You Touched Me

Greetings! I want to announce my new album, Sen Bana Dokundun (You Touched Me), to you all with immense joy and anticipation.

In this album, we gathered the verses of poets, unifying them with the notes pouring from my soul. There were so many names I wished to include, but this time I could only manage this many. In this regard, I hope I haven't caused any offense, and I trust our paths will cross with many wonderful souls in future projects.

True to its name, Sen Bana Dokundun became a journey where we touched one another, joining forces with poets with whom we nurtured affection, even from afar. Many of the compositions were pieces I crafted years ago. This summer, with the sun smiling upon the land I live in a bit more generously, fresh arrangements emerged too—some born out of tears, others out of laughter.

I am one of those who place absolute faith in the beauty of words and the grandeur of languages. Yet, sometimes words fall short of fully baring a person's emotions. A mere "thank you" will not suffice for all those precious individuals whose names sit alongside mine in this project. From the depths of my soul, a resounding "I am so glad you exist!" rises. If I say that your presence brings beauty to the world and makes it bearable, I wonder if it conveys even a fraction of what I feel.

My dear mentors Ahmet Çuhacı, Yelda Karataş, Şükrü Erbaş, and Ahmet Günbaş—what an immense privilege it is to have crossed paths with you in my lifetime. I am profoundly grateful to you for gifting me your verses unconditionally with a single word. Forgive me if I cannot fully articulate my feelings; I trust that over the years, as long as we live, I can make you feel just how precious your presence is to me.

I composed Sarhoş Şarkı (Drunken Song) following a piece of mail I received from the other side of the river; do you know how deeply it touches my core every time I sing the lines, "do not ask of the suffering I endure, my love"? It was an absolute necessity for this album. And then there is İstanbul’a Şarkı (A Song for Istanbul), which makes my heart ache with the sorrowful narrative of the city that is the apple of my eye. I am so glad our paths crossed; I will preserve your beautiful heart and the verses you gifted me for the rest of my days.

Engin Sagun... He is both my poet and my dear friend. I lost count of how many songs we crafted together, how many verses integrated with a melody; all I know is that I will walk alongside him until the very end of the path. Your presence always grants me strength, my precious, my valued friend. May you never be missing from my life.

The women whose pens take flight into poetry: Nuran Barengi and Sultan Karataş. I want to share the experiences Nuran and I went through when we release our song—only in such a beautiful manner can two hearts truly align; my gratitude goes to life and to you for standing by my side since the very beginning of the journey. My meeting with Sultan occurred at the moment I embraced my mentor Yelda. What a grand beauty that was, and the memory remained exactly so. Following that, everything began with a surprise, giving birth to a fragrant song. One of those that truly touched my heart.

Finally (for the purpose of this piece), my partner in life, my dearest love, İbrahim Kırılmaz. Since our paths crossed, we have listened to one another; beginning from our own home, we expanded and beautified our path by touching countless lives. To see, to hear, and to know—what magnificent words they are, and we lived them out in their truest sense. "You Touched Me", and then you touched every single one of my songs by pouring your heart into them, giving birth to an album that is my absolute pride and joy. I desire to love you and walk alongside you for a lifetime; neither a step ahead, nor a step behind, simply side by side.

I have extended my words far too much, but I am simply incapable of telling a short story. Happy listening!

Discover "Sen Bana Dokundun" by Canan Sağar on Deezer https://deezer.page.link/jDvjUbY63kMqNFvS7 https://open.spotify.com/album/19AfAqx4M7WXpMjJvIJ1rp?si=ByRd-tEPS4WNjWk5nJaJig