Everyway That I Can

When TRT announced its 2003 Eurovision entry in February, many Turks did not like it. Some found Sertab Erener's song too racy, others too pop, and her decision to sing it entirely in English drew more criticism still. It was the first Turkish entry with no Turkish lyrics at all. Erener had written the music with Demir Demirkan, who also wrote the words, and Ozan Çolakoğlu, known for his work with Tarkan, produced it. The promo video placed her in an Ottoman-style castle with rose gardens, a harem and a hamam. In Riga on 24 May 2003, t.A.T.u. of Russia were the favourites. Erener sang fourth, with a few new high notes and an added belly-dance routine, and hers was the only performance of the night to get a standing ovation. The voting swung between Russia, Turkey and Belgium until Slovenia's points finally gave Turkey the win by just two. It was the country's first Eurovision victory. Back home Erener was hailed as a national hero, congratulated by the president and prime minister and awarded a state medal, and the win was celebrated as a step forward in Turkey's relations with the European Union. The song went to number one in Turkey, Greece and Sweden, and Istanbul hosted the contest the following year. In a 2005 anniversary vote it was ranked among the best Eurovision songs ever, and in 2024 Erener returned to lead a sing-along of it in Malmö.