Professor Şükrü Haluk Akalın, head of the Turkish Language Institute (TDK) has called upon Kenan Doğulu to apologise for suggesting that singing in Turkish is 'old fashioned'. Doğulu has previously stated that his 2007 Eurovision Song Contest entry will be sung entirely or mostly in English.
Akalin says Doğulu owes an apology to both Turkish singers and his mother for insulting the Turkish language–especially since Doğulu has achieved his stardom by singing in Turkish. "We expect him to apologize to the Turkish nation and to his mother as well because we acquire this language from our mothers" said Akalin. "That's why we call it our �mother tongue'".
And about Doğulu's contention that the only way to win the Contest is to sing in English–as Sertab Erener did to win in 2003 with Every way that I can? Akalin says that "shows the artist's lack of confidence in himself, in his art and in his own tongue." Akalin has called on TRT to step in and require Doğulu's entry to be sung in Turkish. Regardless, Akalin wishes Doğulu "good luck and hope he makes the world hear the voice of Turkish".
In 2006 Sibel Tüzün finished 11th in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest with Süper star, singing mostly in Turkish. As a result, Turkey will again have to qualify from the semi-final in 2007's Contest in Helsinki.
