Turkey: pop star Sezen Aksu under fire

Turkish pop singer Sezen Aksu has come under attack on social media for her 2017 song Şahane Bir Şey Yaşamak. The line "Give my greetings to the ignorant Adam and Eve" is seen by some as an insult to Adam, who is considered a prophet. Now the Turkish Authority for Religious Affairs has also criticised Aksu. Many artists, by contrast, are defending the queen of Turkish Pop.

Open/close all quotes
Habertürk (TR) /

Other things doing more damage to Islamic values

There are many things to be upset about in religious milieus, but this is not one of them, writes columnist Fatih Altaylı in Habertürk:

“Child abuse, sexual abuse, perverted relationships within Islamic sects, young people committing suicide, theft and corruption: disgraceful behaviour is everywhere, but no one does a thing, as if all of this did not harm conservative values. Yet all hell breaks loose over the lyrics of a song released five years ago. ... All your mockery has not left as much of a mark on this country as Sezen Aksu. ... Settle your political scores elsewhere. ... Sezen Aksu is a tiny woman. But she is a big hunk of a performer.”

Sabah (TR) /

Critics only making Aksu more popular

The discussion is being blown out of all proportion, writes columnist Melih Altınok in the pro-government daily Sabah:

“Adam and Eve have been used as symbols in all fields of art for centuries. These works are not about the sanctity of Adam and Eve. ... On the contrary, the two figures are treated as archetypes who were expelled from paradise because of their 'human traits'. ... The fact that a song by Sezen Aksu from 2017 is now being criticised in the headlines shows that the critics' main motivation is the singer's views on certain sensitive social issues. But they fail to realise that any form of external pressure only benefits the one being targeted.”