Draft:Orhan Seyfi Çelik

Orhan Seyfi Çelik, (born 14 November 1964) known as Turkish Delight, is a Turkish musician, composer and producer. „I’m growing up in a musically family. We were listening to Refik Başaran, Çekiç Ali, Muharrem Ertaş and Mahzuni Şerif. My background is from Cappadocia,from small villages, Dalakçı and Gümüşkümbet, in Kırşehir. My family moved to Ankara in 1960.

I had my first instrument a Triola in the age of five and was influenced by the Turkish radio in Ankara, where speakers were reading poets and listening to the music of Münir Nurettin Selçuk and others. I remember very well the first time when I’ve heard a song from Selda on the radio, who is the Joan Baez of Turkey. Yes, these days when every kid had a short haircut. The song „Tepe Koşusu“ is a song about when we were kids and were running to catch the small lorries who were driving up to the hill.

As early influences, I remember when I sang „Çarşambayı Sel Aldı“ everyday. Later I was listening to my older brothers records collection Kupa Dörtlüsü, Cem Karaca, Barış Manço and Moğollar. The impact was also coming from Erkin Koray, but also from Okay Temiz. The whole collection from late sixties to early seventies.

When we moved to Germany 1971 I heard the first time the Beatles „She loves you“ this was catching somehow. Later, I was touched with punk and new wave in 1978.

I composed ten songs in the age of 14 and was singing and giving concerts at the school. The song Cascade is composed in 1978 and released in 2020. This song is from that time. I played also in one of the first Turkish Orchsters in 1978, in Germany, where I was playing guitar for eight ours at the weekend. All the classics Turkish pop, and waltz, tango and fasil. For six years.

I made many tapes since then, but there was no label for this kind of music untill in 1987 the Amigo Label released the first release.

I really can not say what is inspiring me. It’s not only, who have you listened to. It’s also what did you eat or drink today, who do you saw, what did you dream, who did you meet and so on. Everything is inspiring.“ - Orhan Seyfi Çelik

Discography Albums • Turkish Delight (1987) • Nikriz Sirto (2020) • Senden Başka (2020) • Fener (2020) • Kardan Adam (2021) • Prophecy (2022) • Singles • Rivane Şadivi (1988) • Saburié (1989) • Cascade (2020) • Velvele (2021) • Capricorn (2022) • Kelebek (2024)