Nana Mouskouri
Nana Mouskouri (Greek Νάνα Μούσχουρη, born October 13, 1934 in Chania on Crete; actually Ioanna Mouskhouri ( Ιωάννα Μούσχουρη ) ) is a Greek singer and politician. In the German-speaking world it was known above all by the hit White Rose of Athens. Her musical versatility and talent for languages enabled her global career. According to a survey by the World Federation of the Phonographic Industry in 2006 Mouskouri, with over 250 million records sold to Madonna the most successful female singer of all time. Over 300 Gold, Platinum and Diamond records documenting Mouskouri decades of success.
Biography
Career start
Nana Mouskouri began her training at age 15 at the Hellenic Conservatory in Athens. There she studied eight years classical singing, piano and harmony. In addition, she was interested in this time for jazz, she also presented at first appearances. As models they later named Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra. The Athens Conservatory declined their enthusiasm for jazz and dismissed the singer without a degree. Nevertheless, they continued to follow their way as a singer, and in 1958 she became a member of the quartet Athenians, who played jazz in small clubs in the Greek capital. A little later, they also made the acquaintance of the composer Manos Hadjidakis, whose songs allowed her breakthrough as a singer.
Even in 1958 published their first singles on the Greek market. Over the decades to follow, which were published in a variety of languages more than 1550 Title: Greek, French, German, English, Spanish, Italian, but also scattered songs in Dutch, Portuguese, Japanese, Russian, Walloon and Hebrew. Striking feature of Nana Mouskouri are their long black hair and her rectangular glasses schwarzgerahmte whose shape changed little over the decades. In interviews she confessed later, but to have over a hundred different models.
Breakthrough
In October 1959, she won the title i agapi mou Kapou yparchi at the "Festival de la Chanson Hellénique " (Festival Ellinikon tragoudion ). In 1960 she won the first international prize in Barcelona. Mouskouri became known in Greece as Mikis Theodorakis with it the plate Epitaph, a setting of poems by Giannis Ritsos recorded. However, Theodorakis was with this version is not quite satisfied and played the album again with the singer Grigoris Bithikotsis one, and in this version, the bouzouki as workers instrument shaped the sound. Nevertheless, Mouskouri was able to record with the board a great success.
Hit your White Rose of Athens 1961 she published in various languages. In French, the musical journey did not go to Athens, but to Corfu: Roses blanches de Corfou. The German -language single sold within the first six months on a half million times. For this she received a gold record in 1962. Originally they sang this item in Manos Hadzidakis film music "Dreamland of Our Lives", with the original with roses had absolutely nothing to do ( " San sfyrixis tris fores " "If you whistle three times ").
World career
1962 was a big dream Mouskouri true: the producer and musician Quincy Jones asked for recordings in the United States - as was the jazz album The Girl From Greece Sings, which will indeed opened the doors to the American show business, but at first hardly commercial tracks left. A re-release in 1999 as Nana Mouskouri in New York was, above all in Germany a great success, as the largely unknown photographs showed a very different side of the well-known as a pop and chanson singer Mouskouri. Through her jazz recordings Harry Belafonte became aware of the Greek: From 1963 Tours followed with the musician. In the same year she represented Luxembourg at the Euro Vision Song Contest with the song A force de prier, but finished only eighth place. She was started the same year as the French decider with the song " Encore plus près de toi". Three years later, the album was released An Evening With Belafonte / Mouskouri. Although the plate well sold on the U.S. market, were denied Mouskouri successes such as in Europe or the rest of the world. Regular tours and countless record releases Mouskouri made to one of the most successful artists in the world. Except Usually, they never paused for some time - every year appear constant new recordings.
Your second biggest hit after White Rose of Athens they could celebrate 1986: The song Only Love, from the hit TV mini-series Mistral 's Daughter, reached number two on the British charts - until today the only single of her long career, which could be placed there at all. In purely statistical terms it is thus a one hit wonder. The German and French version of Only Love, But love remains or L' amour en héritage, was also their last hit in Germany and France. After that, they focused largely back on the albums market. Born in 1993, for example, arranged by Michel Legrand Album Hollywood - Great Songs From the Movies. Almost ten years later, after they had rediscovered their jazz recordings in Germany, they came out with that repertoire live on in Stuttgart; Nana Swings CD contains the recordings.
Appeared in 2004 's extensive collection box with her French recordings on 34 CDs plus countless bonus tracks in different languages. The box also contains an extensive book about her life and work. A year later the English Box English Complete Works was published: 17 CDs with songs in English, various bonus tracks and a book. At about the same time announced Mouskouri on her farewell tour, during which she again toured for four years the whole world. The tour ended in summer 2008 in Athens. For occasional concerts or special events Mouskouri wants but still hit the stage. So she was on 21 November of the same year a guest at Till Brönners Talkin 'Jazz in the Bonn Forum. Nana Mouskouri sang in 2010 in a formal ceremony to mark the 80th birthday of the German concert promoter legend Fritz Rau on 20 March at the Alte Oper.
In 2007 Mouskouri published her memoirs: Mémoires: La fille de la Chauve - souris in French and Memoirs in English, in Germany the work was published in October 2008 with the title voice of longing - My memories.
Private
On December 19, 1960 married Mouskouri Georgios Petsilas, the conductor, composer and guitarist of her longtime companion orchestra Athenians. From this marriage she has two children: Nicolas ( born February 13, 1968) and Hélène (* July 7, 1970 ). The marriage ended in divorce in 1976. The two children followed the mother into show business: Nicolas works in various areas of the industry, Hélène published under the pseudonym Lénou Album Any Given Day ( 2004). Since 13 January 2003 Mouskouri has been married to her longtime partner André Chapelle. Mouskouri lives in both Geneva and Paris.
Policy
Nana Mouskouri took part in the opposition to the dictatorship of the Colonels in Greece. After the end of military dictatorship, she joined after 20 years exile on 23 and 24 July 1984 at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens. Recordings of these concerts were later to disk.
Since 1993 she has been a UNICEF Special Representative. From 1994 to 1999 was followed by a brief interlude as MEP for the conservative New Democracy. The candidacy for a second term of office refused it, because everything turn after testifying in the European Parliament to maintain power and party politics, truth and freedom come to shortly.
Others
The Funny van Dannen songwriter released on his album Club song a song that is titled Nana Mouskouri. In 1997 she sang in the French band Les Enfoirés with.