Muazzez Abacı, born on 12 November 1947 in Ankara, became one of the most important vocal artists of classical Turkish music, securing a lasting place in the repertoire through her interpretive power and stage career. In 1998, she was awarded the title of State Artist by the Ministry of Culture. Throughout her artistic life, she released dozens of albums, particularly remembered for the works “Vurgun” and “Şakayık”. She passed away on 12 November 2025 at the age of 78 in New York.

Muazzez Abacı’s father was Oktay Altıok, a boxer known by the nickname “Sarı Bomba”. Abacı lost her father when she was just one and a half years old. She began her education as a boarder at Ankara College and completed her high school studies there.

At the age of five, she performed the song “Üsküdar’a Giderken” at a ceremony attended by President Celal Bayar and Prime Minister Adnan Menderes. This performance marked the first sign of her interest in music and her exceptional talent at an early age.

In 1966, Abacı joined Ankara Radio as an apprentice artist, where she received training in classical Turkish music and worked with prominent teachers of the era. She gave her first concert in 1970 and gained widespread recognition in 1972 with the song “Silemezler Gönlümden”. In 1973, she released her first record, “Bir Sen Kaldın İçimde”, under Kervan Plak. In 1974, she stepped onto the Istanbul stage at the Bebek Maksim Gazino and became one of the most sought-after soloists in the gazino scene.

During the 1970s, Abacı collaborated with Kervan, As and Yavuz Plak on numerous 45 rpm singles and LP albums. Her albums “Dönüş” (1978), “Yasemen” (1981), “Sevdiklerinizle” (1983), and “Şakayık” (1986) expanded the repertoire of art music. She achieved major breakthroughs with her 1989 album “Felek” and especially with the 1990 album “Vurgun”. The song “Vurgun”, with lyrics by Cemal Safi, firmly established Abacı’s name in the history of Turkish music.

Throughout the 1990s, Abacı released albums such as “Sensiz Olmadı” (1991), “Efendim” (1992), the “Musikinin Altın Çağı” series (1993), “Kar Yangınları” (1994), and “Tutkunum” (1995). In 1998, she brought together two major voices of Turkish art music with the albums “Cesaretim Var” and “Muazzez Abacı & Zeki Müren Düet”. In the 2000s, she continued her musical work with the albums “Hükümlüyüm” (2001) and “Bir Efsanedir” (2013). In 2014, she collaborated with artists from different generations with the album “Ajda Pekkan & Muazzez Abacı”, and again in 2018 with “Sezen’imin Şarkıları”.

Abacı began her artistic career on Ankara Radio in the 1970s and continued it through television programs in later years. She served as a judge on the competition program “Hayalin İçin Söyle”. In addition, she participated in special concerts and television recordings aimed at preserving the art music repertoire. In 1998, she briefly ventured into television by portraying herself in the series “Sibel”.

Muazzez Abacı married Abdurrahman Abacı, a police officer serving at the Diyarbakır Police Directorate, when she was just 18 years old. Their daughter Saba, born in 1969, was the result of this marriage. The union ended in 1970. In 1973, she married lawyer Atilla Kurtbaş, but this marriage lasted only two years.

In 1980, she married Hasan Heybetli, who was then in prison. After a three-year marriage, the couple lived separately for a period. They remarried in 1989 but divorced again in 1993. Although a third marriage was rumored in the public eye in 2006, it never took place.

In the final years of her life, Abacı frequently met with her daughter Saba Abacı, a doctor living in New York, United States, and her granddaughter Sera Anderson.

On 22 October 2019, Muazzez Abacı suffered a fall at her home in Istanbul, resulting in a triple fracture of her leg. She underwent surgery at Gaziosmanpaşa Hospital of New Century University Faculty of Medicine and received cast treatment for a period. In October 2025, she underwent angioplasty due to heart issues and received stent treatment. However, she was placed under medical care after suffering a heart attack while in the United States, followed by kidney complications.

Muazzez Abacı fell ill on 30 October 2025 while visiting her daughter Saba in New York and was admitted to hospital. Due to complications during treatment, she passed away on 12 November 2025, aged 78, on what would have been her birthday. Her death was announced to the public by her manager Taner Budak. In his statement, Budak emphasized that Abacı’s legacy in the world of art would be remembered with affection.

Following the artist’s death, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan shared a message on social media: “We learned with sorrow this evening of the passing of Muazzez Abacı, the master voice of Turkish art music and State Artist. We pray to Allah for her mercy and extend our condolences to her family, loved ones, and the entire artistic community.”

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism also issued a statement: “We learned with deep sorrow of the passing of Muazzez Abacı, the powerful voice and master interpreter of Turkish art music. We offer our prayers for her eternal peace and extend our condolences to her family, loved ones, and the entire artistic community for the indelible mark she left through her art.”

Muazzez Abacı is recognized as an artist who played a significant role in the modern revival of classical Turkish music. Through her interpretations and stage discipline, she established a defining standard in Turkish musical performance. Her interpretations, blending classical style with contemporary arrangements, aimed to reach both traditional music audiences and new generations.

Abacı also forged intergenerational connections in Turkish music through her duet collaborations. She participated in joint projects with artists such as Zeki Müren, Ajda Pekkan and Sezen Aksu, and these collaborations stand as notable examples in the cultural history of Turkish music.