Azer Bülbül

Folk singer and actor Azer Bülbül was born Subutay Kesgin on February 1, 1967, in Akyaka, Kars, Turkey. After relocating to Germany, he was discovered by Yildiz Tezcan and began his musical career with the release of his debut album, Garip Yolcu, in 1984. The following year, he made his debut as an actor in the film Blue Blue Azure (1985). He continued to release albums throughout the 1980s including Esmerin Adi Oya (1986), Yalan Olur (Yoruldum) (1987), Güzel / Kis Necla (1988), and Yürüyorum (Firat) (1989). Over a decade after his debut album, he finally achieved commercial success in his homeland with the release of his 1995 album Ben Babayim, which included the hits “Yaralandin Mi Can?” “Her An Her Şey Olabilir,” “Ben Babayım,” and “Çoğu Gitti Azı Kaldı.” His popularity spread throughout Turkey, where he was nicknamed ‘Shaky King’ due to his tendence to tremble while singing. His popularity continued even after he was embroiled in several controversies in the late 1990s and early 2000s with drug-related issues. Azer Bülbül’s continued to release albums including Başımda Bela Var (2002), Ateş Düştüğü Yeri Yakar (2004), Kalemin Kırıldı (2007), and Duygularim (2011). While on tour to promote his 2011 album, Azer Bülbül died of a heart attack on January 6, 2012, in Antalya, Turkey. He was 44 years old.