At just 14 years old, Müzeyyen Senar performed Ottoman classical music for Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the Turkish Republic. It was the first of many special performances by The Diva of the Republic and the beginning of a musical legacy spanning seven decades and ushering in a new era of Turkish classical music.

As a young girl, Senar listened to her mother’s renditions of poetry and readings from the Quran. By the age of 5, she developed a stutter, which affected her speech throughout her life. When she sang however,  she emphasized each syllable with clarity, developing a distinctive vocal style that was instantly recognizable.

Senar progressed rapidly from singing at weddings to regular appearances on radio By age 15, she was billed as the headliner at popular Istanbul music halls an studied with famous Turkish composers who helped to hone her special talent. She went on to make numerous recordings and play leading roles in films from the 1940s through the 1970s, ultimately portraying herself in the 1976 film Analar Ölmez.

A century after her birth, Today’s Doodle depicts Senar with mic in hand and highlights the singular relationship Senar cultivated with her audience—whether a single listener sitting by the radio at home or hundreds in a concert hall, she always made an intimate connection..

In 1988 she was awarded the prestigious State Artist Award, but turned it down. Nevertheless her legacy endures a century after her birth.

Iyi ki doğdun Müzeyyen Senar!