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Interview in Eritmo.com
(eritmo.com / New York) - Tarkan talked with eritmo.com about his conquest plans, his music and his life, in the control room of a Soho recording studio, where he's completing his new album. Warm, relaxed, with a natural and genuine smile, Tarkan anwsered everything without objections. eritmo: Why are you here in New York? What does it means for you and your career? People usually come to this city looking for success and exposure. Tarkan: (laughs) In fact, I was running
away from success and the press. I eritmo: So you plan to return to Turkey... Tarkan: Just for short seasons. I'll keep my New York loft, but I'll spend most of the year in Saint-Tropez, in the south of France. The United States is important for me, to observe the musical scene. eritmo: Do you think you can make a crossover? Tarkan: Yes, I'm planning to record a duet with some Latin singer, it'll be a ballad, for sure. I'm going to sing in Turkish and she will sing in Spanish. But I want to make some research, to know who'll be that singer. eritmo: Your name is becoming popular in Latin America. You had an astounding success in Mexico, where no one understand Turkish! Tarkan: I felt incredibly comfortable in Mexico. It was an unforgettable experience to act for an audience who sang all the melodies together with me, enthusiastically. In a TV show, there were about 10,000 persons! Really, they were very happy moments for me, where I felt the warmth of the people. eritmo: After three years without recording, how do you feel in the studio?
eritmo: Who do you consider a great influence, as a singer? Tarkan: Ahhh...Honestly, this could sound snob, but I've never had an idol. Many artists do have influenced me, Stevie Wonder, turkish singers, turkish classical music, which I studied when I was a kid and nowadays exerts great influence in my career. Madonna, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, with his way of moving on stage. eritmo: Do you consider yourself a dancer? Tarkan: What I do on stage is to sing and dance...but I don't consider myself a well trained dancer. I dance as it comes to me, without coreographies or fixed limits. Although I plan to include some coreographies in my next tour. eritmo: When you choose a song, what elements are the most important for you: the lyrics, the melody, or maybe the rythm? Tarkan: The fact that I've been writing
my own songs doesn't allow me to define a particular element. The
most important thing is what I want to say. I want to eritmo: Do you play any musical instrument? Tarkan: I am not an instrumentalist, God didn't granted me the gift to be one. I play a little the piano, just chords for building my songs. eritmo: Do all your creations have that Middle-Eastern flavor? Tarkan: Not necessarily, specially this next album. eritmo: Some critics say you'll become the "Turkish Ricky Martin". What do you think about this? Would you feel uncomfortable with this comparison? Tarkan: I've known about Ricky Martin for a long time, I remember when he became an instant success in Europe with "Maria". While we have many things in common, approximately the same age and the same Zodiac sign (Libra), at the same time we're very different, and I don't think there is any possibility to be compared to one another, because we are essentially different (smiles). Ricky Martin is latin...and I'm turkish!
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felt besieged by the turkish and
european press. I was very young and I didn't know how to stand such pressure. I came here looking to rediscover a simpler life.
To take a walk, to read a book sitting in a park's bench, go to
the movies, shopping...but I had enough of that simple
life...(and adds, joking) I want to attract the attention again!
Tarkan: I'm really happy to be back to the
studio, after a long pause, and I feel great in front of the
microphone. Here I can be my own witness, seeing how I've changed
my way of singing, how I've developped my style; and I have been
noticing the presence of diverse cultures, different countries,
different kinds of music in what I create.
communicate and my way of communicating is
through songs. That's the reason I write my own music. Any
experiences, ideas, feelings, can transform into lyrics which I
need to share. And the melodies need to be strong. The melody is
the song. 