Vicky Leandros

The winner of the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest, where she became the latest in a long line of foreign vocalists to represent the tiny principality of Luxembourg, Vicky Leandros was born in Palaiokastritsa, on the Greek island of Corfu, on August 23, 1952, the daughter of composer Leandros Papathanasiou. Her birth name was Vassiliki Papathanasiou, which became Vicky after her parents moved to Germany in the late '50s. Leandros was 13 when she released her first single, "Messer, Gabel, Schere, Licht," in 1965. A hit around northern Europe, it led to her being invited to represent Luxembourg at the 1967 Eurovision Song Contest. She finished fourth with "L'Amour Est Bleu," a vocal version of the famed instrumental "Love Is Blue," but the record went on to become a major hit across Europe and, with her father now acting as her manager (and, oftentimes, songwriter), Leandros' career went into overdrive. Released under the singular name of Vicky, follow-up singles were recorded in up to eight different languages in order to maximize their exposure across Europe, a ploy that saw Leandros become one of the first truly pan-European superstars. Her German television series Ich Bien was broadcast in 13 countries (and won third place at the annual Montreux Television Awards in 1971), while her fame spread further afield, establishing her in Japan, South Africa, the Middle East, and Canada as well. Indeed, her Japanese sales record was, for many years, second to none, with hits like "Watashi No Sukina Chocolate" (I Like Chocolate) and covers of "My Sweet Lord" and "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" all establishing new records. She had now added the Leandros surname to her stage name, and in 1972, her fame reached the U.K. as "Apres Toi" -- released in Britain as "Come What May" --...