[2] She began singing Turkish classical music at the age of four and during her primary school years performed Franz Schubert's Ständchen (aka Serenade) and Abends unter der Linde on radio.
Belkıs Aran, a well-known soprano of that time, secretly took the young Tülay to a German music teacher, who declared her an exceptional vocal talent.
Although she did study piano formally for five years with Ferdi Statzer,[3] her parents did not wish to send her to conservatory; instead she attended Üsküdar American Academy in İstanbul, from which she graduated in 1956.
[4] Having been named "Best Singer" by the critics for her performance at the 1964 Balkan Melodies Festival held in Yugoslavia, German earned an appearance on the cover of the magazine "Arena".
She recorded ten singles in French,[6] gave numerous solo concerts, as well as appearing alongside renowned artists such as Charles Aznavour, Léo Ferré and The Moody Blues.