Despite her young age, Nahide Babashli, a young Azerbaijani singer, has become a favorite performer for many. She brilliantly performed the Turkish singer Murat Gogebakan's song Ay yüzlüm (“My Moon-faced”) and became a star on social media in just one day.
As soon as Babashli uploaded a video of her performance on her YouTube page, nearly one and a half million people watched the video in a short time, showering the singer with praise. Her performance was also highly appreciated by the Turkish media.
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A girl who has been singing since childhood
Nahide Babashli was born on September 22, 1996, in Baku. She received her higher education at the Faculty of Physics of Baku State University. At that time, Nahide decided to become a musician. While studying at the university, she attempted to record music several times but was unable to achieve success. She says about herself:
“I graduated from the Faculty of Physics at Baku State University. I am engaged in music, but not professionally. However, I want to develop it in the future. I have been singing since I can remember; I have a talent for music. I play the guitar.
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In my first year, my Azerbaijani language teacher, Anar, told me that my voice was very beautiful. Then he took me to the head of the acting club, Bayram, who said, 'This girl has talent; bring her to the stage, help her.' He enrolled me in the choir, but it didn't help. Bayram paid more attention to mugham singers, while I did not sing mugham. After a month, I left the choir. I had lost hope. I decided to focus all my thoughts on my studies. That didn't work either. I was studying in a field I didn't want and wasn't interested in. Then I opened an Instagram page, sang there, and posted my songs. At first, I didn't show my face. But after a while, I started recording videos with my face visible and began recording songs in the studio. That's how it all started.”
Active creativity
Nahide Babashli has released 9 albums in the pop genre. The singer's album has sold nearly 26,000 copies worldwide. Her songs have remained at the top of the music charts for 32 weeks. The song that brought her the most fame was the Turkish singer Murat Gogebakan's Ay yüzlüm, which made her a star on social media in just one day.
Since then, every song she has sung has reached hit status. Songs like “Soz Verdim” (I Promised), “Benim hikayem” (My Story), “Anlasana” (Understand Me), and “Sevgilim, tut elimden” (My Love, Hold My Hand) are among them. She can sing in various genres and languages, especially foreign compositions are very close to her.
Creative achievements
2021 was a lucky year for Nahide as she became the owner of Turkey's prestigious “Golden Butterfly” (Altın Kelebek) award. The “Golden Butterfly” is one of the most important awards in the field of television and music arts in Turkey, often referred to as the “Turkish Oscar.”
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Every year, this award is given to the most successful performers, actors, and models from Turkey and Azerbaijan. The winners are determined based on votes from the audience and a jury composed of famous personalities from Turkey. At that time, many votes were given to the young singer Nahide Babashli from Azerbaijan.
Although the singer is just starting her career in music, her songs are especially popular in Turkey. Babashli expressed her gratitude to all the fans who supported her, saying: “I was very nervous. When my name was called, I couldn't hold back my tears. When I started singing, winning this award was my dream, and now it has come true. Thank you to my family and my fans,” said Babashli.
The “Golden Butterfly” was first awarded to Azerbaijani folk artist Roya Ayxan in 2017, and the second time it was given to Azerbaijani folk artist Aygun Kazimova in 2018. Babashli became the third Azerbaijani singer to receive this award.
Wanted to leave Azerbaijan after her dog was hit by a car
Nahide lost her beloved pet dog in 2022, which deeply affected her. She wrote about it on her Instagram page. “In a road accident, I lost my beloved dog named Koʻpük. No matter what I write or say, I am very sad. He was everything to me,” she wrote in her post. Babashli said that after this incident, she planned to leave her homeland forever.
“The incident happened in Baku — my dog was hit by a car and ran away. I am still in shock. I bought tickets and will leave the country in a few hours. I will not return. Let your culture, mentality, and love all disappear,” the singer wrote.
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Additionally, kind-hearted Nahide expressed her readiness to shelter animals rescued by rescuers after the disaster that occurred in Turkey in 2023, stating: “We participate in helping the victims every day. This terrible tragedy affected me greatly. I would love to adopt a child, but I don't feel ready for that step yet, so I am ready to shelter several animals and have contacted the relevant organizations,” said Babashli.
2-year secret marriage
The artist married Turkish citizen Serkan Kuchukjeylan in 2021. The marriage coincided with the pandemic, and they married secretly without a wedding ceremony, only formalizing the marriage. The artist kept her marriage hidden. Even though her husband shared photos with Nahide, the singer did not provide any information. The couple looked very happy in the photos, but the marriage was annulled two years later.
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Nahide and Serkan annulled their 2-year marriage in a court session that lasted 10 minutes in 2023, and Nahide did not demand any compensation from Kuchukjeylan.
Nahide is frequently invited to Uzbekistan for holiday programs and concerts. In 2020, she attended Zohirshoh Jo'rayev's concert and performed the song “Leyli de yor” with him. Zohirshoh Jo'rayev mentioned in interviews that he has been friends with Nahide for several years.
Fans warmly welcomed this duet. Additionally, it can be seen in Nahide's social media photos that she also visits Samarkand.
