Hakan Özkan

Hakan Özkan was born in 1987, in Istanbul, Turkey. In his childhood, he spent most of his time with her ballerina mother, in her practices and plays. The fact that he was influenced deeply by this environment laid the foundations of his interest in music. He began his musical career by playing guitar, and his first professional album was released in 2002 by a Brazilian company. In those years, Hakan Özkan, being interested in metal music, continued his works with European Companies.

His interaction with music made him more curious and led him to the field of audio engineering. In Izmir, where he moved to due to university education, he worked in studios as an assistant and also set up outdoor sound system. He left the university, and applied to Music Department of Bilgi University in order to learn more about the production phase which attracted his attention more over the years.

During his education life in Bilgi University, He found the opportunities of working in different fields of music, and started his career in Istanbul in 2008 through being tonmeister of Cem Kılıç at Mecaz Bar. Later, they were in Jazzstop, and after that in Mask Bar. While he was working with Cem Kılıç at the weekends, he was tonmeister of Cahit Berkay on weekdays.

He gave a break to working as tonmeister, and made the music of Arka Sokaklar series with Murat Evgin for one year / in 2009. After improving himself in the field of post-production, due to an offer, he returned to working as a tonmeister, this time in Istanbul Jazz Center. Hakan Özkan, who found the opportunity of working with successful musicians such as Bob James, Spyro Gyra, Yellowjacketsi Freddy Cole, Ernie Watts, Joey deFranchesco, Richie Beirach, ended his live sound career in 2010.

He focused on studio engineering, and recorded the albums of singers such as Nazan Öncel, Yesim Salkım, Ayse Özyılmazel. In the same period, he continued his education life successfully. After he graduated, he continued his career as a producer, and released his works in the field of electronic music in the digital media such as iTunes, Beatport and Junodownload. He found the opportunity of releasing a single with Dawn Richard, with whom he met during her visit to Turkey, and who is famous with her projects with Puff Diddy and Danity Kane. This single took the 30. place in the top list of iTunes US RnB/Soul on its first day.

Also, he continued his works in the field of post-production. With the sound designs for short films and music he made, he achieved to win recognition of the audience both in Turkey and abroad. He made the sound design of the Video Mapping project with Ouchhh Company in Kernel Fest organized in Italy in 2013, and this project ranked by Critics Award.

Hakan Özkan is engaged with DJing and party organizing in his free times. He played in Olympos Dance Festival in 2012, and was invited to play in Brussels by the organizer team, due to his success. He appeals to a selective mass with the private parties he organizes in Istanbul. At the weekends, he gives DJing courses in Connection Records Studio.