About Haris Alexiou

Haris Alexiou (Χάρις Αλεξίου) appeared in the Greek musical scene in the early '70s. Her charismatic voice, combined with a unique way of performing and a strong scenic presence, very soon led her to the top. Today she is still at the top, always working hard, always seeking new ways of expression and always giving prestige and value to the contemporary light and popular Greek music. She has worked with the most important Greek songwriters, has performed at the greatest musical theatres in all five continents and has received several important awards. She has had over thirty her own albums recorded, has participated in albums of other artits, either renowned or young and promising, being always open to new ways in music. The first important step in her career was her participation whith George Dalaras in the album "Mikra Asia" (Asia Minor") written by Apostolos Caldaras and Pythagoras in 1972. A historic album, the biggest hit of the '70s and rightfully included in "MINOS-EMI's 100 Greatest Hit of the Century". In 1973 Haris participates in the albums "Kalimera ilie" ("Good Morning, Sun") by Manos Loizos and Lefteris Papadopoulos,"Byzantinos Esperinos" ( "Byzantine Vesper") by Apostolos Kaldaras and Lefteris Papadopoulos and Odos Aristotelous"("Aristotelous Street") by Yannis Spanos and Lefteris Papadopoulos. Meeting Manos Loizos was the beginning of a lifelong friendship and a prolific cooperation. In 1975, her first personal album "12 'Laika' Songs" is released. One of them, "Dimitroula" becomes an all time standard. The same year, she appears in "boites" in Plaka, imposing a new way of presenting songs, completely different from the conventional big night clubs. It is the first year after the fall of the military junta, a time for the political songs and the revival of "rebetika" songs, and Haris Alexiou sings traditional songs, ballads, modern songs, folk songs and rebetika. For long periods of time, she appears with George Dalaras, Dimitra Galani, Basilis Papakonstantinou and Yannis Parios. Her concerts in stadiums and theatres, with songs written by Loizos, Papadopoulos, Nikolopoulos, Spanos, Theodorakis, Kuyumdjis and others, are extremely successful. Her popularity reaches its peak. Since then, she is "Haroula of Greece". In 1979, the album,"Ta tragoudia tis Haroulas"( "Haroula's Songs") is released. Manos Loizos had written the music and the lyrics were written by Manolis Rassoulis and Pythagoras. From this album,"o Fantaros" ( "The Soldier") immediately becomes a big hit, while " Ola se thymizoun"("All Things Remind Me of You") is considered one the most beautiful Greek ballads of all time. The '80s start with two enormous hits: "Fevgo" ( "I'm Leaving") and "Ximeroni" ( "The Day Breaks"). "Songs of Yesterday", her album together with Dimitra Galani includes ballads which fascinate the public. At the same time she records traditional and folk songs, rebetika and laika, and gives concerts both in Greece and abroad. 1983 is the year of the album "Tsilika", a collector's item, with old rebetika songs written between 1900 and 1935. 1986 is the year of her first cooperation with composer Thanos Mikroutsikos. The album is entitled "I Agapi ine zali" ("Dizzy with Love") with lyrics by Alkis Alkeos, Nikos Kavadias, Andreas Mikroutsikos and Babis Tsikliropoulos The title song becomes an enormous hit. "Eleni" and "Erotikon" from the same album, are also extremely successful. The same year Haroula conquers the French public appearing in "Theatre de la Ville", getting dithyrambic reviews from the French press. After that she gives concerts in Cyprus, Tunisia, Germany and many towns all over Greece. In 1987, world famous Greek composer Manos Hadjidakis invites her to appear in his club "Sirius" with the "Unpredictable Songs". He directs her and later he goes to the recording studio with her. The summer of this year, she sings in Hadjidakis' concerts in many Greek towns. In 1988 she works with "Fatme" a group of young and talented artists. She also works with Paolo Conte, well known Italian singer ang songwriter. They appear together at the Palace Theatre of Athens. She has two of his songs recorded with Greek lyrics by Lina Nikolakopoulou. In 1989, "The Show in on". It is the musical show which she presents for two years, together with Dimitra Galani and Yannis Parios, in Athens and Thessaloniki. An album with the same title resulted from this work. In 1989, "The Show in on". It is the musical show which she presents for two years, together with Dimitra Galani and Yannis Parios, in Athens and Thessaloniki. An album with the same title resulted from this work. 1990 begins with her second cooperation with Thanos Mikroutsikos. The album is entitled "This Cologne Lingers on for Years" with lyrics by Lina Nikolakopoulou. In October of the same year, she participates in the most Important concert of the decade in Peace and Friendship Stadium of Athens. In this festive concert, called "Our Own Night", all the big names of the Greek show business are present. Yannis Parios, Thanos Mikroutsikos, Dimitra Galani, Chris Nikolopoulos. Alkistis Protopsalti, George Sarris, George Zambetas, Lakis Lazopoulos and the legendary Melina Merkouri. In 1991 she appears in Attikon Theatre of Athens with a special show Called "In Three Acts". In the first act she sings songs by Hadjidakis, Loizos, Mikroutsikos and Brecht-Weill. In the second act she hosts certain groups of modern Greek music and presents songs written by herself. The third act is a medley with her hits, old and new. She then presents this show in the State Theatre of Northern Greece, which for the first time accepted a Greek singer in its stage. With her concerts, sets new standards for musical shows, using state of the art sound and light equipment and impressive decors. In autumn 1991, together with Costas Hadjis, presents a show directed by Maouro Bolognini at Rex Theatre in Athens and Radio City in Thessaloniki. "Alexiou Sings Hadjis" is the album that follows. In 1992 she starts her cooperation with Polygram, successfully presenting a new style in her songs. The album"Di' efchon"( "L'orale" )with music by Nikos Antypas and lyrics by Lina Nikolakopoulou comes as something quite fresh in the Greek discography, giving a new thrust to Haroula's already long career. In 1993 the above album is released in Japan, Belgium, France and Israel by Polygram Intenational. The French TV channel "MCM International" films and shows her concert at Lycabetus Theatre. The same year she travels around the world with concerts in Cyprus, USA, Canada, Israel, several European countries, finishing in Paris at the Mogador Theatre. In 1994 her album "Hey!" is released with music by Nikos Antypas and lyrics by Lefteris Papadopoulos and Aris Davarakis. The summer of the same year, she appears in Herod Atticus Odeon with a show directed by Mauro Bolognini. In October, it's her first and extremely successful appearance in Japan. In 1995, the album "88 Nefelis Street" is released. The songs of this album are all written by herself. For this album, in April 1995, at the Palais de Congress in Paris, she receives the "Prix Adami", an award given every Year by Charles Cross Academy to distinguished artists. The same year, she opens Studio Nefeli where she presents her new songs, creating a new "Cafe Theatre" atmosphere. Dimitri Papajoannou is the director of the show. In 1996, she writes then lyric for "Nefeli's Tango" on Loreena McKennit's music. This song along with other live recordings from her concerts around the world, is included in the album "Around the World '92-'96". "Nefeli's Tango", for several months is one of the ten top songs of World Music in Europe. In summer 1997, responding to the invitation of Olympic Games Committee "Athens 2004", she gives a concert at Pnyka Hill very close to Acropolis. Such is the success of this concert, so she has to repeat it twice at the same location. 1998 is the year of "The Game of Love", her second album with songs written only by herself. The recording took place at the Studio Guillaume Tell in Paris with Greek and foreign musicians. The same year, she tours Northern and South America with Nikos Papazoglou. In December she appears in Athens at Diogenis Studio which is reconstructed in order to meet the demands of the show she presented with Chris Nikolopoulos. The show is is directed by Dimitri Papajoannoy again. In October 1999, she sings along with Turkish famous lady singer Sezen Aksu, both in Athens and Istanbul, for the victims of the earthquakes which afflicted the two countries that year, under the auspice of the Ministry of Culture. This cooperation is repeated in summer 2000 in Istanbul and Izmir. In September 2000, the album "Whispers is released. It includes her favourite songs performed by her and a piano only. In October, she presents these songs in Music Palace of Athens and in the ancient Epidaurus Odeon accompanied by a small musical ensemble. The same year, she founds her own record company, "Estia", in order to produce all her future ventures in discography. In December, the first album is released entitled "Strange Light". In this album she meets again songwriters with whom she has successfully worked in the past. "Strange Light" becomes "Lumiere Etrange" and is released all over Europe by Universal-France. At the same time, Haroula tours Europe giving concerts at the most prestigious theatres, conquering both audiences and critics. Her tour ends with a triumphal appearance at Theatre Olympia in Paris. 2002 is another creative year for Haroula. She appears on the Keramikos Music Hall, this time singing more "laika" songs. In this show, Lavrentis Macheritsas and other younger artists participate. The result is the album "Keramikos Live". From Greece to Australia, from Russia to Africa, from America to Japan, Haris Alexiou travels around and shows the world the feeling of the Greek song. She firmly believes that the Greek song, through its poets and composers, made her to love and better understand the history and the culture of her country. In September 2003, the new Haris Alexiou album entitled "To the End of your Heaven" was released. It includes thirteen songs written by various composers and lyricists. Four of these songs are written by Haris Alexiou. The rest are written by well known Greek songwriters as Antonis Vardis, George Theofanous, Manolis Famelos, "Ekinos Ekinos",Tassos Voyadjis and Solon Apostolakis, Makis Seviloglou, Panayotis Yatrakos and Sophia Argyropoulou. Two of the songs are performed by Haris Alexiou, one with Yannis Kotsiras and one with Filipos Pliatsikas of the PYX-LAXgroup. It is a work that compiles a variety of styles including the "laiko" (traditional popular music), ballads and modern songs, but all with a common concept regarding the sound. The whole work is characterized by a direct approach to the public as it includes thirteen short subjects in which every listener can discover something of themselves.