Hi-5 (Greek band)
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Hi-5 was a Greek girl pop group consisting of five females created by the Greek version of the popular show Popstars in 2003. The band shot to fame immediately and had huge fans in Greece and Cyprus. Some of their biggest hits were Xero Ti Zitao, To Tyhero Asteri, M' Ena Fili, Gennithika Xana and Tha se perimeno. They split in 2005 on very bad terms after a big fight and after two years of sheer success to pursue solo careers.
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[edit] The Girls
Marlen Angelidou — Marlen was born Maria Eleni Madalena on 6 September 1978 in Cyprus to a Scottish mother and a father of Greek and Cypriot descent. After graduating from Nicosia Grammar School, she studied business management, as well as working in the music industry. She started working in a music theatre in London and toured Europe playing in jazz and rock concerts. She represented Cyprus in the Eurovision Song Contest 1999 with Tha 'Ne Erotas but came in a disappointing second to last after a bad stage performance in which she received just two points from UK, despite previous bets showing her winning the event. Unperturbed, she returned to fame after winning Popstars in Greece and joined the all girl band Hi-5.
Irini Psyhrami — Irini Psyhrami was born on 17 July 1983 in Athens, Greece. From a young age, Irini has been involved with singing, dancing, and performing. At the age of 15, she played several roles in TV series and was a member of two different rock groups (Just a Minute and Afytis).
Froso Papaharalambous — Froso was born on 4 July 1981 in Cyprus's capital, Nicosia. She has held many different jobs, from a baby-sitter, to a clothing shop assistant, to air stewardess for Cyprus Airways. Froso was doing her third year of marketing studies at Cyprus College when she appeared on Popstars in Greece. She went on to win the TV show and become a member of its own production girl band, Hi-5. After several albums, many no.1 hits and two years of sheer success, Hi-5 came to an end in 2005. Froso is said to have signed up with a music company. For the time being , fans say that she is in Cyprus, finishing her studies.
Shaya — Marianna Hansen (later more commonly known as Shaya) was born on 17 February 1982 in Denmark to a Danish father and a Guyanese mother. Her family moved to nearby Sweden while Shaya was still young. When she was a teenager, Shaya and her relatives emigrated to Thessalonica in Greece, where she released her song, Release Me, and toured European countries with her music. She later worked as a musical performer in a club in Thessalonica. Her big break came when she won Popstars and entered the ever-successful group Hi-5. After numerous chart-topping albums and singles, the band came to an end in 2005 when all its members decided that they would enter solo careers while their success was still booming. Shaya has performed at the night-club Chiculata in Greece, performing with some famous Greek artists such as Yiorgos Xanthiotis, Sabrina, and Stathis Xenos. Her first CD (a duet with rapper Bob) was released in the summer. Currently, Shaya can be seen on the Danish tv show, Sangstjerner (Singstars).
Nansy Stergiopoulou — Nansy, the youngest of Hi-5 group members, was born on 14 July 1984, in Athens. Nansy's family originally is from Serres, in northern Greece. At a young age, Nansy began taken lessons on classical guitar. She dreamt of either teaching classical dance or English literature, which she studied at the University of New York. At just 18 years of age, she took part in TV show Popstars. Nansy was stunned to win a spot in the show's band, Hi-5.
[edit] Success
Hi-5's fan club was one of the largest among the Greek bands[citation needed]. Their website had more than 2,000,000 views in less than a year, while uncountable web-clubs were created for the individual girls[citation needed]. Their first, selftitled album, "Hi-5", achieved a 3-times platinum status (95,000 copies) in less than two months[citation needed]. The singles of this album were: Ksero ti zitao, Tychero asteri, Allo agapi allo sex (which is written by the writer of Madonna's "Like a virgin"), and Me ena fili. They had more than 5 #1 tracks in 1 year. Furthermore, their song "Lathos i sosto" was chosen to be played in the Billboard radio during the summer of 2003. In Christmas 2003, they released a cd album with christmas songs, such as "Christougenna Magika" and "Mia nychta san ki afti". It achieved golden status (25,000+ copies) in 2 weeks[citation needed]. No music video exists for any of these songs. Their 3rd (and last) album was called "Makria apo afti ti gi" and was released in June 2004. It achieved platinum status (42,000 copies) in 3 weeks[citation needed]. The first single out of this album was "Gennithika ksana", (this CD single, was a double A-side single). The next singles were "Tha se perimeno", "Tipota", and "Skepsou" . There is no video for this album, except for the song "Gennithika ksana".
[edit] The split up
Hi-5 split up in February 2005, after a fight and the closing of their record company, the Greek repertoire division of Warner Music Greece. All the girls, except Froso, pursued solo careers. Marlain got the main role of the musical "Saturday Night Fever", Nancy worked in a night club along with the famous singer Thanos Petrelis, Shaya also worked in a night club, while Irini worked in bars, as a rock singer. Rumors say that Marlain, Nancy and Irini are preparing their first solo albums. Shaya has already released some tracks: "Thelis na ginoume ena" and "Ilios ke ouranos". Froso,the most popular girl of the band, has returned to her homeland (Cyprus) in order to finish her studies.
[edit] Hits
Ksero ti zitao Tychero asteri All the woman you need Allo agapi allo sex Me ena fili Psakse Christougenna magika Kane mia efxi Mia nixta san ki afti Gennithika ksana Tha se perimeno Tipota Skepsou
[edit] Discography
CD Albums
- Hi-5 (2003) [Status: 3xPlatinum - more than 92,000 copies]
- Mia nihta san ki afti (2003) [Status: Golden - more than 25,000 copies]
- Makria apo afti ti gi (2004) [Status: Platinum - more than 42,000 copies]
CD Singles
- Ksero ti zitao (2003) [Status: 2xPlatinum - more than 30,000 copies]
- Tichero asteri (2003) (promo)
- Allo agapi allo sex/Me ena fili (2003) (promo)
- Agnosto pedi tou kosmou (2003) [more than 10,000 copies]
- Gennithika ksana/To be with you (2004) [Status: Platinum - more than 25,000 copies]
- Tipota/Skepsou (2004) (promo)
