Sabahat Akkiraz
Sabahat Akkiray, better known as Sabahat Akkiraz, is a Turkish folk singer and former politician, who was a Member of Parliament for Istanbul between 2011 and 2015 from the Republican People's Party.
Biography
Music career
Born to a music-orientated family in Kangal, Sivas, Akkiraz and her family moved to Germany during her childhood. After returning to Turkey, she released her first professional album, Şafak Söktü, in 1983. Since then, she has worked with several other artists such as Arif Sağ, Musa Eroğlu, Muhlis Akarsu, Aşık Daimi, Feyzullah Çınar and Davut Sulari. Known internationally for her contribution to Turkish folk music, she has given concerts around the world and has worked with singers from different countries to help with their albums. Akkiraz has worked with London-based world jazz group Grand Union Orchestra, releasing an album, Echoes From Anatolia, and performing in their show Where The Rivers Meet at Sadler's Wells Theatre.Political career
In the 2011 general election in Turkey, Akkiraz was elected as an MP from İstanbul's 3rd electoral district from the opposition CHP. Following the Soma mine disaster in 2014, Akkiraz announced her resignation from Parliament for the June 2015 general election, stating that having a parliamentary seat did not give her the ability to change the direction of the country. She proposed the joint resignation of all CHP MPs from Parliament as a protest against the governing Justice and Development Party and the then-Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.Discography
Gül Yüzlü Sevdiğim Şafak Söktü İnsana Muhabet Duyalı Bir Gerçeğe Bel Bağladım Boş Yere Kavgayı Zahmet Biliriz Fazilet Deli Gönül - Bu Sene Bendeki Yaralar Yalan Dünya Dostların Anısına Dağlar Kardeşimi Geri Verin Yiğit İnsanların Türküleri Türkülerle Gide Gide Yüreğimin Sesi Deli Derviş Chante Alevite/ Alawite Singing - Long Distance Lamekan Konserler Kaygusuz Seyran Külliyat Türkü Hayattır Birlikte Türküler Söylüyoruz Dillerdeki Türküler Yine mi Figan Var Dostların Anısına... Seçmeler- ''Turap''