Buket Bengisu & Group Safir

Buket Bengisu & Safir (sometimes spelled Saffir) was a short-lived Turkish pop act consisting of singer Buket Bengisu and the vocal group Safir. They are best known for representing Turkey in the Eurovision Song Contest 2002 with the bilingual song “Leylaklar Soldu Kalbinde”. Buket Bengisu & Safir finished in 16th place out of 24 entries.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Buket Bengisu was born in 1978 in Istanbul into a musical family. Her father played bass guitar, and she grew up in an environment that nurtured her love of music from an early age. As a child she learned to play the guitar and piano, and she took singing lessons to develop her vocal talent. Buket pursued formal music education after high school: in 1996, she enrolled at the Istanbul University State Conservatory to study opera and choral singing, graduating in 2000. She then continued in the conservatory’s musical theatre program and earned a degree in musical singing by 2003. During her studies, Bengisu also spent five years acting in children’s musical productions with the Turkish Children’s Theater.

Eurovision Song Contest 2002

In early 2002, Buket Bengisu teamed up with four other singers: Eser Alioğlu, Dilek Aba, Sitare Bilge, and Gülnur Gökçe, as the group Safir. Together, Buket Bengisu & Safir entered the Turkish national selection for Eurovision with the pop ballad “Leylaklar Soldu Kalbinde.” They won, beating out other contestants and earning the right to represent their country at Eurovision. At the Eurovision Song Contest 2002 in Tallinn, the act delivered an energetic performance that blended Turkish and English lyrics. Their effort culminated in a 16th-place finish with 29 points in the final ranking. 

After Eurovision and Group Safir

Following Eurovision 2002, Group Safir’s activity was short-lived. The members went their separate ways, and the group did not continue as a permanent band. Notably, Safir member Gülnur Gökçe went on to join the Turkish pop/R&B quartet 4 Yüz in 2007, achieving a number of hits with that band later in the decade. Meanwhile, Buket Bengisu focused on building her own career in music and performance. She remained active on stage, singing at concerts and taking part in musical theater projects in Turkey. Buket also stayed connected to the Eurovision community; for example, she appeared at fan events and special Eurovision concerts abroad in the years after her contest appearance. 

Solo Career and Highlights

By the 2010s, Buket Bengisu had developed a multifaceted career. In 2011, she gained international recognition by winning several awards at music festivals abroad. She earned a Special Jury Prize at the Golden Voice Moldova competition and took home multiple honors (including “Most Promising Performer” and a Best Song award) at the Discovery International Pop Music Festival in Varna, Bulgaria. That same year, Buket and her musician friends organized a concert event called “Dünden Bugüne Eurovision” (“From Yesterday to Today: Eurovision”). The concert featured Eurovision songs. Around this time, Bengisu also ventured into television; she hosted a culture and arts program on Expo Channel and even organized a themed event known as the “Sevilen Film Müzikleri Festivali” (“Beloved Film Music Festival”), celebrating famous movie soundtracks. 

Recent Work and Musical Style

In recent years, Buket Bengisu has continued to evolve as an artist. She is known primarily as a pop singer, but she has also embraced jazz influences in her performances. Buket often collaborates on stage with her husband, musician Doğan Kospançalı, performing jazz standards and pop classics; for instance, the duo gave a special jazz concert at the Bodrum Jazz Festival in 2020. After a hiatus from recording, Buket made a return to releasing music towards the end of the 2010s. She has released a string of new singles showcasing her vocal range and contemporary style. These include “Drama Köprüsü” and “Asla Asla” in 2019, the emotional ballad “Yalan” in 2022, and two 2023 singles: “Kırık Ayna” and “Sen Çıkınca Karşıma”. Through these songs, Bengisu reestablished herself in the Turkish music scene. Today, Buket Bengisu remains active as a singer and performer, frequently appearing at live events and on television.