Karsu

For the village in Altınözü, see Karsu, Altınözü.
Karsu
Karsu in 2014
Karsu in 2014
Background information
Birth nameKarsu Dönmez
Born (1990-04-19) 19 April 1990 (age 34)
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Instruments
Years active2007–present
LabelsSuMusic
Websitekarsu.nl

Karsu Dönmez (born 19 April 1990), known mononymously as Karsu, is a Turkish-Dutch singer from Amsterdam. While her music style is a blend of various genres, jazz pop is probably the best description for it.[1] At age 7 her parents bought a piano with money they had put aside for buying a car. At 14 she was making a name for herself by performing at her parents' restaurant. She came to prominence after performances at the Carnegie Hall in New York and several appearances on Dutch television.[2]

In 2010 Karsu's first album Live aan 't IJ was released. In October 2012, her first studio album, Confession, followed, and was received positively by the press. On Colors from 2015 her compositions are more playful and cheerful than her previous work. The title of the album refers to Karsu's bicultural background with roots in Turkey and Amsterdam. In 2016 the Edison Foundation gave her the Edison Award for Colors.[2] She built a music school for refugees in Athens, Greece.[3] She also took role as a director, for helping refugees in Amsterdam. Her life was documented by director Mercedes Stalenhoef and follows Karsu as she climbs the ladder from the restaurant to the stage of Carnegie Hall, and further into the music world.[4]

Karsu was one of the five finalists in the Dutch internal selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2024, where Joost Klein was ultimately chosen.[5]

  1. ^ "Girlscene's Jitske interviewt Karsu!". Girlscene. 22 November 2012. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
  2. ^ a b "Karsu » Bio". karsu.nl. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
  3. ^ "Karsu Dönmez Suriyeli çocuklar için okul açtı".
  4. ^ "Karsu | IDFA".
  5. ^ Raatgever, Stefan (2024-05-03). "Niet Joost Klein, maar Numidia was lang favoriet om voor Nederland naar Songfestival te gaan" [Not Joost Klein, but Numidia had long been the favorite to represent the Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest]. Het Parool (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-05-03.