Musician Volkan Konak dies at 58
ISTANBUL
Volkan Konak, one of the leading figures of the Black Sea music, collapsed on stage during a concert in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, where he had come to perform for the Ramadan Bayram.
The Northern Cyprus Ministry of Health announced that Konak, who was taken to the hospital, could not be saved despite all medical efforts.
Famagusta State Hospital, where Konak was taken for treatment, stated that an ambulance was swiftly dispatched to the hotel where the concert was held after receiving emergency calls at 11:23 p.m. on March 31 night.
In a statement, the hospital said, "The artist was admitted to our hospital at 12:17 a.m. as 'Ex' and was immediately taken to the CPR room. There, an advanced life support team attempted resuscitation for 25 minutes. However, despite all medical interventions, there was no response. Konak was pronounced dead at 12:42 a.m. and CPR was terminated."
Following the autopsy, Konak’s body is expected to be flown to Türkiye.
Born in Trabzon, Konak, also known as "Kuzeyin Oğlu" (Son of the North), studied at Istanbul Technical University State Conservatory of Turkish Music.
With his second studio album, “Efulim,” released in 1993, he gained wider recognition. Over the years, he received awards from various institutions.
He composed songs using poems by renowned poets such as Nazım Hikmet, Yaşar Miraç and Sunay Akın.
Konak also conducted research on the Chernobyl disaster, which had a significant impact on the Black Sea region in April 1986. He composed “Cerrahpaşa,” written by his sister Nuran Bahçekapılı, in memory of his father, who died of cancer.
His 2009 album “Mimoza” also drew significant attention, featuring standout songs such as “Göklerde Kartal Gibiydim,” “Mimoza Çiçeği” and “Yarim Yarim.”
