Yaşar Özel (1934, Diyarbakır – 16 April 2019, Istanbul) was a vocal artist active in the field of Turkish art music. Throughout his artistic career he was active in radio concerts and recording projects and became a prominent figure among Turkish art music performers from the late 1950s onward^【1】.

Yaşar Özel was born in the Ergani district of Diyarbakır and completed his primary, secondary and high school education there.

During his youth, Özel received training in fine arts and theater and developed a multifaceted artistic inclination that extended beyond music. He also engaged in sports, achieving national-level results in athletics and winning several first-place titles^【2】.

In 1952 he began working as a painter at the 9th Regional Directorate of Highways, Department of Studies and Projects.

^{A General View of Yaşar Özel (}Anadolu Ajansı⁾

Yaşar Özel’s music career began in the mid-1950s. While serving his military duty in Erzurum in 1957, he reached the finals of two separate music competitions and began to be known as the “King of Voice” that same year^【3】.

In 1959 he passed an examination and began his career as a vocal artist at Ankara Radio^【4】.

Yaşar Özel worked at Ankara Radio for approximately three years, regularly performing works from the Turkish art music repertoire.

His first concert in Ankara in 1962 is regarded as the beginning of his stage career^【5】.

In 1970, his transfer from Ankara Radio to Istanbul Radio marked a new phase in his career. After settling in Istanbul, he focused primarily on album recordings^【6】.

The works he produced during this period laid the foundation for a distinctive interpretive style within Turkish art music, characterized by unique vocal timbre and performance techniques^【7】.

The artist retired from Istanbul Radio in 1980, after which he settled in Antalya and took a break from musical activities until 1990.

After 1990, Özel returned to musical activities and resumed his concert and stage performances.

Yaşar Özel interpreted numerous works from different periods of the Turkish art music repertoire and established his place within this musical tradition through his performances.

His repertoire includes the following pieces:

• Kalbimin Sahibi Sensin
• Bu Son Şarkımda Sen Varsın
• Sen Gözlerimde Bir Renk
• Avuçlarımda Hala Sıcaklığın Var
• Aşkımın İlkbaharı
• Bir Sevgi İstiyorum
• Gözlerimden Tanırsın

The artist signed approximately 300 album recordings, presenting a broad repertoire to audiences through these recordings^【8】.

The artist performed concerts in countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Germany^【9】.

Yaşar Özel’s discography encompasses numerous albums and recordings based on the Turkish art music repertoire.

This body of work, which includes nearly 300 album recordings, is the result of a musical career spanning many decades.

The discography is not limited to a fixed list of albums but represents a comprehensive collection of recordings released across different periods.

From 2010 onward, Yaşar Özel served as the conductor of the “Yaşar Özel Turkish Art Music Ensemble,” active under the Caddebostan Volunteer Center affiliated with Kadıköy Municipality^【10】.

The artist also performed concerts under the auspices of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Culture Inc. and continued his stage activities^【11】.

In 2017 he celebrated the 60th anniversary of his musical career with special events on stage^【12】.

Yaşar Özel was married and had two children, one daughter and one son.

Outside his artistic career, he was interested in sports and various other fields of art; particularly during his youth he engaged in athletics^【13】.

Yaşar Özel passed away in Istanbul on 16 April 2019 due to ongoing health problems^【14】. His funeral prayer was held at Emirgan Camii and he was buried at Ayazağa Cemetery^【15】.

Yaşar Özel’s artistic career began and developed during a period when radio-centered music production was dominant in Türkiye. His activities at Ankara and Istanbul radio stations were decisive in shaping his position within the tradition of Turkish art music performance.

His decades-long recording and concert activities enabled his repertoire to be performed in diverse settings, demonstrating the continuity of his musical output.