Constantinos Christoforou
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Constantinos Christoforou, Greek: Κωνσταντίνος Χριστοφόρου (b. 25 April 1977 in Limassol, Cyprus), has sung for Cyprus at the Eurovision Song Contest on three occasions, in 1996, 2002 and 2005.
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[edit] The Years In Cyprus
Constantinos began his career at high school releasing his first EP "Tora Pou Milas" featuring his first 2 hit singles and a cover of Cyprus' entry to the Eurovision Song Contest 1988. In 1996 he performed "Mono Yia Mas" in the Cypriot Final to win a place in the Eurovision Song Contest 1996. He easily won the wright to represent Cyprus in Oslo, and there he won the 9th place. The song was released in a maxi single. The same year, at the age of 17, he became the first Cypriot artist to achieve triple platinum sales, with an album that was recorded in Cyprus and not in Athens, where the core of the Greek music industry is located. This album entitled "O,ti M' Afora" was released shortly after his entry in the 1996 Eurovision Song Contest. The album featured "Mono Yia Mas" and the hit singles "Chroma Mavro", "To S' Agapo Pou M' Afora", "Giati Na Me Niazei". Famous Greek artist Bessy Argiraki made a guest appearance singing a duet with Constantinos on the album. In 1997 he started collaborating with best selling Greek artist Anna Vissi, providing vocals on her album Trauma which was the best selling album of the 90s in Cyprus, and the best selling album by a female artist of the 90s in Greece. He also toured with Vissi in her sold up Trauma Tour in 1997 all over Greece and Cyprus and also Australia. He also collaborated with Greek star Sakis Rouvas. In Christmas 1998 he returned in Cyprus were he released the EP "2000 Keria". The single with the same title became a hit in Cyprus.
[edit] ONE
In 1999 he was chosen by the successful Cypriot composer, Georges Theofanous, to be the lead singer in the first boy-band of Greece, ONE. ONE became very popular and commercially successful in Greece and Cyprus, reaching platinum sales for their 3 albums.
In 2002 Konstantinos participated again in the Eurovision Song Contest in Tallinn Estonia, this time as the leader singer of ONE representing Cyprus with the song "Gimme" and finishing in 6th place. The song was recorded in Spanish and was released in Spain. Together with ONE he had the chance in collaborating with the biggest stars of Greek music industry such as Giannis Parios and Anna Vissi again. In April 2003 he announced that he was leaving the band to launch a solo career in Greece.
[edit] Back solo
His first single from his new solo career, "Alive" was again released exclusively in Cyprus and was the opening theme of the music show "@live". The song also featured in the Cypriot edition of his debut solo album "I Agapi Sou Paei" which was released in Greece and Cyprus in September 2003. The first single from the album to be issued in Greece was the title track which soon became a no1 hit. The album also featured the hit singles "Fevgo, Fovame Na Dino" and "Ma Den Me Afises". It also featured a duet with Anna Vissi, "Pote Mi Les Pote" which was an r'n'b remake of Nikos Karvelas 80s hit. The album was a big hit in Cyprus peaking at no1 of the Cypriot charts and achieving Platinum sales. It was also a hit in Greece peaking at no5 of the Greek IFPI charts. In September 2004 he released his third solo album (second in Greece) "Idiotiki Parastasi". The album was again a top 10 hit in Greece and no1 in Cyprus were it achieved gold status. The album featured hit singles such as "Etsi" and "Anarotieme". In 2005 he returned to the contest as a solo artist, this time singing "Ela Ela (Come Baby), (Έλα Έλα in Greek) alongside 1995 Greek entrant Elina Konstantopoulou, in Kiev and finishing in 18th place. The song was included on the Special Edition of "Idiotiki Parastasi" and was also released as a maxi-single in Greece and Cyprus. His fourth solo album (third in Greece) was released in September 2005 entitled "O Giros Tou Kosmou". The album peaked at no1 in Cyprus. In Greece it was released on the last day of the chart-week and with only the sales of one day it debuted at no12 in the album charts, which was its peak position. The album was not as successful as his previous although 3 singles were promoted "Molis Horisa", "Astinomia" and "Mila" a duet with Katerina Stanisi. In May 2006 he released the EP "Thes Na Kanoume Shesi?". The EP peaked at no1 of the Greek CD-Singles IFPI charts and the singles from the release became instant hits in Greece and Cyprus. The EP achieved for Constantinos his first certification in Greece (gold). The same year he announced that he was leaving his record label (EMI) to begin a new collaboration with Virus Music. Thus EMI released a best of compilation. In February 2007 his first album with Virus Music was released. The album was entitled "E Alithia Ine Mia" and debuted at no1 of the Cypriot charts and also entered the top 20 in Greece. Hit singles from the album included "Stasu Ena Lepto", "Mipos", "Ah Agapi".
In May 2008 he will be releasing his new EP "Istoria 2008" which will feature 3 covers and two new songs. First single from the EP is "Afto To Vradi Tha Ne Diko Mas" feat Konsantina (originally performed by Konstantina).
[edit] Composer
Constantinos is also a very successful composer and lyricist and he has composed songs for many famous Greek singers. His biggest success as a composer was the song "Erimi Poli" performed by Anna Vissi which peaked at no1 of the Cypriot charts. He also composed a song for Yiannis Parios.
[edit] Discography
ALBUMS
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- 1996 O,TI M' AFORA (released in Cyprus only) 3X Platinum
- 2003 I AGAPI SOU PAI - (relased in Greece and Cyprus) Cyprus: PLATINUM
- 2004 IDIOTIKI PARASTASI - (released in Greece and Cyprus) Cyprus: GOLD
- 2005 O GIROS TOU KOSMOU - (released in Greece and Cyprus)
- 2007 I ALITHIA INE MIA - (released in Greece and Cyprus)
MAXI-SINGLES/EPs
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- 1995 TORA POU MILAS (released in Cyprus) PLATINUM
- 1996 MONO YIA MAS (released in Cyprus) GOLD
- 1998 2000 KERIA (released in Cyprus) PLATINUM
- 2003 @LIVE (released in Cyprus)
- 2005 ELA-ELA (released in Greece and Cyprus)
- 2006 THES NA KANUME SHESI (released in Greece and Cyprus) Cyprus: GOLD, Greece: GOLD
COMPILATIONS
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- 2006 BEST OF (released in Greece and Cyprus)
WITH ONE
Released in Greece and Cyprus:
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- 1999 ONE (EP)
- 1999 ONE (album) Greece: PLATINUM, Cyprus PLATINUM
- 2000 2000ONE (EP)
- 2001 MORO MOU (album) Greece: PLATINUM, Cyprus PLATINUM
- 2002 GIMME (EP) Greece GOLD, Cyprus PLATINUM
- 2002 DAME (single - released in Spain only)
- 2002 EHO TOSA NA SOU PO & EHO TOSA NA SOU PO+THE ONE AND ONLY (album) Greece: PLATINUM, Cyprus PLATINUM
- 2003 BEST OF ONE LIVE STO LIKAVITO (live album)
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
| Preceded by Alex Panayi |
Cyprus in the Eurovision Song Contest 1996 |
Succeeded by Chara & Andreas Constantinou |
| Preceded by Alex Panayi |
Cyprus in the Eurovision Song Contest (as Member of ONE) 2002 |
Succeeded by Stelios Konstantas |
| Preceded by Lisa Andreas |
Cyprus in the Eurovision Song Contest 2005 |
Succeeded by Annette Artani |
