09.03.2026 09:20
Ülkü Aker, one of the important lyricists of Turkish pop music, passed away at the age of 80. The master artist made a mark in music with the songs he gave to many artists, from Ajda Pekkan to Nilüfer.
Ülkü Aker, one of the master lyricists of Turkish pop music, passed away in Istanbul at the age of 80. Aker, who played an important role in shaping Turkish pop music with the lyrics he wrote in the 70s and 80s, caused great sorrow in the music world with his death.
HE LEFT HIS MARK ON TURKISH POP MUSIC
Ülkü Aker gained a significant place in the pop music of the era with the Turkish lyrics he wrote for foreign songs. He became one of the leading names in this type of work known as arrangements, following Fecri Ebcioğlu, Sezen Cumhur Önal, and the first Turkish female lyricist Fikret Şeneş.
Aker created a wide repertoire not only in pop music but also with the lyrics he wrote in alaturka and arabesque genres.
WORKED WITH MANY FAMOUS NAMES
Throughout his career as a master lyricist, he wrote lyrics for important names in Turkish music such as Ferdi Özbeğen, Ayten Alpman, Ajda Pekkan, Semiramis Pekkan, Seyyal Taner, Nilüfer, Nil Burak, Selda Bağcan, Gülden Karaböcek, and Sezen Aksu.
HIS SONGS COLLECTED IN A TRIBUTE ALBUM
Ülkü Aker last met music lovers with a tribute album titled "Songs of 35 Years," which brought together the works for which he wrote the lyrics in 2011. In the album, Aker's works were reinterpreted by many famous artists.
WHO IS ÜLKÜ AKER?
Ülkü Aker was born in 1943 in Istanbul as the eldest child of a family with six children. After names like Fecri Ebcioğlu, Sezen Cumhur Önal, and Fikret Şeneş, Ülkü Aker was quite successful in writing Turkish lyrics for foreign songs (in arrangement songs) in the 70s and 80s. Ülkü Aker demonstrated his lyricist skills not only in arrangement songs but also in alaturka and arabesque songs.
Ülkü Aker wrote the lyrics for many beloved and famous songs such as 'Hür Doğdum Hür Yaşarım', 'Bir Fincan Kahve Olsam', 'Benim Gözüm Sende', 'Eskimeyen Dost', 'Yok Yok Yalan Deme', 'İnleyen Nağmeler', 'Gülünce Gözlerinin İçi Gülüyor', 'Zor Dostum Zor', 'Kırk Yıllık Dost Gibiyiz İkimiz', 'Şarkımı Senin İçin Yazdığımı Bilseydin', 'Sana Ne Kime Ne', 'Boşvere Boşvere', 'Tek Başına', 'Bazen', and 'Kim Arar Seni Kim Arar'.
Ülkü Aker also wrote lyrics for singers such as Ferdi Özbeğen, Ayten Alpman, Ajda Pekkan, Nilüfer, Nil Burak, Selda Bağcan, and Sezen Aksu. Among all the singers, the record for singing Ülkü Aker's songs belongs to Ferdi Özbeğen. Almost all of Ferdi Özbeğen's albums featured numerous Ülkü Aker songs. The songs 'Halikarnas' by Akrep Nalan and 'Son Verdim Kalbimin İşine' and 'Kalbimi Affettim' sung by Seyyal Taner are also works of Ülkü Aker.
Nilüfer also performed songs by Ülkü Aker such as 'Of Aman Aman', 'Oh Ya', 'Son Arzum', 'Kim Arar Seni', 'Selam Söyle', 'Başıma Gelenler', 'Kim Kime Dum Duma', 'Ara Sıra Bazı Bazı', 'Baştan Anlat', and 'Ne Olacak Şimdi'.