During the late 1970s and 1980s, Ersoy shifted toward Arabesque—a genre often linked to urban migration and lower-income neighborhoods. While she initially cited financial reasons for this shift, the genre’s themes of suffering and fate resonated deeply with her own personal struggles during her gender transition and subsequent ban from Turkish stages.

Several of Ersoy's songs have reached legendary status in Turkish culture, often associated with her life milestones.

Bülent Ersoy , widely known as is a monumental figure in Turkish music whose songs bridge the gap between classical Ottoman tradition and modern Arabesque pop. With a career spanning over five decades, Ersoy’s discography—consisting of more than 30 albums —is not only a musical collection but a historical record of her personal transformation and social endurance. The Evolution of the "Diva" Sound

Bülent Ersoy's musical journey is characterized by a shift from the rigorous discipline of to the emotionally charged, populist Arabesque genre.