Hayko Cepkin

Despite projecting a rebellious persona within Turkey's heavy music landscape, Hayko Cepkin possesses formal musical training. He entered the world in Istanbul during 1978 and pursued vocal studies at Mimar Sinan University before enrolling at Timur Selcuk Contemporary Music Center to deepen his knowledge of singing and music theory. Following piano instruction at Akademi Istanbul, he embarked on his professional journey in music during 1997. In capacities as keyboardist, composer, and arranger, he contributed to multiple recordings alongside artists such as Koray Candemir, Demir Demirkan, Aylin Aslim, and Ogun Sanlisoy.

Having amassed years of practical knowledge, Cepkin opted to issue his personal material, crafting, executing, and overseeing every aspect of his initial release, Sakin Olmam Lazim (I Need to Stay Calm), which EMI Turkey brought out in 2005. Keyboard-centric compositions dominated the record, which blended diverse cultural elements through a fusion of rock, electronic, and Arabesque—a Turkish folk subgenre rooted primarily in working-class musical traditions. Critics responded favorably to this debut effort. Relative to his later output, the album evoked a calm preceding intensity. Shortly thereafter, he channeled his ideas into visual media and stage shows. Over subsequent years, performances spanned Turkey, and he earned recognition as Best Rock Male Singer at the Kral TV Music Awards, among the nation's premier music honors.

His follow-up, Tanisma Bitti (Introduction Is Over), emerged in 2007. The title itself foreshadowed the album's direction. It delivered greater weight and ferocity alongside atmospheric grandeur and epic scope, with orchestral preludes gracing nearly all tracks in alignment with its central "horror" motif. Tracks like "Yalniz Kalsin," "Bertaraf Et," and "Melekler," together with accompanying videos, elevated him to prominence within the Turkish rock arena. Additional live dates ensued post-release. Cepkin also composed for the horror film Araf and took on a role in the family movie Çocuk.