Jeff Soyk

Zeki Müren Hotline

As one of the most influential musicians in Turkish history and the first modern pop star of Turkey, Zeki Müren gained huge popularity beginning in the 1950s across all different communities in Turkey, in spite of his groundbreaking behaviors like cross-dressing, and can be seen as an LGBTQ+ trailblazer. Even now, Zeki Müren continues to have a profound influence on Turkish society and on the Turkish people. 'Zeki Müren Hotline' is a cross-platform documentary that collects and curates people’s messages about Turkey’s beloved queer pop star, through a simple telephone line and an interactive web experience. Callers participate in a collective meditation on and around Müren, often expressing nostalgia for the deceased icon and Turkey’s bygone days.