The daughter of a diplomat, Afşar was born in the Italian city of Bari in 1936. After graduating from the piano department of the prestigious Ankara State Conservatory, Afşar was soon recognized as an extraordinary talent, both vocally and musically, and was appointed to the Turkish State Theater as a pianist. In the meantime the young and charismatic Afşar’s acting talent caught the eye of the then general director of the Turkish State Theater, Muhsin Ertuğrul, who encouraged her to try her hand at acting. Afşar began a successful 12-year career as a stage actor, which saw her gain widespread recognition both within Turkey and beyond. A lover of travel, Afşar’s work outside the country included performances and concerts at festivals and state occasions in Russia, Italy, France, Belgium, the Far East and even Australia.

For many, however, it was Afşar’s singing which really left a lasting mark. A charming performer renowned for her unique voice and singing style, Afşar’s 12 albums, released between 1991 and 2002, followed a long string of hit singles. Hailed as a pioneer of modern folk music in Turkey, Afşar’s frequent visits to other countries and her warm and personable manner led to her being nicknamed “the diplomatic singer.” Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.