Anna Vissi

Biography

Greek beauty and singing sensation Anna Vissi has recorded a number of marvelous albums, earning her an impressive string of hits. Her musical diversity glides smoothly from opera to love ballads to pop/rock, and from the language of her homeland to English. Besides having her work go gold, platinum, and even triple platinum, she has performed at numerous sold-out shows and won many important awards, including 1997's Best Female Singer and Biggest Airplay Song on the Radio from the Greek Music Awards, something not unlike the Grammy Awards in the United States.

Anna Vissi was born in 1957 in Cyprus. She was admitted into the Cyprus Conservatory when she was only six years old. Around the time she hit her teens, her family moved to Greece just so the young Vissi could further her budding musical career. Within time, the talented singer caught the attention of many well-known people in the music business, including producer and famed songwriter Nicos Karvelas, whom she later married.

In 1996, Vissi released her debut album, Klima Tropiko, which means tropical climate in English. Her first full-length effort brought in glowing reviews from critics and went platinum quickly. A year later she was chosen to sing at the Miss Universe Pageant. It was the first chance she had to receive worldwide attention. A year later, the awards and hit tunes were already piling up. Her second album, Travma, was also on the market. Less than two weeks after its release date, the sophomore offering went gold. Half a year later it reached triple platinum. One of the biggest hits from Travma was a tune produced by Ric Wake, "Forgive Me This." Wake is maybe best known for his work with the international star Celine Dion.

If anyone had any thoughts at first of calling Anna Vissi a one-hit wonder or a short rising star who would burn out in a few months, they were proven wrong in 1998 when she walked away from the Popcorn Music Awards with no less than seven honors to her credit, including Best Album, Best Song, Best Female Singer, and Best Live Appearance. Vissi seemed unstoppable, and decided to broaden her fame, targeting the United States and the English language market with the release of the album Everything I Am. It carries superb tracks such as "On a Night Like This," "Still in Love With You," "Kick the Habit," "Supernatural Love," and "No More the Fool." In support of the release, Vissi traveled the States on tour, performing shows in major locations like New York and Los Angeles. Working with her management and with Sony Music after the new millennium arrived, the whole world seemed like an open stage for the resolute Vissi. ~ Charlotte Dillon, All Music Guide