Yeni Türkü (read Turkish version here | listen to music samples)
Yeni Türkü: Music's Authentic Folk Song
Yeni Türkü is one of the rare ensembles whose traces in Turkey's musical memory are woven not just with chords, but with poetry and cultural memory. This lineup, shaped in the cold stone streets of Ankara towards the end of the 70s, managed to create a distinct voice by walking the fine line between Turkish Folk Music and Original Music. Beyond being just a music ensemble, the group has served as a kind of art laboratory intersecting in composing the words of names such as Murathan Mungan, Can Yücel, and Necati Cumali.
Yeni Türkü's journey is also closely related to the political and social fracture moments of Turkey. Although their first album "Buğdayın Türküsü" was censored during the September 12 period and its distribution was halted, it has become a turning point showing the group's resistance and that art cannot be banned. Recognized nationwide with the album "Akdeniz Akdeniz" published in 1983, the group has settled in the hearts of listeners across generations with songs like "Telli Telli", "Bana Bir Masal Anlat Baba" and "Vira Vira".
Inspired by world music movements of South American origin and with an approach that reinterprets folk songs, Yeni Türkü has built a strong bridge between the local and the universal. Under the leadership of Derya Köroğlu, the only name present in the lineup since its founding, the ensemble has released nearly 20 albums, and has also proven the effect of music in different disciplines with its works given to the cinema world (including Golden Orange and Cinema Writers Association awards). Yeni Türkü, which continues its existence with active concerts in the 2025-2026 period, maintains its place in music history as the original and transformative face of Turkish music with its repertoire ranging from "Aşk Yeniden" to "Yeşilmişik".
Biography
Born in Ankara's cultural fabric in 1977 or according to some sources 1978, Yeni Türkü has taken its place among the ensembles that have left an original line in Turkish music. Founded by Derya Köroğlu, Selim Atakan and Zerrin Yaşar, the group set out with a mission to combine poetry and composition by taking its name from poet Yaşar Miraç's magazine. This new approach, blending Turkish Folk Music, Original Music and World Music genres, first manifested itself in the album "Buğdayın Türküsü" published in 1979. However, this debut is remembered with a censorship encountered in the period after the September 12, 1980 coup; the album's distribution was halted and it was banned.
The group's recognition process across Turkey gained momentum with the album "Akdeniz Akdeniz" released in 1983. Following this album, works such as "Günebakan", "Dünyanın Kapıları" and "Yeşilmişik" have taken their important place in the group's discography throughout the 80s. With songs composed of lyrics by poets like Murathan Mungan, Can Yücel and Necati Cumali, the group evolved from being just a music ensemble into becoming a cultural narrator. Titles such as "Telli Telli", "Bana Bir Masal Anlat Baba" and "Vira Vira" are counted among the group's songs engraved in memory.
Yeni Türkü has also contributed to the cinema world with its music and attracted the attention of award lovers thanks to the music of the films "Deli Kan" (1982) and "Derman" (1983). In addition to the Cinema Writers Association Best Film Music award, it was deemed worthy of the 1983 Golden Orange Best Music Award. Continuing their career with albums "Vira Vira" (1990) and "Aşk Yeniden" (1992) in the 90s, the group also included the 1989 Golden Butterfly "Favorite Group of the Year" award in its portfolio.
Although there are some inconsistencies between sources regarding lineup changes and continuity, it is certain that Derya Köroğlu is the only member present in the lineup since its founding. There is information that founder Selim Atakan is a medical doctor, and Zerrin Atakan works as a psychiatrist in England. Records indicating 1981 in some sources and 1988 in others regarding Zerrin Atakan's departure date from the group offer different perspectives for this period in the group's history. After the dissolution process experienced in 1997, the group continued its path under the leadership of Derya Köroğlu and resumed studio work with the album "Şimdi Ve Sonra" in 2012. Continuing with concerts in the 2025-2026 period as well, it maintains its place in musical life for over 40 years.
Style
Yeni Türkü has followed an original path intersecting Turkish Folk Music, Original Music and World Music genres on the Turkish music scene. The group has developed a style that appeals to both local memory and the universal musical language by mixing Anatolia's traditional sounds with modern chords. Especially with their approaches based on the reinterpretation of folk songs and influenced by a South American music movement, they have not only sung their repertoire but also rebuilt the spirit of those songs in a contemporary language.
The most distinctive feature of their musical identity is the way they bring poetry and composition together. Composing the lyrics of prominent poets of the era like Murathan Mungan, Can Yücel and Necati Cumali has turned their music from merely being "songs" into literary texts. This collaboration creates a lyrical world where themes such as love, life, storytelling and cultural memory come to the forefront in the listener's mind. While pieces like "Bana Bir Masal Anlat Baba" or "Telli Telli" constitute the strongest examples of this deep lyric music tradition; works like "Vira Vira" or "Aşk Yeniden" reflect the band's tone evolution in different periods.
The limitation of sources regarding vocal approach and performance style prevents going into specific technical details of individual members, but the group's holistic sound and attitude can be clearly felt. Under the leadership of Derya Köroğlu who has been in the lineup since its founding, the voice arrangement and interpretation processes reflect the group's collective memory and musical discipline. This style, recognized nationwide with the 1983 release "Akdeniz Akdeniz" album, also found its place in the film music category in later periods (Super Baba, Deli Kan etc.) and produced works carrying the Yeni Türkü signature at the intersection of cinema and music. As a result, Yeni Türkü's musical stance draws a portrait of originality that does not dissolve in time, taking its roots from Anatolia and extending its branches to literature and universal rhythms.
Songs
In accordance with the information contained in existing sources, Yeni Türkü's musical heritage is shaped by compositions surpassing the boundaries of Turkish Folk Music and Original Music. The group is known for its collaborations formed by composing the lyrics of poets such as Murathan Mungan, Can Yücel and Necati Cumali. Among the most known works listed in the sources as "Representative Songs" in the group's repertoire include the tracks "Telli Telli", "Vira Vira", "Bana Bir Masal Anlat Baba", "Sezenler Olmuş", "Olmasa Mektubun", "Aşk Yeniden", "Maskeli Balo", "Yedikule" and "Böyled Gitmez".
These works generally possess a thematic depth that often matches the album titles. The album "Vira Vira" published in 1990 and the 1992 dated album "Aşk Yeniden" indicate important working periods containing these song titles. Although the 1979 release album "Buğdayın Türküsü" was released in the early days of the group's career, the distribution of these recordings was banned in the period after September 12. The 1983 release album "Akdeniz Akdeniz" was influential in the group's recognition across Turkey.
As stated in the sources, the group has also produced notable works in the cinema music field. While it won the Cinema Writers Association award with the film music of "Deli Kan" (1982), the film music of "Derman" (1983) and "Süper Baba" (1995) are also included in the filmography. The album "Şimdi Ve Sonra" published in 2012 is recorded among the group's subsequent musical works. Although there are inconsistencies regarding founding years and member names in the obtained data, the specified song titles and album names constitute the concrete reference points in the group's discography.
Context
Yeni Türkü is known as a cultural innovative ensemble founded in Ankara at the end of the 1970s, one of the transformative periods of Turkish music history, pushing the boundaries of original music and Turkish folk music. The group, brought to life between 1977 or 1978 by Derya Köroğlu, Selim Atakan and Zerrin Yaşar, takes its name from poet Yaşar Miraç's magazine. This early period shows that the group progressed with an effort that shaped not only their musical preferences but also the political atmosphere of Turkey at that time.
The first major turning point in the group's career was the album "Buğdayın Türküsü" they released in 1979. The banning of this first work and halting of its distribution after the September 12, 1980 coup associated the group's historical position with a story of resistance and persistence. However, the album "Akdeniz Akdeniz" published in 1983 became the turning point where music met the masses and turned Yeni Türkü into a name recognized across Turkey since the early 1980s. The group developed a unique style blending Turkish Folk Music, Original Music and World Music genres by following a parallel path with South American origin music movements based on the reinterpretation of folk melodies.
One of the most distinctive features of its musical identity is its strong connection with poetry. They are in intensive cooperation in composing the lyrics of poets such as Murathan Mungan, Can Yücel, Necati Cumali and Yaşar Miraç. This cooperation has given life to songs that are engraved in memories with titles such as "Telli Telli", "Vira Vira", "Bana Bir Masal Anlat Baba" and "Aşk Yeniden". The group's influence on the cinema world has also been significantly recorded; with the music they used in productions like "Deli Kan", "Derman" and "Süper Baba", they have become owners of prestigious awards such as Cinema Writers Association and Golden Orange.
Although changes in the group lineup were experienced during its long career and dissolution processes were experienced in some periods, Derya Köroğlu has ensured the continuity of the group as the only member present since its founding. The group, which witnessed different periods with albums like "Aşk Yeniden" in the 1990s and "Şimdi Ve Sonra" in 2012, continues its existence with concerts in the 2025-2026 period as well. Although there are inconsistencies in sources specifying the founding year as 1977 or 1978, and regarding some member names (e.g. Tuncer Tercan/Tezcan) and departure dates (1981 or 1988 for Zerrin Atakan), Yeni Türkü's established position as one of the pioneering names of the original music movement in Turkish music and its effect left on cultural memory is certain.
Legacy
In the social memory of Turkish music, Yeni Türkü holds its place not just as a sound ensemble, but as an echo reflecting the cultural climate of the period in music. The founding story dated back to 1977 or 1978 was shaped in the intellectual fabric of Ankara under the leadership of Derya Köroğlu, Selim Atakan and Zerrin Yaşar. The group's first album "Buğdayın Türküsü", being among the works banned for distribution after the September 12 coup, has become an important memory piece regarding the censorship periods of Turkish music history. After this difficult process, the album "Akdeniz Akdeniz" published in 1983 was the turning point that ensured the group's recognition nationwide and confirmed their place as one of the rising voices of the original music movement.
Yeni Türkü's musical heritage has deepened with the organic relationship between lyrics and composition. Intensive collaborations in composing the lyrics of poets like Murathan Mungan, Can Yücel and Necati Cumali have created a language that blends the Turkish folk music tradition with modern chords and world music interactions. Tracks like "Vira Vira", "Aşk Yeniden", "Telli Telli" and "Bana Bir Masal Anlat Baba" have entered the list of songs passed between generations and formed the hit list embedded in the group's cultural codes. By winning prestigious awards such as Cinema Writers Association and Golden Orange in the field of film music, they also left an important mark at the intersection of visual arts and sound.
Despite lineup changes, the fact that Derya Köroğlu is the only member present since founding has allowed the group to preserve its aesthetic continuity. Despite the dissolution process experienced in the late 1990s, the group continued its musical journey with the album "Şimdi Ve Sonra" in 2012 and continues its existence with concerts in the 2025-2026 period as well. Their careers, which include Golden Butterfly and Kral Music awards, have made them a valuable musical archive for both popular audiences and collectors. Although the specifying of the founding year as 1977 or 1978 differently in sources or uncertainties regarding the exact dates of some lineup changes remain as research notes regarding the group's history, Yeni Türkü is mentioned as an indispensable element of modern Turkish music with its established place in Turkish music culture and works known by wide masses.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Yeni Türkü founded and how did lineup changes progress? In the sources, the founding year is specified differently as 1977 or 1978. The group was founded by Derya Köroğlu, Selim Atakan and Zerrin Yaşar; however, in some records Zerrin Yaşar's name appears as Atakan. Although there is a dissolution process experienced in 1997 in the group's history, Derya Köroğlu is the only member present in the lineup since its founding. There are inconsistencies regarding the year of Zerrin Atakan's departure in sources, being 1981 or 1988.
What is known about the group's first release album and censorship process? The group's first album is "Buğdayın Türküsü" published in 1979. However, in the period after the September 12, 1980 coup, the distribution of this album was halted and it was banned. This situation has gone down in history as a turning point showing the group's resistance and that art cannot be banned.
How is Yeni Türkü's musical style and literary collaborations defined? The group has followed an original path blending Turkish Folk Music, Original Music and World Music genres, also inspired by music movements of South American origin. By composing the lyrics of poets such as Murathan Mungan, Can Yücel, Necati Cumali and Yaşar Miraç, they have evolved from being just a music ensemble into becoming a cultural narrator.
What are the most known song titles in the repertoire? Among the titles engraved in the group's memory are the tracks "Telli Telli", "Vira Vira", "Bana Bir Masal Anlat Baba", "Sezenler Olmuş", "Olmasa Mektubun", "Aşk Yeniden", "Maskeli Balo", "Yedikule" and "Böyled Gitmez". Especially the 1990 dated "Vira Vira" and 1992 dated "Aşk Yeniden" albums indicate important working periods containing these works.
How did the group contribute to the cinema world and which awards did they win? The group was deemed worthy of the Cinema Writers Association Best Film Music award with the music it used in films like "Deli Kan" (1982), "Derman" (1983) and "Süper Baba". It also won the 1983 Golden Orange Best Music Award and the 1989 Golden Butterfly "Favorite Group of the Year" award. It continues to maintain its place in musical life with concerts in the 2025-2026 period as well.