity to receive formal education. However, in 1976 he completed primary school through external studies and received his diploma. Throughout his life, he learned to read and write and made efforts to acquire knowledge in various fields. During his childhood and youth, he became familiar with the traditional folk music repertoire of Urfa and its surroundings, shaped by the cultural environment of the region. This cultural context provided the foundation for Tatlıses’s musical career.

Ibrahim Tatlıses. (Anadolu Agency)

Career and Achievements

Ibrahim Tatlıses began his music career in the late 1960s performing at various nightclubs and pavilions in Adana, where his voice and interpretation attracted attention. His first records were the 45 rpm singles “Kara Kız” and “Beni Yakma Gel Sevdiğim.” The song “Ayağında Kundura,” released in 1974, was widely listened to and established his national recognition.

In the 1970s, he moved to Ankara and participated in programs on TRT radio and television. Throughout the 1980s, he released albums such as “Mavi Mavi,” “Allah Allah,” and “Sabır Taşı.” These albums achieved high sales figures and occupied a significant position in the music market. In 1987, Tatlıses founded the music production company Tatlıses Müzik, and in 1997 he launched his second company, İdobay Müzik.

His television career, which began in the early 1990s, lasted for many years with the program “İbo Show.” The program, with its diverse formats and broad range of guests, became one of Turkey’s most-watched entertainment shows.

His business activities extended beyond the music industry into food, construction, and tourism. In particular, the Tatlıses Çiğköfte brand became widespread across Türkiye and expanded through franchising.

Key Works and Contributions

The albums Tatlıses released from the 1970s onward achieved high sales volumes in the Turkish music market and contributed to the popularization of arabesk music. Albums such as “Ayağında Kundura,” “Mavi Mavi,” and “Allah Allah” are regarded as musical reflections of the social and economic movements of Anatolia and intercity migration.

The films he made between 1978 and 1997 are dramatic works reflecting the social and economic realities of the era. These productions, in which he starred, are classified within the genre of arabesk cinema.

The television program “İbo Show” served as a platform not only for musical performances but also for presenting various social and cultural content. Its long-running broadcast contributed to the development of entertainment formats in Turkish television broadcasting.

Tatlıses’s music production companies played a role in the production and distribution of albums in the arabesk and fantasy music genres from the 1980s onward. Through these companies, new artists in the music industry were supported.

Personal Life

Ibrahim Tatlıses’s first marriage was to Adalet Durak; from this marriage, three children were born. He has a daughter named Melek Zübeyde from his relationship with Perihan Savaş, and a son named İdo Tatlıses from his relationship with Derya Tuna. In 2011, he married Ayşegül Yıldız, with whom he had a daughter named Elif Ada. The marriage ended in divorce in 2013.

Health Condition

On 14 March 2011, he was seriously injured in an armed attack in Maslak, Istanbul. After being shot in the head, Tatlıses received intensive care and was transferred to a hospital in Germany on 6 April 2011. The treatment process lasted a long period, and the artist returned to stage and television work only in a limited capacity.

The perpetrator of the attack was identified as Abdullah Uçmak and was subsequently tried.