Ahmet Kaya (1957-2000) was a Turkish folk singer of Kurdish origin whose songs mixed folk, rock and protest themes and made him one of Turkey's most beloved and controversial voices. Forced into exile, he died in Paris in 2000, which deepened the sense of loss attached to his music. Clips of his singing now circulate on soundboards and social video among Turkish listeners and the diaspora, where a few seconds are enough to signal grief, homesickness and pride without any extra explanation needed.