The singer of romantic Arabesque and wistful songs has sought the candidacy in his home town of three times before and once stood as an independent candidate despite not being selected. He has had a critically acclaimed and illustrious music career in genres such as Turkish folk music and , beginning in 1970 at the age of 18 with his first tape Kara Gel . He sold tapes and sang at weddings/restaurants until a producer discovered him in 1976.