Hande Yener live at the HMV Forum

CULTURE / MUSIC

After a three-year hiatus, Turkey’s Queen of Pop jets in for a concert in the capital on Friday 15 May. Dubbed Turkey’s Madonna, the singer-songwriter is regarded as a pioneer as much for her ever-changing image as for her genre-busting music.

She exploded on to the scene with a dance-infused debut release Senden İbaret in 1999, scoring a big hit with the first single Yalanın Batsın (Damn Your Lies). The former backing singer to Sezen Aksu has gone on to release ten more studio albums: Yener’s music is ever-present in Turkish clubs and she remains an icon for the country’s gay scene.

Her latest album Mükemmel (Wonderful) is a throwback to her Turkish-pop-meets-electronica roots. The album went straight to number 1 in the Turkish digital charts on the day of its release in June 2014. The double-CD contains 15 original tracks and a number of remixes, including hit singles Naber and Karar Ver. So pack your dancing shoes and head to Kentish Town for what is sure to be the most upbeat Turkish concert of the year. For tickets & info: theforumlondon.com