Marinella Μαρινέλλα | |
|---|---|
_(09)_(cropped).jpg) Marinella in 2022 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Kyriaki Papadopoulou May 19, 1938 (1938-05-19) (age 87) Thessaloniki, Greece |
| Genres | Folk,laïko,blues,rebetiko |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer, actress |
| Instrument | Voice |
| Years active | 1956 - 2024 |
| Labels | PolyGram Greece,Minos EMI,BMG Greece,Universal Music Greece |
Kyriaki Papadopoulou (Greek:Κυριακή Παπαδοπούλου; born 19 May 1938[1]), known by her stage nameMarinella (Greek:Μαρινέλλα), is aGreek singer whose career has spanned several decades. She is well regarded due to her impressive vocal range.[2] Since the beginning of her professional singing career in 1956, she has released 66 solo albums, and has also been featured on many albums by other musicians. She representedGreece in theEurovision Song Contest 1974, becoming the first ever Greek entrant in the contest.
From 1956 to 2024, Marinella remained active for 68 years, performing in concerts[3] and weekly shows at nightclubs.[4][5] On September 25, 2024, at the age of 86, she suffered a severehemorrhagic stroke while performing at theOdeon of Herodes Atticus inAthens, collapsing on stage.[6][7] After four months of hospitalization, on January 21, 2025, she was discharged from the hospital and returned home.[8]
Kyriaki Papadopoulou was born in the city ofThessaloniki in northernGreece. Her parents were Greek refugees fromConstantinople. 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 thewaltz and thetango. From the age of four years singing on the radio broadcast in "Pediki Ora(Children's Hour)" and later did ads for shops such as "Melka" in Thessaloniki, earning her first pocket money. She participated in many performances of children's theatre.[9]
At age 15, she gave up her budding career to finish school, but by seventeen, her passion for the theatre returned and she joined 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. Marinella then became the lead singer of the troupe. Additionally, she later joined the Military Theatre because the remuneration was better. At the same time she started her career as a singer at the "Panorama" centre of Thessaloniki, where Greek actor and singer Tolis Harmas coined the name "Marinella" for her, inspired by his song.[10]
She released her first song in 1957, "Nitsa, Elenitsa(Little Helen)". Her early career was marked by her collaboration with singerStelios Kazantzidis. Together they managed to become the greatest duet of Greece, unsurpassed even today. Starting at the night club "Luxembourg" in Thessaloniki where they enjoyed great success, they later moved to Athens, where they became widely known. They sang the songs ofMikis 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 marriedStelios Kazantzidis on 7 May 1964 and they toured together in Germany and the United States. They divorced in September 1966. Marinella then began a solo career and eventually married singerTolis Voskopoulos in 1974. This marriage also ended in divorce in 1981.
In October 1970, Marinella participated in the V Festival Internacional da Cançao Popular – Parte Internacion (FIC) inRio de Janeiro, representingGreece with the song "Kyra Giorgena(Wife of George)", finishing 4th among 38 countries. On October 24, 1970, theBillboard 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).[11]
Marinella was the first Greek singer to participate in the InternationalMIDEM Festival of 1973 inCannes with three new songs composed byStavros Xarchakos.[12] She also participated in theEurovision Song Contestin 1974, placing eleventh with the song "Krasi, thalassa kai t' agori mou" ("Wine, sea and my boyfriend"). Initially Greek rock bandNostradamos had won the first Eurovision participation contest run by the state broadcasterERT to represent Greece at Eurovision.[13] However the band was not allowed to compete at Eurovision due to a scandal, and Marinella was sent instead.[13]
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.[citation needed]
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On 27 April 1998, Marinella performed in theAthens Concert Hall, performing her older hits to great acclaim.[14] Her concert at the smallOlympic Stadium of Athens on 1 October 1999 was a great success with more than 25,000 people.[15]
In November 2002, she collaborated withGeorge Dalaras. They performed concerts inAthens andThessaloniki as well as abroad.[16] The tour was titled "Mazi(Together)" and the released live album from these performances reached platinum status in 2003.[citation needed]
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On 10 April 2003,The New York Times critic 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).[17]
In March 2004, she released a brand new album with new songs byNikos Antypas andLina Nikolakopoulou, entitled "Ammos Itane(Sand it's what it was)". In the same year, on 29 August, she performed at theclosing ceremony of the2004 Summer Olympics, along withDimitra Galani,Haris Alexiou,Yiannis Parios andGeorge Dalaras.
In December 2005, she released a new album titled "Tipota Den Ginete Tihea(Νothing happens by chance)", composed byGiorgos Theofanous. The album reached gold status and includes duets with famous Greek singers, such asAntonis Remos andGlykeria.
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 withKostas Hatzis at "Recital". She returned to nightlife, by performing live withAntonis Remos at theAthens Arena in 2006–07 and 2007–08, withGiannis Parios at the Diogenis Studio in the winter season 2008–09, and withNatassa Theodoridou at the Votanikos in 2011–12, in Athens.[citation needed]
On September 25, 2024, Marinella was set to perform at the iconicOdeon of Herodes Atticus inAthens.[18] During the performance, audience members noticed that the 86-year-old singer appeared unwell, and she ultimately collapsed while singing her third song of the night.[19] She was rushed to a private hospital, where she was diagnosed with a severe and widespreadhemorrhagic stroke[6][7] and spent 21 days in intensive care.[20] After four months of hospitalization, on January 21, 2025, she was discharged from the hospital and returned home.[21][22]
Marinella's first appearance in the cinema was withStelios Kazantzidis - the most popular artistic couple of the time - in the 1960 film"I kyria dimarhos"(The Mayoress). In the film they sing two of their big hits of that time,"Ziguala" and"Gia mas pote min ximerosei". In the film Marinella sings alone, the song"Allaxane ta pragmata" which was written especially for the film and relates towomen's empowerment which is one of the themes of this comedy.[23]
In 1962 she appears again with Kazantzidis in the melodramatic film"Klapse ftohi mou kardia"(Cry my poor heart) singing their hit"Fevgo me pikra sta ksena".[24] In 1965 the couple will sing in the film"Oi adistaktoi"(The ruthless), the song ofYannis Markopoulos "Pios dromos ine anichtos" in which the leading actor of the film,Nikos Kourkoulos, participates.[25]
Kazantzidis and Marinella will appear together for the last time on screen in 1966, in Andreas Katsimitsoulias' film"Angeloi tis amartias"(Angels of Sin) with the song "Na fygo, na fygo".
Her big personal successes, however, would come in 1968 and 1969. In 1968 she would appear in two films with two songs that marked her career: in the comedy"O pio kalos o mathitis"(The best student) she sangGiorgos Zampetas's "Stalia-stalia" - which gave the title to herfirst solo album,[26] and in the musical "Gorgones kai magkes" when she sang"Anixe Petra", with music byMimis Plessas and lyrics byLefteris Papadopoulos. Her performance especially in this song launched her career and is still associated with her name to this day.[24]
In 1969 she will also sing in two films three songs that will also become big hits: "Pios in' aftos" in the film"O Blofatzis"(The bluffer) and "Dos' mou t' athanato nero" and "Zografismena sto charti" in"I Pariziana"(The Parisienne)[27]
In total, she has appeared as a singer in 24 films.
She appeared in the theatre in the summer of 1962 in therevue"Omorfi Poli" with music and songs byMikis Theodorakis. The artistic couple Kazantzidis and Marinella were enlisted to boost the audience attendance, which was not as expected.[28]
In 2010 she will star in the theatrical performance"Marinella - The musical" a musical theatre performance that tells the story of her life. The musical, directed byStamatis Fasoulis, became a great commercial and artistic success.[29]
She participated in two television series byKostas Koutsomytis. In 1995 she performed the title song and seven other songs in the drama series"I prova tou nyfikou"[30] while 2000 played the role of Marika Suez, the patron of a theatrical troupe, in the series"Ystera irthan oi melisses".[31]
Translation by Google: The state television decides, after four years that it has already launched the contest, to try its luck. Nostradamos is the winner of the competition (see Stelios Fotiadis, Despina Glezou, etc.) A few weeks before the competition the participation is canceled because a scandal about the rape of a minor admirer by a member of the group.
| Preceded by none | Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest 1974 | Succeeded by |
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