Tarkan Tevetoğlu, known by the stage name Tarkan, was born on 17 October 1972 in the town of Alzey, in the Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany. He is originally from Rize, Ikizdere. The fifth child in a family of six, Tarkan was named after a character from a Turkish comic novel his mother admired. In 1986, the artist returned to Türkiye with his family, settled in the Karamürsel district of Kocaeli, and began developing an interest in music. He received musical training at the Kocaeli Music Society during his high school years.

Tarkan launched his professional music career in 1992 with his debut album Yine Sensiz, released under the İstanbul Plak label. The album gained attention with tracks such as "Kıl Oldum Abi" and "Kimdi", bringing a fresh sound to Turkish pop music. His second album, Aacayipsin, released in 1994, marked a major breakthrough, achieving sales of 2.5 million copies in Türkiye and approximately 3.5 million worldwide.

The 1997 album Ölürüm Sana became a turning point in Tarkan’s career. The track "Şımarık" from this album charted in numerous countries, especially across Europe, and generated widespread acclaim. In 1998, an international version of the album featuring English and French versions of the songs was released. Thanks to this album, Tarkan reached a large audience across Europe, Asia, America, and Australia.

^{Cover art of Tarkan's albums 'Karma' and 'Ölürüm Sana'. (}Tarkan Official Website

The 2001 album Karma featured songs such as "Kuzu Kuzu", "Hüp", and "Taş", which remained at the top of music charts for extended periods. With this album, Tarkan evolved his musical style by blending pop, electronic, and oriental melodies.

The 2007 album Metamorfoz reflected the artist’s more experimental side, with a strong emphasis on electronic production. Although it received mixed reviews from critics, the album sold over 200,000 copies in Türkiye.

The 2010 album Adımı Kalbine Yaz received positive reviews from critics and achieved commercial success with over 355,000 copies sold. The track "Sevdanın Son Vuruşu" became one of the most streamed songs of the year on digital platforms.

In 2016, Tarkan released the album Ahde Vefa, featuring interpretations of Turkish classical music pieces, reaching a new audience through his distinctive renditions. In 2017, he returned to pop music with his studio album 10, which ranked among the best-selling albums in Türkiye.

Throughout his career, Tarkan has supported numerous artists and provided backing vocals on several projects. In the 1990s, he notably contributed backing vocals to Mirkelam’s song "Her Gece". He also wrote the lyrics and music for Yıldız Tilbe’s song "Havalım" and provided backing vocals on it. He performed backing vocals on Metin Arolat’s song "Elveda". In addition, Murat Boz, who provided vocals for Tarkan, later launched his own solo career and became a pop artist.

Throughout his career, Tarkan has received numerous music awards both in Türkiye and internationally. Since the 1990s, he has won awards such as "Best Male Pop Artist", "Song of the Year", and "Best Album" from institutions including Kral TV Video Music Awards, Altın Kelebek, and the Magazine Journalists Association. He was honored with awards for the songs "Şımarık" in 1998, "Kuzu Kuzu" in 2001, and "Sevdanın Son Vuruşu" in 2011. His albums Karma, Adımı Kalbine Yaz, and 10 have also achieved significant commercial success. According to MÜ-YAP data, Adımı Kalbine Yaz was among the best-selling albums of its release year. In the 2000s, Tarkan also achieved high streaming numbers on digital platforms, a success recognized by some award platforms.

Internationally, he won the "Best Selling Turkish Artist" award at the 1999 World Music Awards in Monaco. He has been honored with awards such as "Foreign Artist of the Year" and "Song of the Year" at Russian events including HIT FM and The Pud Awards, particularly for tracks like "Şımarık" and "Dudu", which charted in various countries.

Tarkan is not only a prominent figure in the music world but also an active advocate in social responsibility areas such as environment and animal rights. He is particularly known for his support of campaigns promoting animal welfare and environmental awareness.

Additionally, recognized as one of the most successful Turkish pop artists to gain international recognition, Tarkan has performed concerts abroad and had his music translated into many languages. Songs such as "Şımarık", "Şıkıdım", and "Kuzu Kuzu" attracted significant attention in Europe and Latin America, with some tracks being reinterpreted in other countries.

In 2016, Tarkan married his long-time partner Pınar Dilek. The couple welcomed a daughter, Liya, in 2018.