Folk singer Volkan Konak dies on stage during Cyprus concert
Volkan Konak, a prominent folk singer, died after suffering a heart attack on stage during a concert in İskele, Northern Cyprus late yesterday. He was 58.
Konak collapsed while performing and received emergency medical intervention at the scene before being transported to a hospital. Despite efforts to revive him, he was pronounced dead shortly after midnight.
According to a statement from Gazimağusa State Hospital, emergency services were alerted around 23.23, and a medical team was dispatched to the concert venue. “Initial medical intervention was carried out by doctors present at the scene, followed by the 112 emergency team,” the hospital said.
Konak was intubated and transported to the hospital, where he was admitted as "ex duhul," a clinical term indicating arrival in a non-responsive state. He was immediately moved to the CPR unit.
“A team consisting of an anesthesiologist, emergency physicians, and internal medicine and cardiology specialists provided advanced life support for 25 minutes,” the hospital stated. “Despite all efforts, there was no response, and taking into account the clinical process, CPR was terminated at 00.42 and the artist was declared deceased.”
His body was transferred from Famagusta State Hospital’s morgue to the Forensic Medicine Unit at Dr. Burhan Nalbantoğlu State Hospital in Lefkoşa for an autopsy.
Following the autopsy, Konak’s remains are expected to be transported to Turkey by plane.
About Volkan Konak
Volkan Konak was a musician known for his fusion of traditional Turkish folk music with modern elements.
Born in the Yeşilyurt village of Maçka, Trabzon Province, Konak completed his primary and secondary education locally. In 1983, he enrolled at Istanbul Technical University's Turkish Music State Conservatory, graduating in 1988. He then pursued a master's degree in social sciences, focusing on folk music, at the same institution.
Konak's musical journey began in 1987 with his debut album, "Suların Horon Yeri," featuring compilations of regional folk songs. He gained widespread acclaim with subsequent albums, including "Efulim" (1993), "Gelir misin Benimle?" (1994), and "Volkanik Parçalar" (1996). In 1998, he established his own production company, Kuzey Müzik Prodüksiyon, releasing the album "Pedaliza."
His 2006 album "Mora" achieved significant success, earning a gold certification from MÜ-YAP, the Turkish Phonographic Industry Society. Konak was affectionately known as "Kuzeyin Oğlu" (Son of the North), a testament to his deep connection to the Black Sea region.
On the night of Mar 30, 2025, while performing in İskele, Northern Cyprus, Konak collapsed on stage due to a heart attack. Despite immediate medical attention, he was pronounced dead shortly after midnight on Mar 31 at the age of 58.
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