Erdem was born in Istanbul in 1992 into a middle-class family who didn't really know what to do with a queer child but was very loving. They grew up being bullied for being too feminine from the age of 5 to 22. In 2015 then moved to Paris to study but mostly to live more freely. After living in Paris for 6 years, Erdem moved to Barcelona in 2021. They have a Sociology degree with the final thesis on Queer Theory and Fashion. Erdem has also been performing as a drag queen under the name Madame Fontaine since 2019.