The Voice of Sorrow and Strength

Bergen’s sound was unmistakably unique. While her foundation lay in arabesque music, a genre characterized by its emotional intensity and themes of love and loss, she brought a distinct interpretation to it. Her voice carried a raw vulnerability—soft yet filled with anguish—that immediately connected with listeners.

Her arrangements often blended traditional Turkish instruments like the bağlama and kanun with modern synths and strings, creating a sound that was both rooted in tradition and emotionally contemporary. Unlike many other performers of the genre, Bergen’s music wasn’t over-embellished. Instead, she allowed the silence between lyrics, the tremble in her voice, and the simplicity of her words to speak volumes.

June 12, 2025 | 7:22 pm