Özlem Tekin

Özlem Tekin — Biography

Özlem Tekin is a Turkish rock singer, composer and sometime actress born on 18 November 1971 in California, holding both Turkish and American citizenship. The daughter of linguist Talât Tekin, she pursued her studies at Hacettepe University's Ankara State Conservatory, focusing on Western classical music. Her sound began in hard rock before broadening over the years to draw on influences from Turkish folk, pop, punk and house music, and she is credited with releasing the first fully electronic album made in Turkey. Alongside music she has taken on screen roles, including a part in the series Karaoğlan and appearances in the films Hokkabaz, Mavi Pansiyon and Kaledeki Yalnızlık. After roughly a decade away from touring and living a quieter life in the countryside, she drew renewed attention in 2026 when producers reportedly offered her a multimillion-lira deal to return to the stage.