In the shadow of stage lights and the hum of an adoring crowd, a voice that once echoed through the highlands of the Black Sea sang its final note. The vibrant world of Turkish folk music was brought to a standstill with the unexpected passing of Volkan Konak, known lovingly by his fans as the "Son of the North." As the calendar turned to the final hours of March 30, 2025, a heartrending silence fell — one that no melody could fill again.

Final Performance in Cyprus

It was meant to be another night filled with passion and song. Volkan Konak took the stage at a hotel concert venue in Iskele, Northern Cyprus, his voice soaring with the energy fans had adored for decades. But at 23:23, that powerful presence faltered. Konak collapsed mid-performance, sending a wave of shock through the audience. Onlookers watched in horror as emergency medics rushed to his side.

A Valiant Fight

For over forty agonizing minutes, responders battled to revive him at the venue. The local emergency team, working in coordination with concert medics, administered a relentless stream of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. At precisely 00:17, he was admitted to Famagusta State Hospital. There, a specialist medical team continued the fight for life — but by 00:42, their efforts came to a heart-rending end. Volkan Konak was declared dead at the age of 58.

His Last Wishes

As the nation came to terms with the news, another emotional chord emerged. Konak had left behind a personal and poignant request. In his will, the beloved singer expressed his desire for cremation, with his ashes to be scattered over the Black Sea — a symbolic homecoming to Trabzon, where his musical journey had begun. This intimate testament to his love for his roots moved fans and fellow artists deeply.

A Voice That Echoed Beyond Borders

Few artists managed to weave the raw spirit of a region into song quite like Volkan Konak. Since 1989, he released thirteen albums, with Mora in 2006 standing as a monumental milestone in contemporary Turkish folk music. His songs carried tales of fishermen, farmers, and families — the everyday people of Anatolia — and painted poetic portraits of Turkey’s northern soul.

In the aftermath of his passing, tributes came flooding in. Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş honored him as "the voice, heart, and friend of these lands." Across social media and candlelit gatherings, fans remembered him not only as a performer but as a cultural beacon whose presence had stitched generations together through rhythm and verse.

Farewell to a Legend

The moment of his collapse, tragically captured in a viral video, continues to haunt those who saw it live and those who knew his music intimately. Yet, in their sorrow, many find solace in the legacy he left behind. Though his voice may no longer resound from the stage, it lives on in the hearts of millions — carried by the winds of the Black Sea, just as he wished.