Sourced

• It feels wild, you know, because in the beginning I never thought it was going to really happen. It's all in Turkish, you know, and nobody understands a word. But I think it's a groove. It's the kisses that are universal.
  • About his hit single Şımarık

• I was raised in Germany until I was 13, and then my family decided to go back to Turkey. It was good in a way, because I studied music. And I went to a Turkish classical music school and studied music for three years. And then I just realized that I can't do anything else but singing music. And everything just happened naturally.

• My fans -- when I see them somewhere, outside my concerts -- I get that, that vibe. They're really supporting my projects and everything, because it's a first time that a Turkish singer is, you know, able to express himself out of Turkey.

• He was my mentor in a way -- as a musician and as a businessman. He came to Turkey once and saw me on stage performing, and then he came up to me and said, "You've got to call me." I said, I would love to. And that was the first thing I did when I came to New York. Then we did an agreement, a deal, with him for the English albums.
  • About Ahmet Ertegün

• It was January and snowing like crazy. It was tough; the food was terrible. Eighteen months of my life for nothing? I thought my own dreams were more important.
  • About his military service

• It gets worse and worse. I love it, but I have no life. People grab me and kiss me. I like that, but it can be overwhelming.

• I don't care what people think. This is my life. I know who I am. I stood up for my rights and my life.

• Çişim var, ağabey
  • Translation: I gotta pee, man.

• Dancing and singing were always like games to me. I sang constantly.

• I had always dreamed of being involved in a job where I could do anything related to animals and nature. A vet maybe. But later I came to understand that it was just a temporary interest and that music was more important to me.

• Moving to Turkey was the turning point in my life.

• We need to know ourselves better so that we can realize what we really want in our life. I think that the first condition for a person to be in a successful relationship is to be happy with the person he or she is, in other words to love themselves.

• I think that my music is very unique and connects both worlds. That's the reason why I named my album Come Closer. I believe in cultural sharing, in the idea of we-belong-altogether. In my opinion, music should have no borders and we should all try to come closer.

Come Closer (2006)

• Sorry can be the hardest word when you know you're wrong.
  • Over

• With every word unspoken each moment comes undone.
  • Over

• When your heart's not open you can't see what you've got.
  • Over

• Don't say a word, I wanna hear love speak.
  • Shhh

• When the heart sinks lower and the healing's slower, let's come closer.
  • Come Closer

• In the light of one choice, we will sing with one voice.
  • Come Closer

• I'm overanalyzed, digitized, terrorized, over merchandised, paralysed, what should I do?
  • Mass Confusion

• No matter who you are or where you're from somewhere down the road you're gonna need someone.
  • Touch

• Everyone needs a touch.
  • Touch

• Love is the sweetest pain inside.
  • If Only You Knew

• If only I knew the way to take the sun and moon and make tomorrow wait.
  • If Only You Knew