Turkish-born, Florida-raised Ekin is a study in dichotomy. Her music - a visceral blend of heartfelt lyrics set to a mixture of hip-hop, dance & Turkish beats - affects both your heart and your dancin' feet. "These songs are the music of my life, my stories, my dreams and desires," says the singer/songwriter, model, actress and Miss Turkey finalist. Born in Ankara, Turkey to an American mother and Turkish father, Ekin came to the United States at three years of age. She spoke no English but soon mastered the language and grew comfortable moving between the two cultures. Growing up Ekin spent many summers in Turkey with her father's side of the family, and the rest of the year she lived with her mother in Cocoa Beach, Florida. "My father is a dancer and as a child I would spend summers at folk-life festivals watching his troupe perform. They actually taught me how to belly dance when I was 7 years old! I loved working at perfecting the dance. My father then married my stepmother, a formally trained opera singer and during my summers visiting Turkey she would give me piano lessons at the music conservatory." These piano lessons continued back in Florida, where Ekin began immersing herself in American pop music, staying up all hours of the night singing her heart out exploring her musical capabilities (she can still play Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters" on acoustic guitar!) and writing short stories and poems. A beach bunny through-and-through Ekin soon found herself an International Miss Reef Brazil model, where she traveled the world representing Reef Brazil, being shot for magazines and calendars and signing literally thousands of autographs! Not too long after she moved to New York, Ekin signed a contract with the famed and prestigious Ford modeling agency and the equally prestigious Innovative Artists acting agency. A handful of Ekin's print clients include Target, Levi's, Solidea, Glamour, Dentyne, Donald Pliner, Silk Soy Milk, Cosmopolitan, Maidenform, Macy's, FHM, Wal-Mart, Men's Health , Elle, InStyle, Maxim, Marie Claire, Elegant Bride, Women's Health, Nexxus, Hue, Reef Brazil, Gale Hayman Cosmetics, Chico's and many, many more. In addition to modeling, Ekin began studying with renowned acting coach Susan Batson (who works with Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Connolly and Janet Jackson among others) at Black Nexxus Acting School in NYC. Ekin played Antonella in the feature film entitled, "My Normal" and she played a kissing customer opposite Michael Deluise in the feature film "Patsy". She also took up painting as yet another creative outlet, coining the term "body stamp". Ekin's career was flourishing but something was still amiss. Out one night in NYC, Ekin heard a friend improvising over some beats and something just clicked. "You know when someone gets into a cipher, how emotional it gets? I was totally inspired... that night totally changed my direction, I felt alive. I wanted more of this feeling and I wanted to express myself. Until then, I had been using method acting as my creative release, but once I heard that kind of free styling, I turned toward writing and became fascinated by the music writing process." Ekin began pouring out her emotions in the form of lyrics and found it offered the emotional release she had been searching for. "For the first time in my life," she says, "I knew I was doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing at exactly the right time." One of her first tracks "Turkish Delight" - written in collaboration with Turkish rapper Cihan Ozdemir - is a nod to both her native country and her love for American dance/ pop. The track has more than 200,000 internet listens, and that number continues rising. Ekin has since collaborated with producers such as Ricky Blaze, Dorian Besson, Parks Vallely and John Dennis. "Working with different producers is one of my favorite parts of the creative process," says Ekin, "I love the emotional state music brings out in me, I love collaborating and am tremendously inspired by other musicians. It's always like a breath of fresh air working with a new producer or artist." This spring the songstress will head to LA to begin work on her ninth track entitled "911." A guaranteed breakout hit, "911" is written by Kidd Bogart and produced by J.R. Rotem of Beluga Heights. The track will be Ekin's first commercial release (via iTunes). Ekin is currently based in New York City. When she's not singing, writing music, or working on modeling gigs, Ekin can be found nuzzling one of her furrier family members - her horse, Prestige and her miniature Yorkie, Leo. Also look out for Ekin's hand-made jewelry company, Luv That & Co, LLC. Based in Palm Beach and NYC and co-founded with partner, designer and best friend, Sarah Quernemoen.