Cem Adrian

Biography

Cem Filiz (born 30 November 1980), better known by his stage name Cem Adrian, is a Turkish musician of Bosniak descent, singer-songwriter and record producer.

Early life

His father was a merchant, while his mother was a housewife. Adrian was born to a family from Bosnia in Edirne, as the second child of his parents. His real name is Cem Filiz. Adrian chose his stage name after Adrianople, the name of Edirne in ancient times. He later met Fazıl Say through Demet Sağıroğlu, and with Say's invitation, he enrolled in Bilkent University's Department of Performing Arts.

Career beginnings

In 2003, he worked as a soloist and dancer for the group Mystica. In February 2005, he released his first album, Ben Bu Şarkıyı Sana Yazdım.×Ben Bu Şarkıyı Sana Yazdım.2005 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Ben Bu Şarkıyı Sana Yazdım2Aspiration3Bana Özel4Kimler Geldi Kimler Geçti5Harbe Giden Sarı Saçlı Çocuk6Hayat… Ben…7Edirne Hatırası8Cluster9Merdivenler10Cem Session11Summertime12Uzun İnce Bir Yoldayım This album includes the songs which Adrian had recorded by himself between 1997 and 2003 in Edirne. In January 2006, he started working on his second self-produced album. Aşk Bu Gece Şehri Terk Etti, which contained 13 songs written by himself, was released in December 2006. Artists Umay Umay, Denizhan and Suicide were featured on three of the album's songs.
In 2008 he released two albums, Seçkiler (Essentials) and Emir, and produced the music for Abdullah Oğuz's film Sıcak, where he also played the role of a young imam.

Recent years

On 30 December 2015, his first single album İlk ve Son Kez, which contained two songs, was released on the internet. One of the songs was "İlk ve Son Kez", which was previously published, while the other was a new version of "Sessizce", which was originally included in the album Aşk Bu Gece Şehri Terk Etti×Aşk Bu Gece Şehri Terk Etti6 December 2006 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Aşktan Korkma4:582Aşk Bu Gece Şehri Terk Etti5:053Yağmur4:314Sessizce5:215Vazgeçme6:066Ben Geldim5:387Düğüm4:298Yalnız da Ayağa Kalkabilirim4:499Sonbahar7:0210Kar7:2911Bana Özel6:0412Yağmur (Denizhan'la Düet)4:5313Merdivenler (Suicide)6:06.
On 21 January 2016, his album Seçkiler 2×Seçkiler 215 January 2016 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Telli Turnam4:272Neredesin Sen4:083Mihriban2:474Ne Ağlarsın3:445Gaziantep Yolunda (Bahçalarda Mor Meni)5:236Ela Gözlüm4:027Değmen Benim Gamlı Yaslı Gönlüme4:138Allı Turnam3:149Sivas'ın Yollarına4:0310Sen Gel Diyorsun (Öf Öf)4:4511Sarı Gelin (Konser Kaydı)3:47 was released by Dokuz Sekiz Müzik. In September 2016, he announced the release date of his album Tuz Buz×Tuz Buz13 November 2017 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Kurşun4:352Ölüyorum Ellerinde5:333Beni Hatırladın Mı4:034Seni Seviyorum4:145Bu Gece Uyut Beni4:136Buruk5:117Hala Senin Suçun Var5:248Yine Özledim4:019Zaman4:3310Gidemem4:3011Tut Elimi4:5412Geçecek4:4813Tuz Buz6:40 to be September 2017, but it was eventually released in November 2017.
In 2017, to raise money for a child's surgery, Adrian together with Manuş Baba, Ceylan Ertem, Mabel Matiz and Derya Köroğlu gave a concert under the title "Bir Çocuk İçin Şarkılar (Songs for a Child)".

Image

Adrian is among the artists who have publicly spoken about censorship in Turkey, freedom of speech and human rights. In response to questions regarding his sexuality, he said: "Is it possible for a man who sings with a high pitched voice to not face such comments?" His album Kayıp Çocuk Masalları×Kayıp Çocuk Masalları21 December 2010 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Kayıp4:172Bir Katilin Ellerinde5:103Sen Benim4:414Bana Ne Yaptın7:385Herkes Gider mi4:356Unutursun4:407Ağladıkça4:568O Kirpik Hala Bende Sevgilim5:139Islak Kelebek4:3810Yarım3:5711Benden Sonra6:2512Tanrı Aslında Sever Hepimizi4:06, which was released in 2010, featured a cover that had an LGBT theme about which he said:

Does it matter whether I'm gay or not? I think people need to learn not to ask questions like that! I think what goes on in my private life is not related to anyone. I'm a musician, that's it.
After facing criticism for supporting the LGBT community in 2010, he said: "Actually I have a problem with those who have issues with people's sexual identity." In 2012, he recorded a music video for the song "Yalnızlık" from his album Siyah Bir Veda Öpücüğü×Siyah Bir Veda Öpücüğü18 September 2012 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Mutlu Yıllar5:022Beni Hatırla5:093Yalnızlık4:244Hani Bazen6:165Hoşgeldin4:436Şimdi4:247Bugün Sana Birşeyler Anlatmam Gerek5:058Sen Hep Böyle Kal6:089Sen Yağmurları Sevdiğinde5:1610Sen Ağlarsan6:1511... (Tüm Ölü Melekler İçin Bir Dakikalık Saygı Duruşu)1:0012Elveda8:28, in which a transgender woman was shown. There was also a scene involving a young guy masturbating, which was meant to imply loneliness, the title of the song.

Studio albums

Ben Bu Şarkıyı Sana Yazdım (I Wrote This Song To You) (2005)
Aşk Bu Gece Şehri Terk Etti (Love Has Left The City Tonight) (2006)
Essentials / Seçkiler (Essentials) (2008)
Emir (The Behest) (2008)
Kayıp Çocuk Masalları (Lost Children Fictions) (2010)
Siyah Bir Veda Öpücügü (A Black Farewell Kiss) (2012)
Şeker Prens ve Tuz Kral (The Sugar Prince and The Saline King) (2013)
Cam Havli (Glass rush) (2014, with Umay Umay)
Sana Bunları Hiç Bilmediğin Bir Yerden Yazıyorum (I Write These from Somewhere You Don't Know) (2014)
Essentials / Seçkiler 2 (2016)
Tuz Buz (Salt-Ice) (2017)
Solmayan Şarkılar (Songs that Don't Fade) (2020)
Gökyüzümün Yıldızları (Stars of My Sky) (2022)
Essentials / Seçkiler 4 (2024)
Solmayan Şarkılar 2 (Songs that Don't Fade 2) (2024)
Mücevher (2024)

EPs

2015: Yalnızlık Senden Daha Çok Seviyor Beni (Loneliness loves me more than you do) (2015)

Guest appearances

Made in Turkey Vol. IV (selection)
Al Fadimem (folk song, from album Essentials)
Lora: Bir Kadının Portresi
Sis
Artun Ertürk & Diplomatik Rock Opera
Sevgisizlik
Tetik: Ta Kendisi
Beş kişi arabada
Soner Canözer & Prag Filarmoni Orkestrası: Masalcı’nın On Beş Yılı (2009)
Kaf Dağının Ardında
Fazıl Say featuring Güvenç Dağüstün, Burcu Uyar and Selva Erdener
İnsan İnsan
Mahzuni'ye Saygı (2017)
Dumanlı Dumanlı