| Marinella Μαρινέλλα |
|
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kyriaki Papadopoulou |
| Born | May 20, 1938 Thessaloniki, Greece |
| Genres | Folk, Laïko, blues, Rebetiko |
| Occupations | Musician, singer |
| Years active | 1957–present |
| Labels | PolyGram Greece, Minos EMI, BMG Greece, Universal Music Greece |
Marinella (Greek: Μαρινέλλα) (born May 20, 1938) is one of the most popular Greek singers whose career has spanned several decades. She has sung professionally since 1957. Since the beginning of her career, she has released 66 personal albums and has been featured in albums of other musicians.
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She was born Kyriaki Papadopoulou, in the city of Thessaloniki in northern Greece. Her parents were Greek refugees from Constantinople. She is the fourth and last child of a large family, which despite its poverty, was rich in love and in artistic vein. The whole family gathered around the turntable and sang, while her father tried to teach children the steps of the waltz and the tango.
From four years singing on the radio broadcast in "Pediki Ora (Child Time)" and later did ads for shops "Melka" in Thessaloniki, pushing the first pocket money. She participated in many performances of children's theater.
When was fifteen years old gave up to finish school, but in seventeen of stirring passion for theater and joins the troupe of Mary Laurent, a "mpoulouki" (so it was called the troupes who sailed to Greece from end to end) and plays roles of inspection. One day the singer of the troupe got sick and sought replacement of the Marinella willing to take its place. At the moment the Marinella sang was the moment when the Greek song won one of the best representatives of the. Marinella was the lead singer of the troupe. She later joined the Military Theater because the payment was better. At the same time she started her career as a singer at the center "Panorama" of Thessaloniki. There, Tolis Harmas would baptize her with the artist name "Marinella", inspired by his song.
She released her first song in 1957, "Nitsa, Elenitsa (Little Helen)". Her early career was marked by her collaboration with singer Stelios Kazantzidis. Together they managed to become the greatest duet of Greece, unsurpassed until today. From the night club "Luxembourg" in Thessaloniki where they did their first successful times, descended in Athens and from there enter the upward trend.
They sang the best composers of the era; Mikis Theodorakis, Manos Hadjidakis, Vasilis Tsitsanis, Giorgos Mitsakis, Giorgos Zambetas, Apostolos Kaldaras, Theodoros Derveniotis, Christos Leontis etc.
Marinella married Stelios Kazantzidis on 7 May 1964 and they toured together in Germany and the United States. They divorced in September 1966.
Marinella was the first Greek singer to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest of 1974, placing eleventh with the song "Krasi, Thalassa Kai T' Agori Mou (Wine, sea and my boyfriend)". She also performed in several Greek musicals, both as singer and actress. Her popularity rose in the late 60's, 70's and 80's, with a string of successful albums and live shows. She developed a new standard for shows in the Greek night clubs, introducing costumes, dancing, and special lighting effects. Many of today's popular Greek singers have modelled their shows on Marinella's shows of the 80's.
In 1998, Marinella performed in the Megaron Music Hall of Athens, performing her older hits to great acclaim. Her concert at the small Olympic stadium of Athens in 1999 was a great success with more than 25.000 people.
In 2003, she collaborated with George Dalaras. They gave concerts in Athens and Thessaloniki as well as abroad. The tour was titled "Mazi (Together)" and the released CD from these performances reached platinum status. On April 10, 2003, the New York Times wrote about Marinella "Her voice was earthy and strong, and she had the presence of an actress as she danced a few teasing steps or brought dignity to longing" (by Jon Pareles).[1]
In 2004, she released a brand new album with new songs by Nikos Antypas and Lina Nikolakopoulou, entitled "Ammos itane (It was sand)". In the same year she performed at the closing ceremony of the 2004 Summer Olympics.
In 2005, Marinella released a new album titled "Tipota den ginete tyhea (Nothing is random)", composed by famous Greek composer and lyricist Giorgos Theofanous. The album reached gold status and includes duets with famous Greek singers, such as Antonis Remos, Glykeria and Kostas Makedonas.
In 2006, two new compilations of Marinella were officially released, the first titled "Sti skini (On stage)" and containing older live recordings and the second one titled "Ta logia ine peritta - 50 Chronia tragoudi (Words are pointless - 50 Years of song)", which is a complete 8 CDs boxset with Marinella's greatest hits from the beginning of her career till her collaboration with Kostas Hatzis at "Resital".
Marinella returned again to nightlife, by performing live with Giannis Parios in the winter season 2008 - 2009 at Diogenis Studio in Athens. Marinella is currently recording brand new songs in the studio with composer Giorgos Theofanous. The CD is expected to be released sometime in 2011.
Marinella will be starting performing her successful show entitled "The Musical", in October 2010 at Palace Theatre in Athens.
Even though Marinella is often considered a singer of folk songs, her range is quite broad and has included a variety of musical styles including traditional, laika, pop, blues, and jazz. Marinella is characterised as "The Great Lady of Song" in Greece, where she is regarded with great respect. She rarely makes public appearances, and her concerts are few.
The following table is a record of all instances of Marinella in films of Greek cinema, from the 1960 by 1966 with Stelios Kazantzidis and from 1967 by 1970 itself.
| Year | Movie title | Director | Songs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 |
KYRIA DIMARHOS |
Roviros Manthoulis |
«Gia 'mas pote min ximerosi», «Ziguala», «Allaxane ta pragmata» |
| 1962 |
KLAPSE FTOHI MOU KARDIA |
Costas Strantzalis |
«Fevgo me pikra sta xena» |
| 1965 |
PEXE BOUZOUKI MOU GLYKO |
Costas Strantzalis |
«Fevgo me pikra sta xena» |
| 1965 |
AFISTE ME NA ZISO |
Andreas Katsimitsoulias |
«Emis mazi tha zisoume» |
| 1965 |
I ADISTAKTI |
Ntinos Katsouridis |
«Pios dromos ine anihtos» |
| 1965 |
PRODOMENI |
Christos Kyriakopoulos |
«Mes stis agapis mas to tzaki», «Tora pou s' eho anagki» |
| 1965 |
TIMORIA |
Ntinos Katsouridis |
«Na fygo, na fygo», «Prodomenes kardies» |
| 1965 |
I KATAFRONEMENI |
Nikos Varveris |
«Orkizome stin antriki timi mou» |
| 1965 |
DEN MPOROUN NA MAS HORISOUN |
Christos Kyriakopoulos |
«Me to voria» |
| 1966 |
AGGELI TIS AMARTIAS |
Andreas Katsimitsoulias |
«Na fygo, na fygo» |
| 1967 |
HARTORIHTRA |
Costas Karagiannis |
«Dos' mou agapi», «Ime hartorihtra fina» |
| 1968 |
O PIO KALOS O MATHITIS |
Costas Andritsou |
«Stalia - stalia» |
| 1968 |
GORGONES KE MAGKES |
Giannis Dalianidis |
«Anixe petra», «Anixe petra (finale)» |
| 1969 |
O MPLOFATZIS |
Vasilis Georgiadis |
«Pios in' aftos» |
| 1969 |
I PARIZIANA |
Giannis Dalianidis |
«Dos' mou t' athanato nero», «Zografismena sto harti», «To megalo finale tis Parizianas» |
| 1969 |
ISAIA MI HOREVIS |
Costas Karagiannis |
«Pali tha klapso» |
| 1969 |
GYMNI STO DROMO |
Giannis Dalianidis |
«Asteri sto parathyro», «Dio adelfia» |
| 1970 |
KRIMA TO MPOI SOU |
Costas Karagiannis |
«Krima to mpoi sou» |
| Preceded by none |
Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest 1974 |
Succeeded by Mariza Koch with Panayia Mou, Panayia Mou |