Özipek gets full marks on talent show
JUDGES in a top Turkish TV talent show with a global audience of some eight million viewers gave full marks to 28-year-old Turkish Cypriot pop and jazz singer Lütfiye Özipek after a stunning rendition of the Police song, Roxanne.
Ms Özipek first appeared on the O Ses Türkiye show on December 23 and after overcoming her excitement decided to go ahead with the judge she chose, Gökhan Özoğuz, who is lead vocalist of Turkish rock and ska band Athena.
Apart from Roxanne, she also performed a Turkish song in response to requests from both the full team of judges and the audience. Last Saturday Lütfiye passed to the next round of the show after another successful performance where she sang Take Me To Church, by Hozier. Born in Lefkoşa in 1990, the budding international star began her musical career with piano lessons as a child and after high school in Lefkoşa she studied jazz at the University of Nicosia in South Cyprus.
Following her first year there, she transferred to the University of Wolverhampton where she graduated in pop music and song-writing. Since returning to the TRNC she has given several concerts and provided vocal coaching for young talents in addition to regularly performing alternative pop and jazz at venues across the country. She is due to take the stage in the third round of O Ses Türkiye when it is broadcast next Saturday and Sunday, January 27 and 28.