Kutlu Özmakinacı, born in 1966 in İzmir, started his law education at Istanbul University in the 1980s. During his university years, he began playing the electric guitar and started his first musical endeavors with amateur university bands. After graduating, Özmakinacı played in various bars in Istanbul from 1986 to 1988. In 1988, he took a break from music to start a career in journalism with Sokak magazine in 1989. During his journalism career, Özmakinacı met members of the disbanded Turkish rock band Aqua. In 1991, he restarted his music career with these members, marking his first significant foray into the music industry.
In 1997, after leaving Aqua members in 1995 and spending two years searching for a new group, Özmakinacı formed the band Filinta. This band is considered an early version of Yüksek Sadakat. However, the songs from this period are largely inaccessible, with some later released under Yüksek Sadakat.
Following the disbandment of Filinta, Özmakinacı continued his pursuit of music. He began songwriting with Mutlu Çağlayan and reconnected with former Filinta members Uğur Onakut and Deniz Alemdar in 2003. Serkan Özgen, a veteran of the 1990s band Bulutsuzluk Özlemi, joined the group in 2003. In 2004, Özmakinacı officially formed Yüksek Sadakat. The band’s name translates to “High Fidelity.”
The band’s debut album, “Yüksek Sadakat,” was released in January 2005. It featured Sufi-inspired lyrics and themes of love and spirituality. The band received significant attention for their music videos and won the 33rd Golden Butterfly Award for “Best Newcomer” alongside Grup Seksendört.
After the success of their first album, the band faced member changes. Vocalist Cemil Demirbakan and drummer Deniz Alemdar left and were replaced by Kenan Vural and Alpay Şalt. Their second album, “Katil & Maktûl,” released in March 2008, continued to explore themes of love and Sufism.
Yüksek Sadakat represented Turkey at the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Live It Up.” They did not advance to the finals, marking a significant moment in the band’s history.
The “Renk Körü” album, released during this period, marked a significant evolution in the band’s style, featuring themes and sounds distinct from their previous albums.
More lineup changes occurred in 2013, with the departure of Kenan Vural and Alpay Şalt. They were replaced by Selçuk Sami Cingi and former drummer Deniz Alemdar. The album “IV” represented another evolution in their music style, with a distinctly different sound from their previous albums.
The band planned a new album in 2020, delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The album “Rengarenk” was announced for release on September 24, 2021.
Throughout their career, Yüksek Sadakat has been known for their frequent changes in vocalists and drummers, and their music has evolved significantly over the years, reflecting changes in lineup and artistic direction.
