Murat Kekilli was born on April 18, 1968, in Adana, Türkiye. His father’s name is Mustafa Kekilli and his mother’s name is Sıdıka Kekilli. He has a brother named Hüseyin Kekilli (born 1971). He completed his primary, secondary and high school education in Adana. Due to his family’s financial difficulties while living in the Kocavezir neighborhood, he worked in watermelon fields in Adana and Ceyhan during summer vacations. His interest in music began when he met the director of the Adana Youth Palace, where he was inspired by a friend playing piano and performing a song by Barış Manço, leading him to begin his musical journey with the piano.

Beginning of the Music Career

In 1989, Kekilli enlisted in the military to fulfill his national service and began his music career actively after being discharged in 1991. He passed the entrance exams for the Adana State Conservatory in 1992–1993 but dropped out of his studies after one year. In 1994, he moved to Istanbul and started working with music groups. He first formed a group called Kilikyalılar and then, in 1996, released the album Vay Be! Eşek Gözlüm with the group Yolcular. However, the album did not achieve the expected success, and Kekilli parted ways with Ferdifon Müzik.

Rise and Controversies

In 1999, Kekilli signed with Boğaziçi Müzik and released the album Bu Akşam Ölürüm, which became a major success. The title track gained widespread popularity but also sparked controversy due to claims that it encouraged suicidal tendencies among individuals. Reha Muhtar criticized Kekilli during a live broadcast, yet the album became the best-selling album of 1999, selling 2.6 million copies. In 2000, Kekilli won the “Best Rock Vocalist” award at the 6th Kral TV Video Music Awards.

Album Career

Murat Kekilli continued to work with Boğaziçi Müzik throughout his career. His albums, in order, are:

• 2002: Yedialtı
• 2004: Avara
• 2006: Bir Ahir Zaman (Music videos were made for the songs Ahir Zaman and Sana Gül Dedim on this album)
• 2010: Kalbimdeki Darp (A music video was made for only one track)
• 2013: Gümüş Teller (His final album)

Personal Life and Connections

Murat Kekilli is the nephew of Mürüvvet Kekilli, a Turkish folk music artist who was killed on September 12, 1980, for political reasons, and the cousin of vocal artist Alperen Kekilli. Kekilli, who creates works in the Anatolian rock style, plays piano and guitar. An active artist since the 1990s, he has established a significant place in the music industry. Despite his distance from Istanbul, he prefers to live a modest life in Tekir Yaylası near Adana. In the house he built himself, he leads a life closely connected with nature.

Current Activities

Kekilli continues to perform at concerts, festivals and institutional events. In 2019, he appeared in the TV series Dengi Dengine. In 2023, he delivered aid donations to Hatay and gained social media popularity by releasing a song dedicated to the Turkish Lira. He maintains communication with his fans through his official website and social media platforms.