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Haris Alexiou (Template:Lang-el) (born December 27, 1950 in Thebes, Greece as Harikleia Roupaka, Template:Lang-el) is a Greek singer. She is one of the most popular singers in Greece and has been commercially successful since the 1970s. She has worked with important Greek songwriters, performed at top musical theatres all over the world and has received several awards. She has recorded over thirty albums and has been featured on albums of other musicians. Her family migrated in 1924 from the village of Bulgurca, which was near the present Izmir's Gaziemir (formerly Seydiköy) district. Greeks constituted the majority of Bulgurca's population before the population exchange between Turkey and Greece in 1924. Bulgurca was relocated in 1998 due to the building of the Tahtalı Dam. It is bounded to Menderes (formerly Cumaovası) district.
Career
Haris Alexiou appeared in the Greek musical scene in the early 70s. The first significant step in her career was her participation with George Dalaras in the album Mikra Asia (Asia Minor) written by Apostolos Caldaras and Pythagoras in 1972. A historic album, the biggest hit of the '70s and rightfully included in "MINOS-EMI's 100 Greatest Hit of the Century".
In 1973 Haris participated in the albums Kalimera Ilie (Good Morning, Sun) by Manos Loizos and Lefteris Papadopoulos, Byzantinos Esperinos by Apostolos Kaldaras and Lefteris Papadopoulos and Odos Aristotelous (Aristotelous Street) by Yannis Spanos and Lefteris Papadopoulos. Meeting Manos Loizos was the beginning of a lifelong friendship and a prolific professional collaboration.
Solo
In 1975 her first personal album 12 'Laika' Songs was released. One of them, "Dimitroula" became an all time standard. That same year, she appeared in "boites" in Plaka, imposing a new way of presenting songs, which was completely different from the conventional popular night clubs. It was the first year after the fall of the military junta, a time for political songs and the revival of "rebetika" songs, and Haris Alexiou sang traditional songs, ballads, modern songs, folk songs and rebetika. For a long period of time she appeared with George Dalaras, Dimitra Galani, Basilis Papakonstantinou and Yannis Parios. Her concerts in stadiums and theatres, with songs written by Loizos, Papadopoulos, Nikolopoulos, Spanos, Theodorakis, Kuyumdjis and others, were incredibly successful. Since then she has been affectionately referred to as "Haroula" (Little Joy).
In 1979 the album Ta tragoudia tis Haroulas (Haroula's Songs) was released. Manos Loizos had written the music and the lyrics were written by Manolis Rassoulis and Pythagoras. From this album,"O Fantaros" ("The Soldier") became a hit, while "Ola Se Thymizoun" ("All Things Remind Me of You") is considered one the most beautiful Greek ballads of all time.
The '80s started with two huge hits: "Fevgo" ("I'm Leaving") and "Ximeroni" ("Day Breaks"). Songs of Yesterday, her album with Dimitra Galani includes ballads which also receive lots of airplay. Alexiou continued to record traditional folk songs, rebetika, and laika, and gave concerts in Greece and abroad.
1983 was the year of the album Tsilika, a true collector's item with old rebetika songs written between 1900 and 1935.
1986 was the year of her first cooperation with composer Thanos Mikroutsikos. The album was entitled I Agapi Ine Zali with lyrics by Alkis Alkeos, Nikos Kavvadias, Andreas Mikroutsikos and Babis Tsikliropoulos. The title song was an instant hit. "Eleni" and "Erotikon" from the same album, were also very successful. That same year Haroula conquered the French public appearing in the "Theatre de la Ville", getting great reviews from the French press. After that she gave concerts in Cyprus, Tunisia, Germany and many cities all over Greece.
In 1987, world famous Greek composer, Manos Hadjidakis, invited her to appear in his club "Sirius" with the "Unpredictable Songs". He directed and later recorded several songs with her. That summer, Alexiou sang in Hadjidakis' concerts all over Greece.
In 1988 she worked with "Fatme," a group of young and talented artists. She also worked with Paolo Conte, a well known Italian singer/songwriter. They appeared together at the Palace Theatre of Athens. She had two of his songs recorded with Greek lyrics by Lina Nikolakopoulou.
In 1989, "The Show is on". This was a musical show which she presented for two years together with Dimitra Galani and Yannis Parios in Athens and Thessaloniki. An album with the same title resulted from this work.
1990 began with her second cooperation with Thanos Mikroutsikos. The album was entitled This Cologne Lingers on for Years with lyrics by Lina Nikolakopoulou. In October of the same year, she participated in the most important Greek concert of that decade in Peace and Friendship Stadium of Athens. In this festive concert, called "Our Own Night", all the big names of modern Greek show business were present: Yannis Parios, Thanos Mikroutsikos, Dimitra Galani, Chris Nikolopoulos, Alkistis Protopsalti, George Sarris, George Zambetas, Lakis Lazopoulos and the legendary Melina Merkouri.
In 1991 she appeared in the Attikon Theatre of Athens with a special show called In Three Acts. In the first act she sang songs by Hadjidakis, Loizos, Mikroutsikos and Brecht-Weill. In the second act she hosted groups of modern Greek music and presented songs she had written herself. The third act was a medley of her hits, old and new. She then presented this show in the State Theatre of Northern Greece, which for the first time accepted a Greek singer in its stage. In autumn 1991, together with Costas Hadjis, presented a show directed by Maouro Bolognini at the Rex Theatre in Athens and Radio City in Thessaloniki. Alexiou Sings Hadjis was the album that followed.
In 1992 she started her cooperation with Polygram, successfully presenting a new style in her songs. The album Di' efchon( L'orale) with music by Nikos Antypas and lyrics by Lina Nikolakopoulou came as something quite fresh in the Greek discography, giving a new thrust to Haroula's already long career.
In 1993 the above album was released in Japan, Belgium, France and Israel by Polygram International. The French TV channel MCM International filmed and showed her concert at Lycabetus Theatre. The same year she traveled around the world with concerts in Cyprus, USA, Canada, Israel, several European countries, finishing in Paris at the Mogador Theatre.
In 1994 her album Hey! was released with music by Nikos Antypas and lyrics by Lefteris Papadopoulos and Aris Davarakis. The summer of the same year, she appeared in Herod Atticus Odeon with a show directed by Mauro Bolognini. In October, it was her first and very successful appearance in Japan.
In 1995, the album 88 Nefelis Street was released. The songs of this album were all written by Alexiou herself. For this album, in April 1995, at the Palais des Congrès in Paris, she received the "Prix Adami", an award given every Year by the Charles Cross Academy to distinguished artists. That same year she opened Studio Nefeli where she presented her new songs creating a new "Cafe Theatre" atmosphere. Dimitri Papajoannou was the director of the show.
In 1996, she wrote the lyrics for "Nefeli's Tango" on Celtic musician Loreena McKennitt's music. This song along with other live recordings from her concerts around the world, is included in the album Around the World '92-'96. "Nefeli's Tango", for several months was one of the ten top songs of World Music in Europe.
In summer 1997, responding to the invitation of Olympic Games Committee "Athens 2004", she gave a concert at Pnyka Hill very close to Acropolis. It was so successful, that a second show was added.
1998 was the year of The Game of Love, her second album with songs written solely by Alexiou. The recording took place at the Studio Guillaume Tell in Paris with Greek and foreign musicians. That same year she toured Northern and South America with Nikos Papazoglou. In December she appeared in Athens at Diogenis Studio which was reconstructed in order to meet the demands of the show she presented with Chris Nikolopoulos. The show was directed by Dimitri Papaioannou again.
In October 1999, she sang along with the famous Turkish singer Sezen Aksu, both in Athens and Istanbul, for the victims of the earthquakes which afflicted the two countries that year, under the auspice of the Ministry of Culture. This cooperation is repeated in summer 2000 in Istanbul and Izmir, giving both women standing ovations.
In September 2000, the album Whispers was released. This album was unique in that Alexiou sang her favourite songs accompanied only by piano and acoustic guitar. In October, she presented these songs in Music Palace of Athens and in the ancient Epidaurus Odeon accompanied by a small musical ensemble. That same year, she and her production company 'Haris Productions' released under Estia the album Strange Light. In this album, she collaborated with songwriters with whom she successfully worked with in the past. Strange Light became Lumière Etrange and was released all over Europe by Universal-France. At the same time, Haroula toured Europe giving concerts at prestigious theatres, conquering both audiences and critics. Her tour ended with a wonderful appearance at Theatre Olympia in Paris.
2002 was another creative year for Haroula. She appeared on the Keramikos Music Hall, this time singing more "laika" songs. In this show, Lavrentis Macheritsas and other younger artists participated. The result was the album Keramikos Live.
In September 2003, the Haris Alexiou album entitled Os tin Akri tou Ouranou Sou (To the End of your Heaven ) was released. It included thirteen songs written by various composers and lyricists. Four of these songs were written by Haris Alexiou. The rest were written by well known Greek songwriters such as Antonis Vardis, George Theofanous, Manolis Famelos, the duo "Ekinos + Ekinos" (Tassos Voyadjis and Solon Apostolakis), Makis Seviloglou, Panayotis Yatrakos and Sophia Argyropoulou. Two of the songs were performed by Haris Alexiou, one with Yannis Kotsiras and one with Filipos Pliatsikas of Greek rock band Pyx-Lax. It was a work that compiled a variety of styles including the "laiko" (traditional popular music), ballads and modern songs, but with with all having a common concept regarding the sound. The whole work was characterized by a direct approach to the public as it included thirteen short subjects in which every listener can discover something of themselves. The album is currently certificated 4x platinum, for sales of more than 180.000.
In 2004 she released Anthologio (Anthology), a best of compilation. It has since gone 2x platinum. She participated in the closing ceremony of the 2004 Summer Olympic Games.
In 2007 she released two live albums, both of them have gone platinum.
Discography
- 1972: Mikra Asia (with George Dalaras)
- 1973: Byzantinos Esperinos (with George Dalaras)
- 1974: Prodomenos Laos (Mikis Theodorakis)
- 1974: Kalimera Ilie (Manos Loizos)
- 1974: Gia Rembetes Kai Gia Filous (Apostolos Kaldaras)
- 1974: Odos Aristotelous (Giannis Spanos)
Solo
- 1975: 12 Laika Tragoudia
- 1976: Laikes Kyriakes
- 1976: Haris Alexiou 2
- 1977: 24 Tragoudia Kai 1 Tragoudi
- 1979: Ta Tragoudia Tis Haroulas
- 1980: Ksimeronei
- 1981: Ta Tragoudia Tis Htesinis Meras
- 1981: Ta Tragoudia Tis Yis Mou
- 1982: I Zoi Mou Kyklous Kanei
- 1983: Ta Tsilika
- 1984: Emfilios Erotas
- 1986: I Agapi Einai Zali
- 1986: A Paris
- 1987: I Haris Alexiou Se Aprovlepta Tragoudia
- 1988: I Nihta Thelei Erota
- 1990: Krataei Hronia Afti I Kolonia
- 1991: I Alexiou Tragoudaei Hatzi
- 1991: I Diki Mas Nihta
- 1992: Di'Efhon
- 1994: Ei
- 1995: Odos Nefelis '88
- 1996: Gyrizontas Ton Kosmo
- 1997: Ena Fili Tou Kosmou
- 1997: Gyrizontas Ton Kosmo Kai Ena Fili Tou Kosmou
- 1998: To Paihnidi Tis Agapis
- 2000: Parakseno Fos
- 2000: Psythyri
- 2002: Cine Kerameikos
- 2003: Os Tin Akri Tou Ouranou Sou
- 2004: Anthologio
- 2006: Vissino Kai Nerantzi
- 2006: Gyrizontas Ton Kosmo Kai Ena Fili Tou Kosmou (Special Edition)
- 2007: Alexiou - Malamas - Ioannidis
- 2007: Afieroma Sto Mano Loizo
External links
- Official website
- Haris Alexiou Community Forum
- Photo of Haris Alexiou
- Video clip of Di Efhon / ΔI' EYXΩN
Notes
- Golan, Avirama (2008-06-05). "Greek goddess". Haaretz. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
- Sykka, Iota (2003-09-23). "Singer Haris Alexiou takes the lead in CD price-cutting". Kathimerini. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
- Martin, Hugh J (2004-08-30). "Rogge closes Athens Olympics". Retrieved 2008-06-18.