Reflecting on man in the mirror
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by Çetin Cem Yilmaz
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Haziran 27, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - News of the death of Michael Jackson, the self-proclaimed "King of Pop," caused shock and sadness in Turkey, where fans voiced their grief online and arranged a mourning parade in Istanbul’s Eminönü district. MJTurkFan, a Web-based group for diehard Turkish Jackson fans, was home to many condolence messages.
"You left me, Michael - my mother, my father, my friend, my everything. What can I do now?" asked one member. Another expressed some happiness that Jackson had been "saved from inhumane creatures" who did not "give him any relief during his life."
The latter fan referred, obviously, to the scandals and speculations that had surrounded the singer, led by allegations of child abuse. In the face of all that - and the fact that Jackson’s career had been a downslide for the past decade, with the once-popular performer releasing his last studio record, the unimportant "Invincible," in 2002 Ğ the dedication of his fans is all the more amazing.
The hype was even more frenzied during Jackson’s heyday. In 1991, the Turkish television channel Star interrupted its regular broadcast to play his new single "Black or White" as breaking news. Turkey’s affection for Jackson could also be seen on Oct. 4, 1992.
Though illness led him to cancel his planned Istanbul concert for the date at the last minute, Jackson was reportedly impressed with fans’ following him from the airport to his hotel.
"There was a torrent of fans, and that was the reason why he came back," concert organizer Ahmet San said. Jackson vowed to come back, a promise he kept the following year, playing a concert at İnönü Stadium in front of 51,500 fans, San said, a country record to date.
It was a day to remember for Turkey, but him giving a sold-out concert "was usual [anywhere] in the world," San said. "I see him as the second-biggest phenomenon after the Beatles; I rate him before Elvis. He was not just a singer, but a star taking people to dreamland."
Çağlan Tekil, the editor of the Turkish music magazine Blue Jean, agrees, saying that Jackson was actually "the king and the biggest talent of the pop world." Tekil believes that Jackson’s "inapproachability" factor was the reason why people could not stop being fans.
Longtime fan Şener Çetin sees the greatness of Turkey’s love for Jackson in the conceptual "Back to the ’80s" parties. "When I put a Michael record on, the atmosphere changes immediately," said the DJ. "Even the calmest participants get on their feet."
Blue Jean writer Doğu Yücel believes the case is sociological. "He was not just a pop icon, he was a symbol of the Western culture," says Yücel. "In Eastern countries, listening to him was a way to ’go West.’"
Only hours after Jackson’s death, his records occupied the top 15 slots on online retailer Amazon.com's best-selling list. Nalan Demircioğlu, the manager of corporate communications for top Turkish music-shop chain D&R expected that demand would be similar in Turkey.
"We informed every branch to make the arrangements [to put his records up front]," said Demircioğlu. "The demand always goes very high in situations like this, speaking from previous experience."
Jackson was seeking to get back on top of the pop world again, planning a 10-concert marathon in London and talking about a possible world tour.
Though Jackson never made it back to Istanbul, as San says he might have on such a tour, the loss of the chance to see their idol again will probably not keep Turkish fans from loving him endlessly.
The latter fan referred, obviously, to the scandals and speculations that had surrounded the singer, led by allegations of child abuse. In the face of all that - and the fact that Jackson’s career had been a downslide for the past decade, with the once-popular performer releasing his last studio record, the unimportant "Invincible," in 2002 Ğ the dedication of his fans is all the more amazing.
The hype was even more frenzied during Jackson’s heyday. In 1991, the Turkish television channel Star interrupted its regular broadcast to play his new single "Black or White" as breaking news. Turkey’s affection for Jackson could also be seen on Oct. 4, 1992.
Though illness led him to cancel his planned Istanbul concert for the date at the last minute, Jackson was reportedly impressed with fans’ following him from the airport to his hotel.
"There was a torrent of fans, and that was the reason why he came back," concert organizer Ahmet San said. Jackson vowed to come back, a promise he kept the following year, playing a concert at İnönü Stadium in front of 51,500 fans, San said, a country record to date.
It was a day to remember for Turkey, but him giving a sold-out concert "was usual [anywhere] in the world," San said. "I see him as the second-biggest phenomenon after the Beatles; I rate him before Elvis. He was not just a singer, but a star taking people to dreamland."
Çağlan Tekil, the editor of the Turkish music magazine Blue Jean, agrees, saying that Jackson was actually "the king and the biggest talent of the pop world." Tekil believes that Jackson’s "inapproachability" factor was the reason why people could not stop being fans.
Longtime fan Şener Çetin sees the greatness of Turkey’s love for Jackson in the conceptual "Back to the ’80s" parties. "When I put a Michael record on, the atmosphere changes immediately," said the DJ. "Even the calmest participants get on their feet."
Blue Jean writer Doğu Yücel believes the case is sociological. "He was not just a pop icon, he was a symbol of the Western culture," says Yücel. "In Eastern countries, listening to him was a way to ’go West.’"
Only hours after Jackson’s death, his records occupied the top 15 slots on online retailer Amazon.com's best-selling list. Nalan Demircioğlu, the manager of corporate communications for top Turkish music-shop chain D&R expected that demand would be similar in Turkey.
"We informed every branch to make the arrangements [to put his records up front]," said Demircioğlu. "The demand always goes very high in situations like this, speaking from previous experience."
Jackson was seeking to get back on top of the pop world again, planning a 10-concert marathon in London and talking about a possible world tour.
Though Jackson never made it back to Istanbul, as San says he might have on such a tour, the loss of the chance to see their idol again will probably not keep Turkish fans from loving him endlessly.