Marinella

Marinella
Μαρινέλλα
Background information
Birth name Kyriaki Papadopoulou
Born May 20, 1938
Thessaloniki, Greece
Genres Folk, laïko, blues, rebetiko
Occupation(s) Musician, singer, actress
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.[1]

Early life

She was born Kyriaki Papadopoulou (Κυριακή Παπαδοπούλου), 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.[2]

At age 15, she gave up her budding career to finish school, but by seventeen, her passion for the theater is stirring and she joins the artistic group of Mary Laurent, a "mpoulouki" (so called then the singer troupes that traveled Greece end-to-end for performances) and plays small roles. One day, the lead singer fell sick and sought Marinella as a replacement, who was willing to take the singer's place. At that moment, the Greek music world found one of its best representatives. Marinella became 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 "Panorama" center of Thessaloniki. There, Tolis Harmas coined the name "Marinella" for her, inspired by his song.[3]

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. Starting at the night club "Luxembourg" in Thessaloniki where they enjoyed great success, they later moved to Athens, the capital, where they became widely known.

They sang pieces of Mikis Theodorakis, Manos Hadjidakis, Vassilis Tsitsanis, Giorgos Mitsakis, Giorgos Zambetas, Apostolos Kaldaras, Theodoros Derveniotis, Stavros Xarchakos, Christos Leontis, whom are considered the best composers of the era.

Marinella married Stelios Kazantzidis on May 7, 1964 and they toured together in Germany and the United States. They divorced in September 1966. Marinella then began a solo career and eventually in 1974 married singer Tolis Voskopoulos. This second marriage also ended in divorce in 1981.

Early career

In October 1970, Marinella participated in the V Festival Internacional da Cançao Popular – Parte Internacion (FIC) in Rio de Janeiro, representing Greece with the song "Kyra Giorgena (Wife of George)", finishing 4th among 38 countries. On October 24, 1970, the Billboard wrote "Marinella from Greece, knows audiences in Athens clubs, carries enchantment in her songs and the warmth of the sun in her voice" (by Henry Johnston).[4]

Marinella was the first Greek singer to participate in the International MIDEM Festival of 1973 in Cannes with and three new songs of Stavros Xarchakos[5] and 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 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, 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 1980s.

Later career

On April 27, 1998, Marinella performed in the Athens Concert Hall, performing her older hits to great acclaim.[6] Her concert at the small Olympic Stadium of Athens on October 1, 1999 was a great success with more than 25,000 people.[7]

In November 2002, she collaborated with George Dalaras. They gave concerts in Athens and Thessaloniki as well as abroad.[8] The tour was titled "Mazi (Together)" and the released live album from these performances reached platinum status in 2003. 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).[9]

In March 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, on August 19, she performed at the closing ceremony of the 2004 Summer Olympics, along with Dimitra Galani, Haris Alexiou, Yiannis Parios and George Dalaras.

In December 2005, Marinella released a new album titled "Tipota Den Ginete Tihea (Nothing is random)", composed by 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 eight CDs boxset with Marinella's greatest hits from the beginning of her career until her collaboration with Kostas Hatzis at "Recital".

Marinella returned again to nightlife, by performing live with Antonis Remos at the Athens Arena in 2006 – 2007 and 2007 – 2008, with Giannis Parios at the Diogenis Studio in the winter season 2008 – 2009, and with Natassa Theodoridou at the Votanikos in 2011 – 2012, in Athens.

Current activities
Marinella & Antonis Remos – "Ta Logia Ine Peritta", Live at the Athens Arena, in 2007.
Marinella's hit "Ego Ki' Esy (Ta Logia Ine Peritta) - You And I (Words are pointless)"
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Marinella will be starting performing her successful show entitled "The Musical", in October 2010 at Palace Theatre in Athens.

Versatility

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.

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Soundtracks

Collaborations

Compilations

DVD's

Marinella in Greek Cinema

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.[10]

Year Movie title Director Songs
1960

KYRIA DIMARHOS (Madame mayor)[11]

Roviros Manthoulis

"Gia 'mas pote min ximerosi", "Ziguala", "Allaxane ta pragmata"

1962

KLAPSE, FTOHI MOU KARDIA (Weep, my poor heart)[12]

Kostas Strantzalis

"Fevgo me pikra sta xena"

1965

PEXE, BOUZOUKI MOU GLYKO (Play, my sweet bouzouki)[13]

Kostas Strantzalis

"Fevgo me pikra sta xena"

1965

AFISTE ME NA ZISO (Let me live)[14]

Andreas Katsimitsoulias

"Emis mazi tha zisoume"

1965

I ADISTAKTI (The unhesitant)[15]

Dinos Katsouridis

"Pios dromos eine anihtos"

1965

PRODOMENI (Betrayed)[16]

Christos Kyriakopoulos

"Mes stis agapis mas to tzaki", "Tora pou s' eho anagki"

1965

TIMORIA (Punishment)[17]

Dinos Katsouridis

"Na fygo, na fygo", "Prodomenes kardies"

1965

I KATAFRONEMENI (The scorned)[18]

Nikos Varveris

"Orkizome stin antriki timi mou"

1965

DEN MPOROUN NA MAS HORISOUN (They can't keep us apart)[19]

Christos Kyriakopoulos

"Me to voria"

1966

I AGGELI TIS AMARTIAS (Angels of sin)[20]

Andreas Katsimitsoulias

"Na fygo, na fygo"

1967

HARTORIHTRA (The fortune teller)[21]

Kostas Karagiannis

"Dos' mou agapi", "Eime hartorihtra fina"

1968

O PIO KALOS O MATHITIS (The best student)[22]

Kostas Andritsos

"Stalia – stalia"

1968

GORGONES KE MAGKES (Mermaids and tough guys)[23]

Giannis Dalianidis

"Anixe petra", "Anixe Petra (Mpate koritsia sto horo)"

1969

GYMNI STO DROMO (Naked in the street)[24]

Giannis Dalianidis

"Asteri sto parathyro", "Dio aderfia"

1969

O MPLOFATZIS (Τhe bluffer)[25]

Vasilis Georgiadis

"Pios ein' aftos"

1969

I PARIZIANA (The Parisienne)[26]

Giannis Dalianidis

"Dos' mou t' athanato nero", "Zografismena sto harti", "To megalo finale tis Parizianas"

1969

ISAIA MI HOREVIS (No wedding dance)[27]

Kostas Karagiannis

"Pali tha klapso"

1970

KRIMA TO MPOI SOU (What a waste)[28]

Kostas Karagiannis

"Krima to mpoi sou"

Video sampling

References

  1. ↑ Dragoumanos, Petros (2009). Elliniki Diskografia 1950–2009 (Greek Discography 1950–2009)
  2. ↑ Compilation album Marinella (Mia Agkalia Tragoudia) (Booklet), Minos EMI (Greece): 5807532, 2003
  3. ↑ Compilation album Ta Logia Ine Peritta – 50 Chronia Tragoudi (Booklet), Marinella, PolyGram Greece: 1715636, 2006
  4. ↑ Billboard – Rio Song Festival (October 24, 1970) by Henry Johnston
  5. ↑ Billboard – Greek Act at MIDEM (February 3, 1973) by Nigel Hunter & Philip Palmer
  6. ↑ Album "I Marinella Tragouda Kai Thimatai" (Booklet), BMG Greece – RCA: 66985559, 1998
  7. ↑ Album "Marinella – Me Varka To Tragoudi" (Booklet), BMG Greece – RCA: 72383, 1999
  8. ↑ Dalaras and Marinella make magic at Megaron (November 15, 2002) by Maria Paravantes
  9. ↑ "NEW YORK TIMES – Heartache And History in a Style of the Greeks (April 3, 2003)". Nytimes.com. April 10, 2003. Retrieved 2011-07-26.
  10. ↑ Compilation album Ta Kinimatografika Tou Kazantzidi (Booklet), EMI (Greece): 37936924, 2006
  11. ↑ Greek Film Archive (Film Museum) – MADAME MAYOR 1960
  12. ↑ Greek Film Archive (Film Museum) – WEEP, MY POOR HEART 1962
  13. ↑ Greek Film Archive (Film Museum) – PLAY, MY SWEET BOUZOUKI 1965
  14. ↑ Greek Film Archive (Film Museum) – LET ME LIVE 1965
  15. ↑ Greek Film Archive (Film Museum) – UNHESITANT (THE) 1965
  16. ↑ Greek Film Archive (Film Museum) – BETRAYED 1965
  17. ↑ Greek Film Archive (Film Museum) – PUNISHMENT 1965
  18. ↑ Greek Film Archive (Film Museum) – SCORNED (THE) 1965
  19. ↑ Greek Film Archive (Film Museum) – THEY CAN’T KEEP US APART 1965
  20. ↑ Greek Film Archive (Film Museum) – ANGELS OF SIN 1966
  21. ↑ Greek Film Archive (Film Museum) – FORTUNE TELLER (THE) 1967
  22. ↑ Greek Film Archive (Film Museum) – BEST STUDENT (THE) 1968
  23. ↑ Greek Film Archive (Film Museum) – MERMAIDS AND TOUGH GUYS 1968
  24. ↑ Greek Film Archive (Film Museum) – NAKED IN THE STREET 1969
  25. ↑ Greek Film Archive (Film Museum) – BLUFFER (THE) 1969
  26. ↑ Greek Film Archive (Film Museum) – PARISIENNE (THE) 1969
  27. ↑ Greek Film Archive (Film Museum) – NO WEDDING DANCE 1969
  28. ↑ Greek Film Archive (Film Museum) – WHAT A WASTE! 1970

External links

Preceded by
none		 Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest
1974 		Succeeded by
Mariza Koch
with Panayia Mou, Panayia Mou