Kazım Koyuncu, one of the most distinctive voices of Black Sea music and a musician, songwriter and activist, is being remembered on the 21st anniversary of his death.
Although his official birth date was recorded as May 10, 1972, because he was registered late, Koyuncu was born on Nov. 7, 1971, in Yeşilköy, a village in the Hopa district of northeastern Artvin province. He was the fifth of six children born to Cavit and Hüsniye Koyuncu.
Growing up listening to stories told by his grandmother, Koyuncu was introduced to Black Sea music at an early age through the folk songs of Yaşar Turna, widely known as “Kemençeci Yaşar.”
Reflecting on his childhood, Koyuncu once said he had been different from other children because of his father, who was an avid reader. “I became different from other children because of my father, who read books,” he said, describing his father’s influence on him.
Koyuncu began playing music in middle school with a mandolin his father bought for him. In 1989, he left his village for Istanbul, where he enrolled in the Department of Public Administration at Istanbul University.
During his university years, he increasingly focused on music. In 1992, he co-founded the band Dinmeyen with Ali Enver, marking the beginning of his professional music career.
Koyuncu later dropped out of university to devote himself entirely to music. He composed music for theater productions for a period and gradually developed his own sound by blending Black Sea music with rock.
He continued his musical work with Zuğaşi Berepe, a band he formed with friends, while also producing music with Dinmeyen.
With Zuğaşi Berepe, he released his first album, “Va Mişkunan” (“We Don’t Know”), in 1995, followed by “İgzas” in 1999. With Dinmeyen, he released the album “Sisler Duvarı” in 1996.
Carrying the powerful and emotional spirit of Black Sea music into his songs, Koyuncu released his first solo album, “Viya!,” in 2001. The album included “Dido,” one of his best-known songs.
His recognition grew further after he composed the music for the television series “Gülbeyaz,” which aired in 2002. As his concert schedule became increasingly busy, Koyuncu released his second solo album, “Hayde,” in 2004.
In addition to Turkish, Koyuncu included songs in Hemsin, Laz and Georgian in his albums, reflecting the cultural diversity of the Black Sea region in his music.
Koyuncu was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2004. Despite doctors’ advice to rest, he did not stay away from the stage and continued performing.
He gave his final concert on Feb. 4, 2005, at the Yeni Melek Show Center in Istanbul’s Taksim district. His words that night – “Whether it is cancer or a concert” – remain etched in public memory.
Kazım Koyuncu died on June 25, 2005, at the hospital where he was receiving treatment. He was 33. He was laid to rest in the village cemetery in his birthplace, Yeşilköy.
Reaching a broad audience across Türkiye and abroad, Koyuncu also became known by the nickname “the boy in the poet’s jacket.”
He once explained the story behind the nickname by saying: “As a child, I played beautifully with poetry. I was very interested in poets. Back then, when I was coming to Istanbul, I wanted to have a jacket made – a poet’s jacket.”
In one interview, Koyuncu emphasized the importance of young people’s dreams and courage.
“After a certain age, once we establish a direct connection with life, I think we can no longer add much to that life. This may sound a little harsh, but a person who has completed military service, married, had children and started working does not take risks," he said.
"They do not create very independent, very unusual ideas and follow them. Yet what carries life forward is our dreams. What makes our dreams real is our courage. When people are young, they can be brave"
He said, "I care a lot about their lives because life can take a new shape from there. Through their ideas, their mistakes and their truths, life can reach somewhere. There is not much difference between the truths of adults and the mistakes of young people. At worst, the mistakes of young people are as important as the truths produced by adults."
Known for speaking openly about what he believed to be right, Koyuncu said in another interview that artists and singers needed courage.
“I think an artist or a singer must be very brave. If you have courage and the desire to work, there is no problem. At worst, you do not make money. An album may not sell, or it may sell 1 million copies. I do not want to be interested in these things. I do not have huge popularity. That is why we are enough for ourselves,” he said.
Remembered not only for his music but also for his sensitivity to environmental and social issues, Koyuncu continues to be commemorated through concerts and memorial events held after his death.
After his passing, Paluri Arzu Kal Demirçi wrote the book “Şair Ceketli Çocuk: Kazım,” recounting her friendship with the artist from their first meeting to his final days.
