Istanbul, Turkey

January 11, 1970

Mustafa Sandal is one of Turkey's most successful pop singers. Combining exciting Turkish rhythms with Barry Manalow-esque string arrangements and soft-spoken, silken vocals, Sandal has sold more than three millions copies of his albums in his homeland. His 2000 album, Araba, released by Sony International, introduced his music to the international stage. Sandal has worked with such traditional Middle Eastern musicians as Onno Tunc, Seluk Basar, and Garo Meyer and has written songs for Zerin Ozer and Peter and Yonca Evcimak. ~ Craig Harris