Nikos Karvelas
Encyclopedia
Nikos Karvelas is a Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....

 songwriter, producer and singer. He has sold millions of records as a producer and is most recognizable for his three-decade-long collaboration with Anna Vissi
Anna Vissi
Anna Vissi , known as Anna Vishy in Cypriot Greek, is a Greek-Cypriot recording artist and actress...

, while some of his other well-known collaborations include Sakis Rouvas
Sakis Rouvas
Anastasios "Sakis" Rouvas II , often referred to mononymously as Sakis, is a Greek musician, television and film artist, businessman, and former pole vaulter who is one of the most successful and influential entertainers of all time in Greece and Cyprus...

. Karvelas has released multiple personal studio albums that have had mild success.

Early life

Karvelas was born in Piraeus
Piraeus
Piraeus is a city in the region of Attica, Greece. Piraeus is located within the Athens Urban Area, 12 km southwest from its city center , and lies along the east coast of the Saronic Gulf....

. When he was 5 years old, his parents bought him his first piano. He started to play popular songs and composed his first melodies. During the 1970s, he studied the law in the University of Athens. Karvelas created his first rock band influenced by famous rock bands like the Beatles and The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...

. He started to become known at the end of the 1970s. In the beginning of the 1980s, Karvelas met his muse, Vissi, and a few years later, in 1983 they got married. Vissi has claimed that the first impression she had when she met Karvelas was a "hairy thing," but she was amazed by his talent and his sex appeal.

1985–91

Karvelas' career as a singer started in 1985 when he released his first studio album under CBS Records Greece, San Diskos Palios (Like An Old Record) making two big hits, Despina and Kalokairines Diakopes (Summer Holidays). The album sold over 50,000 copies and became gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...

. In 1987, he released his second album Ola i Tipota (All or Nothing) and it became platinum
Platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pt and an atomic number of 78. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina del Pinto, which is literally translated into "little silver of the Pinto River." It is a dense, malleable, ductile, precious, gray-white transition metal...

. Next year, he released his third album, Dimosies Scheseis (Public Relations) and in 1989 he released his fourth album, "Tsouzi." His fifth step came out in 1990and tended to be his "lucky" album. It was called Diavolaki (Little Devil) and became gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...

. The top hit of the album was Antistrofi Metrisi (Final Countdown), a duet with Vissi.

One year later he released another gold album, titled O Teleftaios Horos (The Last Dance). The self-titled duet with Vissi confirmed the rumors about the problems of their marriage. In 1991, Karvelas and Vissi tried their luck in a different type of music. Demones (Demons) is the first opera composed by Karvelas and Vissi was the protagonist, while actors including Nikos Samsiaras and John Modinos
John Modinos
John Modinos was a Cypriot opera baritone. He had a career that spanned over four decades. His illustrious career in music, started in New York after winning `The American Theater Wing Concert Award' with which he made his Recital debut in New York's Town Hall that had tremendous reviews. His...

 participated. Vissi has stated "Me and Nikos would like so much to do Demones in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...

 and we spent all our money to produce it without knowing if it will have success". The rock opera was a great success and for two years the theater "Attikon" was sold-out.

1992–99

Emeis (We) was the next album of Karvelas, released in 1992 with the top single Emeis, another duet with Vissi. Two years later, Karvelas releases another gold album, 25 ores (25 Hours). In this period, he cooperated with many famous Greek singers like Lefteris Pantazis
Lefteris Pantazis
Lefteris Pantazis who is often called by the nickname LEPA by the media and his fans, is a famous Greek singer. He was born Eleftherios Pagkozidis on 27 March 1955 to Pontic Greek parents in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in the USSR...

, Antypas, Stathis Aggelopoulos, Katerina Stanisi and others. All the albums were great successes and became either gold or platinum. In 1993, Karvelas released Best Of with 2 new songs, "Oikto" (Mercy) and "Thes Den Thes" (Whether You Want or Not). In 1996, he released the album To Aroma tis Amartias (The Aroma of Sin) and it became platinum
Platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pt and an atomic number of 78. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina del Pinto, which is literally translated into "little silver of the Pinto River." It is a dense, malleable, ductile, precious, gray-white transition metal...

. Next year, the title of his gold album, O Pio Eftihismenos Anthropos Pano Sti Gi (The Happiest Man On Earth), ironically expressed Karvelas' mood. This certain period, Karvelas moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

 permanently, having enough time and great inspiration to prepare his next steps. He released the album Ena Hrono to Perissotero (One Year the Most) expressing his feeling about love, happiness and relationships. Vissi sang with Nikos the top single of the album which was the name of the album. Few months later, the famous Greek composer Stamatis Kraounakis
Stamatis Kraounakis
Stamatis Kraounakis is one of the most important contemporary Greek pop music composers. His works have characterised the decades of 1980s and 1990s in Greece. He is also a lyricist, singer, producer and writer. He was born and lives in Athens and has studied Political Science in Panteion University...

 declared that this song was one of the best ever songs of Karvelas.

2000–present

In 2000, Karvelas from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

 shared his new hits with his fans in the album Ola Ine Endaxi (Everything Is Alright). However, he started to prepare his new musical Mala, dealing with the story of Mala Zimetbaum
Mala Zimetbaum
Malka Zimetbaum, also known as "Mala" Zimetbaum or "Mala the Belgian" , was a young Belgian woman of Polish Jewish descent, known for her escape from the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp and the resistance she displayed at her execution following the escape's failure.- Early life and...

, a Jewish girl who tried to escape from Auschwitz in 1944. In January 2002, Mala’s premiere in "Pallas" theater took place, with Vissi playing the lead role. The musical was a great success and it was sold-out every night. After Mala, Karvelas released an album titled, Party Gia Spasmenes Kardies (Party for Broken Hearts). Boom Boom Boom was the first single of the album, a memorial duet with Vissi. His next album was Robot, released by Nitro Music. In 2004, he released a single dedicated to the Greek football champion team in Euro 2004. The title was Imaste Nikites (We Are Winners). Some of the football players participated in the song's music video. In 2006, he released the album Thriller and in 2007 the single Pios Fovate ton Passari (Who's Afraid of Passaris). In late 2007 he released the album Trakter. In February 2009, Karvelas released his 19th studio album titled Adio Heimona
Adio Heimona
- External links :*...

. In a radio interview prior to the album's release, good friend Natalia Germanou
Natalia Germanou
Natalia Germanou is a Greek lyricist, television hostess, radio producer, DJ and journalist.Germanou has written lyrics for many popular Greek singers such as Anna Vissi, Christos Dantis, Elena Paparizou, Sakis Rouvas, Despina Vandi, Mihalis Hatzigiannis, Notis Sfakianakis, Natasa Theodoridou,...

, described the album as featuring a variety of styles, and classified it as "the return of good old Karvelas." In December 2009, it was announced that Karvelas would become the head judge on the Greek talent show "Greek Idol
Greek Idol
Greek Idol is a reality television competition to find new solo singing talent. Part of the Idol franchise, it is based on the British show Pop Idol created by Simon Fuller. The first season of the show debut on March 5, 2010 on Alpha TV. The second season is scheduled to premiere on 19 February 2011...

" to be aired on Alpha TV
Alpha TV
Alpha TV is a Greek terrestrial channel . The station features a mix of Greek and foreign shows with an emphasis on entertainment programs. The studios are located near Athens...

 in 2010, but he eventually withdrew from the project before it started airing.

Personal life

In the beginning of the 1980s Karvelas met Vissi and a few years later, in 1983, they got married. They have a daughter named Sofia Karvela. The couple later got divorced, but remain good friends up to date, while Karvelas also writes most of Vissi's songs.

In January 2008, Karvelas and his fiancé Annita Pania
Annita Pania
Annita Pania is a Greek television hostess.Before presenting her first dating show, "To Hrisso Koufeto" , she was a teacher of French language and a songwriter....

 had a son named Andreas. In November 2008, Pania and Karvelas were arrested by the police after an alleged police chase, which started off with them running a red light. The incident supposedly started when a car, driven by Karvelas, ran a red light. Police then allegedly followed them and turned their sirens on to pull them over. Karvelas allegedly continued on, running further red lights and driving erratically, while the police continued to chased him. Pania and Karvelas allege that they were listening to a new song Karvelas wrote, with the volume up high, and did no hear any sirens and were not aware of any police. They also deny ever running the red light. Later, the couple claimed that the policemen not only were overzealous, commanding and rude (using the word re), but also threatened them with their weapons. Pania also mentioned later on TV that she does respect the police, but on the other hand the couple would not comply to "bullies", "cops" and "baskines" (the latter is a pejorative Greek word signifying policemen), whose insulting behavior rather "reminded of the Greek Junta". The couple vowed to take the subject up in court. Pania and Karvelas were later judged in court, found guilty and sentenced to 14 and 10 months in prison respectively, though they were allowed to buy out their sentences.

In 2010, Karvelas married Pania in Athens.

Studio albums

Year Title Certification
1983 Taxi
1984 Den Pandrevome
1985 Nick Carr
1986 Sa Diskos Palios Gold
1987 Ola I Tipota Platinum
1988 Dimosies Scheseis
1989 Tsouzi
Tsouzi
Tsouzi is the seventh studio album by Greek singer-songwriter and record producer Nikos Karvelas, released by CBS Records Greece in April 1989. In 1997, a remastered version of the album was released, with the same tracklist as on the initial 1989 CD version.- Track listing :† Included on the CD...

1990 Diavolaki Gold
1991 O Teleftaios Horos
1992 Emeis
Emeis
Emeis is the name of a Greek album jointly recorded by singers Anna Vissi and Nikos Karvelas. It was released in Greece and Cyprus in 1992 by Sony Music Greece. It has achieved gold status...

Gold
1995 25 Ores Gold
1996 To Aroma Tis Amartias Platinum
1997 O Pio Eftihismenos Anthropos Pano Sti Gi
1998 Ena Hrono To Perissotero
2000 Ola Einai Endaxi
2002 Robot
2006 Thriler
2007 Trakter
2009 Adio Heimona
Adio Heimona
- External links :*...

2011 Ola Einai Mes Sto Mialo

CD Singles

Year Title Notes
2003 Party Gia Spasmenes Kardies
2004 Eimaste Nikites
2007 Pios Fovate Ton Passari

Compilations

Year Title Notes
1992 Ikto!: 20 Megales Epitihies Tou

As a songwriter for other artists

  • 1981: Anna Vissi
    Anna Vissi
    Anna Vissi , known as Anna Vishy in Cypriot Greek, is a Greek-Cypriot recording artist and actress...

     - Anna Vissi (as Nikos Leonardos) - Platinum
  • 1982: Anna Vissi - Eimai To Simera Kai Eisai To Hthes
  • 1984: Anna Vissi - Na 'Hes Kardia
    Na 'Hes Kardia
    Na 'hes Kardia is the name of the sixth album by Greek singer Anna Vissi. Released in 1984, it was her first album under CBS Greece. It featured 12 laika songs, the music of whom was written by her then-husband Nikos Karvelas. Lyricists of the album were Karvelas, Vissi herself and Sarantis...

     - Gold
  • 1985: Anna Vissi - Kati Simveni
    Kati Simveni
    Kati Simveni is the name of a Greek album by singer Anna Vissi. The album was released in Greece and Cyprus by CBS Greece in 1985. This album includes her signature song "Dodeka". The album reached gold status.-Background:...

     - Gold
  • 1986: Anna Vissi - I Epomeni Kinisi
    I Epomeni Kinisi
    I Epomeni Kinisi is the name of a Greek album by singer Anna Vissi released in Greece and Cyprus in 1986 by CBS Greece. This album is all written by Nikos Karvelas. In spite of her previous albums, it featured a clear pop sound, very distinctive of Vissi's next albums...

     - Platinum
  • 1986: Rita Sakellariou
    Rita Sakellariou
    Rita Sakellariou was a famous Greek singer. Amongst her fans were Andreas Papandreou, Melina Mercouris, Aristotle Onasis, Anthony Quinn and others. She worked with some of the greater Greek musicians like Vassilis Tsitsanis and Giannis Papaioannou...

     - Areso - Platinum
  • 1988: Anna Vissi - Tora
    Tora (Anna Vissi album)
    Tora is the name of a 1988 music album by singer Anna Vissi. It was released in Greece and Cyprus by CBS Greece.-Reception:The lead single "1988 Ki Akoma S' Agapo" was well received by radio stations, rising to the top of the charts. The song is considered a classic Greek ballad and a pop standard...

     - Gold
  • 1988: Anna Vissi - Empnefsi!
    Empnefsi!
    Empnefsi! is the name of a Greek album by singer Anna Vissi. It was released in Greece and Cyprus in December 1988 by CBS Greece. It featured ten pop songs, written by her then-husband Nikos Karvelas. The album reached Gold status...

     - Gold
  • 1989: Anna Vissi - Fotia
    Fotia
    Fotia is the name of a Greek album by singer Anna Vissi. It was released in Greece and Cyprus in 1989 by CBS Greece. The album is entirely composed and written by Nikos Karvelas. The album reached platinum status...

     - Platinum
  • 1990: Anna Vissi - Eimai
    Eimai
    Eimai is the name of a Greek album by singer Anna Vissi released in Greece and Cyprus in 1990 by CBS Greece.-Background:The song "Perimeno Tilefonima Sou" is dedicated to the musical The Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber...

  • 1992: Katerina Stanisi - Anastatonomai - Gold
  • 1992: Anna Vissi - Lambo
    Lambo (Anna Vissi album)
    Lambo is the name of an album by Greek singer Anna Vissi, released in Greece and Cyprus in 1992. The single "Lambo" prompted the mambo dance trend in Greece...

  • 1993: Katerina Stanisi - Na Mineis - Gold
  • 1993: Lefteris Pantazis
    Lefteris Pantazis
    Lefteris Pantazis who is often called by the nickname LEPA by the media and his fans, is a famous Greek singer. He was born Eleftherios Pagkozidis on 27 March 1955 to Pontic Greek parents in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in the USSR...

     - Ego Den Eimai Ego - Platinum
  • 1993: Anna Vissi - Live!
    Live! (Anna Vissi album)
    Anna Vissi Live! is the name of a live Greek album by singer Anna Vissi. It is her first live album and was released in Greece and Cyprus in December 1993. It was recorded in Zoom night club, in Plaka, Athens. The reason for its release was to celebrate the 20 years of Anna Vissi's career...

  • 1994: Sakis Rouvas
    Sakis Rouvas
    Anastasios "Sakis" Rouvas II , often referred to mononymously as Sakis, is a Greek musician, television and film artist, businessman, and former pole vaulter who is one of the most successful and influential entertainers of all time in Greece and Cyprus...

     - Aima, Dakrya & Idrotas
    Aima, Dakrya & Idrotas
    Aima, Dakrya & Idrotas is the fourth studio album by Greek singer Sakis Rouvas, released in November 1994 in Greece and Cyprus by PolyGram Records Greece. This album was Rouvas' primary collaboration with singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Nikos Karvelas.-Production history:The album was...

     - Platinum
  • 1994: Lefteris Pantazis - O Paixtis - Gold
  • 1994: Anna Vissi - Re!
    Re!
    Re! is the name of a Greek album by singer Anna Vissi released in Greece and Cyprus on December 24, 1994. It was recorded in London at Whitfield Street Recording Studios and released by Sony Music Greece. It is the most acoustic album Vissi has released up to date. It was repackaged in 1995 to...

     - Gold
  • 1995: Lefteris Pantazis - Erhetai - Gold
  • 1996: Sakis Rouvas - Tora Arhizoun Ta Dyskola
    Tora Arhizoun Ta Dyskola
    Tora Arhizoun Ta Dyskola is the fifth studio album by Greek singer Sakis Rouvas, released on May 12, 1996 in Greece and Cyprus by PolyGram Records Greece...

     - Platinum
  • 1996: Lambis Livieratos - Bam Kai Kato - Gold
  • 1996: Anna Vissi - Klima Tropiko
    Klima Tropiko
    Klima Tropiko is the name of a Greek album by singer Anna Vissi released in Greece and Cyprus in February 1996...

     - 3x Platinum
  • 1997: Lambis Livieratos - Poios Einai Aftos - Gold
  • 1997: Anna Vissi - Travma
    Travma
    Travma is the name of a Greek album by singer Anna Vissi released in Greece and Cyprus on April 14, 1997. In Greece it became Gold within 12 days and 3x Platinum within 6 months.The album also includes a duet with fellow Greek pop star Sakis Rouvas....

     - 3x Platinum
  • 1998: Anna Vissi - Antidoto
    Antidoto
    Antidoto is the name of a Greek album by singer Anna Vissi released in Greece and Cyprus in 1998. The album reached 3x Platinum status and is the first album in Greek music history to sell 80,000 copies in the first week of its release...

     - 3x Platinum
  • 1999: Christina Anagnostopoulou - Ola Ki Ola
  • 1999: Dimitris Kokotas - Gia Mena - Gold
  • 2000: Anna Vissi - Everything I Am
    Everything I Am
    Everything I Am is the title of the debut English-language album by Greek singer Anna Vissi. It was created under Vissi's affiliation with Sony Music Entertainment international who granted her collaboration with successful American songwriters and producers...

     - Platinum
  • 2000: Anna Vissi - Kravgi
    Kravgi
    - International Editions :The album was also released in Turkey and in Australia and New Zealand. In Australia and New Zealand the album kept its original track listing. In Turkey it was released as a 17-track album...

     - 7x Platinum
  • 2001: Christina Anagnostopoulou - Ke Hamogelao
  • 2002: Anna Vissi - X
    X (Anna Vissi album)
    X is the name of a Greek album by singer Anna Vissi released 2002 in Greece and Cyprus by Sony Music Greece. The album reached 2x platinum in Greece and 2x platinum in Cyprus...

     - 2x Platinum
  • 2003: Anna Vissi - Paraksenes Eikones
    Paraksenes Eikones
    Paraksenes Eikones is the name of a Greek album by singer Anna Vissi released in Greece and Cyprus on December 5, 2003. The album featured the song "Eisai" that later became Call Me in English and which topped the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play in 2005...

     - 2x Platinum
  • 2004: Christina Anagnostopoulou - Straight
  • 2004: Anna Vissi - Live - Platinum
  • 2005: Anna Vissi - Nylon
    Nylon (album)
    Nylon is the name of a Greek album by singer Anna Vissi, released in Greece and Cyprus on September 28, 2005, and subsequently in select European countries and Taiwan...

     - Platinum
  • 2007: Various artists - Je T'Aime
  • 2010: Anna Vissi - Agapi Einai Esi Gold
  • 2011: Paschalis Terzis
    Paschalis Terzis
    Paschalis Terzis is a popular Greek singer.-Biography:Terzis was born in Pylaia, a suburb of Thessaloniki in the region of Northern Greece. In his early teens he began to sing with friends, some of whom helped him in his career...

    - Dio Nichtes Mono

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK