Anna Vissi (Greek: Άννα Βίσση ), (born December 20, 1957) is a Cypriot–Greek singer, songwriter and actress, known mainly in Greece and her native country of Cyprus, with some international success within Europe, the United States and elsewhere. In the 1980s, Vissi began an exclusive collaboration with Nikos Karvelas, resulting in one of the most successful music partnerships in the nation's history. From 1995 to 2009, Vissi received 30 Platinum certifications in Greece and has become the country's best-selling female artist. Her album Kravgi still remains the best-selling album of the 2000s, and one of the top five best-selling of all time, while two others — Travma and Antidoto — are among the best-selling. She also had some success in the US, reaching number one on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Chart with "Call Me".
Biography
Childhood and origins
Anna Vissi was born on December 20, 1957, in Larnaca, Cyprus. She has been singing from a very early age, beginning formal musical studies at the age of six at a local conservatory. At the age of twelve she entered a talent competition and won first prize. Two years later, she was the main singer at Ayia Tilliria, which was also her first TV appearance.
In 1973, her family moved to Athens, Greece where she was able to pursue her studies at the National Conservatory. She would eventually appear with a number of well-known Greek singers, such as George Dalaras, Haris Alexiou, and Vasilis Papakonstantinou, in the famous nightclubs of Plaka, in Athens. During this time she also studied law at the University of Athens. Her first important collaboration, alongside Georgios Dalaras, was with composer Stavros Koujioumtzis. Koujioumtris composed two songs for Vissi, S' Agapo ("I Love You") and Sta Hronia tis Ipomonis ("In The Years Of Patience"). She also collaborated with many important Greek composers such as Mikis Theodorakis (1974/1975), Georgios Hadjinassios (1974), Doros Giorgiadis (1974), Nikos Karvelas (who later became her husband; 1975) and Mihalis Terzis (1976).
Late 1970s: Career beginnings
In 1977 she went on tour with George Dalaras and Haris Alexiou, giving concerts with the most notable at the Rainbow, London (June). In the same year, she won the prize for best singer and best song ( As Kanoume Apopse mia Arhi ) of the year at the Annual Song Festival of Thessaloniki (Palais des Sports). In 1978 she was proposed by ERT (Greek National Television) to represent Greece at the 23rd Eurovision Song Contest. There were two songs to select from Poso S'Agapo and O Kyrios Nobel . Finally, due to controversies between the composers of the songs, her participation was disqualified and Tania Tsanaklidou went to the contest.
1980-1982: Eurovision Song Contest
In 1980, Vissi participated in the 25th Eurovision Song Contest representing Greece with the song "Autostop" ("Hitch-Hike"), finishing 13th with 30 points. Two years later, she represented her native Cyprus at the 27th Eurovision Song Contest with the song she composed herself "Mono I Agapi" ("Only Love"), which ended 5th with 85 points scoring Cyprus their highest position to date. The songs have not been released on any album or single until 2006, when both were released on CD single in time for Vissi's third Eurovision appearance. "Mono I Agapi" however, was released as a 7 -inch single in 1982 with an English version titled "I'm Gonna Be A Fool for You" as a b-side.
1983-1990: Collaboration and marriage to Nikos Karvelas
In 1983 she married Nikos Karvelas, a composer, with whom she collaborated in 1975. After their marriage, she started a close collaboration with Karvelas. Since 1975, all her releases have become gold or platinum and have included songs by Karvelas. In 1986, she participated at the Cypriot National Final for Eurovision Song Contest, with the song "Thelo Na Gino Star" ("I Want To Be A Star"), taking second place. This song is still unreleased today.
In 1985, Vissi released her album Kati Simveni ("Something Is Happening") which included one of her most famous songs titled Dodeka and in 1986 the 2x platinum I Epomeni Kinisi ("The Next Move"), followed by Empnefsi! ("Inspiration") and Tora ("Now") in 1988.. All of these albums turned into Gold or Platinum in Greece, becoming some of the best selling albums in the 1980s.
In 1988 she made her debut as a radio producer on ANT1 Radio. Her radio program was titled after one of her songs ("Ta Koritsia Einai Atakta" - "Girls Are Naughty") and was aired every weekend. In the same year she participated with the song "Kleo" ("I'm Crying") at the Greek National Final for Eurovision Song Contest, finishing third.
In 1989 she released the highly successful studio album Fotia (Fire) being one of the first albums to feature western sounds. The lead single "Pseftika" ("Fake") became a big hit. She performed at the "Diogenis Palace" in that same year, Athens' biggest night club/music hall at the time.
1990-1995: Theatrical work and television
In the early 1990s, she continued performing around Greece with Nikos Karvelas, with appearances at Diogenis Palace and then at Rex. In November 1991, Vissi and Karvelas starred in the first Greek rock opera, Daimones ("Demons"). It was based on a libretto by Stavros Sideras and staged at Atticon Theater in Athens for two years. Roger Williams was the director and Anna Vissi (Queen & Rozanne), Yannis Samsiaris (Daniel), Bessy Malfa (Witch & Loa) and John Modinos (Inquisitor) were the leading actors. Demones was played on foreign TV stations and attracted the attention of Broadway agents. A year later in October 1993, Vissi landed the leading role of Aphrodite, in the one act opera Ode to the Gods by Stavros Sideras. It was held only once in Limassol, Cyprus, during the celebrations for the Commonwealth Day. Then-president of the Republic of Cyprus, Glafkos Clerides, and Queen Elizabeth II, were amongst the audience.
The following years Karvelas and Vissi released albums that became gold and platinum, including the platinum Lambo in 1992, Emeis in 1992, Live! in 1993, Re! in 1994, and O! Kypros with traditional Cypriot songs in 1995. However, Vissi witnessed a decline in sales during the early 1990s.
In 1994 she was the hostess on the ANT1 weekly TV show Me Agapi, Anna , while one year after she did a concert in Cyprus, supporting the defenses of the island.
1996-1998: Klima Tropiko , Travma , and Antidoto
In February 1996 Vissi released the double platinum album Klima Tropiko .. The album featured a new sound for Anna Vissi. After giving more than 40 concerts all over Greece, she started winter appearances at club Haos. In February 1997, Vissi won three Greek Music Awards: Best Female Singer, Best Interpretation, and Biggest Airplay Song.
In April 1997, Vissi released Travma which went gold in 12 days and triple platinum in six months eventually selling 190,000 units. The album became her highest selling album to that point.
For the winter of 1997-1998 Vissi made appearances at club Gazi . On New Year's Eve, by invitation of the Mayor of Athens, she performed in the Parliament Square in front of more than 20,000 people which was broadcast on TV all over Greece and Cyprus. In March 1998, Vissi broke a record, winning seven Greek Music Awards for her album Travma.
A couple months later, a new CD single was released with the songs "Crush", "Mavra Gyalia", and "Eleni" as well as a re-release of her multi platinum album Travma with a bonus CD containing songs from previous albums, only in Australia.
In April 1998, Vissi released her new studio album titled Antidoto , which sold more than 80,000 copies in just one week, breaking all previous records to that point.. The album eventually achieved triple platinum status. During the summer of 1998 Vissi presented a show at club Asteria.
Later that year, Vissi gave a charity concert at the Presidential Palace in Cyprus, with the presidential orchestra of the Russian Confederacy (Telethon) and continued with two concerts in London, in February 1999 (Forum Music Theatre, Palladium Theatre). Shortly after, there was also a mini tour in the U.S., giving concerts in Los Angeles, Atlantic City, Chicago, Boston and New York (Madison Square Garden). The Los Angeles Times wrote: "A performance so charismatic, so filled with sheer magnetic talent... expect big things from this potential new international star" , while the New York Times wrote: "With raised arms and delicately stepping feet, she was no unapproachable, packaged pop diva, but an irrepressible entertainer" .
In New York City, Vissi per
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