Ferdi Tayfur, a beloved figure of Turkish music, was laid to rest recently, but the somber occasion turned tumultuous as disputes within his family came to light. Tayfur, known for his contributions to the arabesque genre, passed away at the age of 79 following complications from liver and kidney failure. His death has sent shockwaves through the hearts of many fans and the music community.
The funeral took place at Barbaros Hayrettin Paşa Mosque after a commemorative service at the Atatürk Kültür Merkezi. Thousands attended to pay their last respects, but amid the grief, tensions boiled over as family disputes resurfaced. The situation escalated dramatically when Tayfur's daughter, Tuğçe Tayfur, approached her father's casket. Conflict erupted between her and her cousin, Şirin Gözalıcı, as accusations flew.
According to reports, the confrontation began when Gözalıcı shouted, “O gelmeyecekti buraya... Onun yüzünden öldü” (He shouldn’t have come here... He died because of her), indicating deep-seated resentment linked to past family grievances. Tuğçe responded with her own heated retorts. The verbal exchange quickly descended to heated insults, capturing the attention of attendees, prompting intervention from Necla Nazır, Tayfur's ex-wife and Tuğçe's mother.
Speaking to TV100 after the incident, Nazır expressed her frustrations, stating, “İçi çürümüş insanlarla nasıl uğraşayım” (How can I deal with rotten people). She elaborated on why their family had kept their distance from the hospital during Tayfur’s final days, highlighting the toxic atmosphere she believed pervaded the family relationships. Nazır's remarks shed light on the emotional pain and underlying tensions experienced by the family during this devastating time.
This turmoil at the funeral was not entirely unexpected, as the estrangement between Tayfur and Tuğçe had been widely reported prior to his passing. Nazır noted the sadness of seeing her daughter portrayed as estranged from her father. “Baba-kızı birbirine düşman haline getirdiler” (They made father and daughter enemies), she lamented, pointing to the role media narratives played in deepening family divides.
Adding to the emotional weight of the day, Ferdi Tayfur's eldest son, Timur Turanbayburt, reportedly fainted due to the stress of the day. His collapse served as yet another reminder of the family’s emotional strain. Despite the chaos, many fans and supporters gathered outside the mosque to pay homage to the late artist, underscoring Tayfur's significant impact on Turkish music.
It is heartbreaking to witness the breakdown of family bonds at such a pivotal moment. During the funeral, the cries of Tuğçe Tayfur echoed both her loss and the pain of familial separation. Only one day before the funeral, she had tearfully expressed her feelings of abandonment and solitude, stating, “Ayırdınız beni babamdan, yapayalnız kaldım burada babam” (You separated me from my father; I am left alone here with my father). Her anguish highlighted the depth of their relationship and the ruinous impact of their prolonged conflicts.
The altercation cast a shadow over what should have been a space for remembrance and mourning. Tayfur’s fans, who had come to celebrate his life and artistry, were instead spectators to familial discord. Necla Nazır, after witnessing the events, reiterated her position: “Cenazede bunu yaptılar, hastaneye nasıl gidelim?” (They did this at the funeral; how could we go to the hospital?). Her indignation reflects not just personal grievance but sorrow for the loss of familial unity during what is traditionally one of the most sacred of moments.
The aftermath of the funeral left many wondering about the unresolved issues within the Tayfur family and the lasting legacy of their time with Ferdi Tayfur. To his fans, he will always remain the prince of arabesque; for his family, the complexity of their relationships will linger, marked by both love and conflict. The darkness of their grief intermingled with the painful legacy of lost ties serves as a poignant reminder of the struggles families often endure, even against the backdrop of loss.
Despite the controversy, Ferdi Tayfur's contributions to Turkish music are undeniable, reverberated through the voices and hearts of those who loved him. His and his family's struggles will not be forgotten, enhancing the narrative of his life with human depth and complexity, garnering him not just respect as an artist but as a man deeply intertwined with the emotional fabric of his family.