Turkey won Eurovision just once in their history, but on many occasions, they came close. None closer than MaNga, who finished in second place in 2010.
Who is MaNga?
MaNga is an alternative rock band from Turkey. The group currently has four members, Ferman Akgül (vocals and keyboards), Yağmur Sarıgül (guitar), Cem Bahtiyar (bass guitar) and Özgür Can Öney (drums). The group formed in 2001.
The Journey to Eurovision
In the initial years, the band were primarily performing covers of other rock and metal bands. The band caught the attention of manager Hadi Elazzi after finishing runner-up at the Sing Your Song music contest. As a result, the group was signed to Sony Music.
In 2004, the group released their first album which was self-titled. The album was certified Gold, and their growing popularity led to performances at various festivals. In 2006, the group performed at the Sziget Festival in Hungary. They were the first Turkish rock band to perform at this festival. They also performed concerts in The Netherlands and Germany.
The group recorded a duet with Göksel, which was included in the Turkish film Sınav. Their song ‘Bir kadın çizeceksin’ was included in the FIFA 06 video game.
The group was set to perform in Wembley Stadium in London with Tarkan, however they could not perform due to technical difficulties. Later in the year, they performed at the O2 Academy Islington in London.
In 2009, the group released their second studio album titled ‘Şehr-i Hüzün’. The album featured three big hits. ‘Dünyanın Sonuna Doğmuşum’ and ‘Beni Benimle Bırak’ peaked at number 1 on the Turkish rock charts, and ‘Cevapsız Sorular’ peaked at number 2.
In early 2010, MaNga was selected and announced as the Turkish representative for Eurovision. The group qualified in 1st place in the semi-final, and finished second overall. They achieved 170 points in total.
What Happened Next?
Not long after Eurovision, the group released the single ‘Fly to Stay Alive’ which was featured on a film soundtrack. Their next album was titled ‘E-Akustik’ which as the name suggests, featured acoustic tracks, including some of their previous hits. It also featured ‘Fly to Stay Alive’ and their Eurovision entry.
The group’s next album ‘Işıkları Söndürseler Bile’ came out in 2014. Singles from the album were released during 2014 and 2015, however did not chart. Since then, the group released one EP titled ‘X’. The EP was released in 2018.
MaNga released a handful of singles in the following years, including ‘Süper Güçlerimiz Var’ (2019) and ‘Zor’ (2020). In 2021, the band released the singles, ‘Bize Her Yer Stat’ and ‘Kırıla Kırıla’.
In 2021, MaNga released the album ‘Antroposen 001’.
Over the years, the group won various awards, including Best Turkish Act and Best European Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards. There were nominations for various other awards, including at the Balkan Music Awards.
On YouTube, you can find ‘maNga’nın Stüdyosunda Neler Oluyor?’ (What’s happening in MaNga’s studio?) a series following the group and their musical journey.