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Nikos Karvelas (Greek: Νίκος Καρβέλας; born September 8, 1951) is a Greek songwriter, producer and singer. He has sold millions of records as a producer and is most recognizable for his three-decade-long collaboration with Anna Vissi, while some of his other well-known collaborations include Sakis Rouvas. Karvelas has released multiple personal studio albums that have had mild success.
Early life
Karvelas was born in Piraeus. When he was 5 years old, his parents bought him his first piano. He started to play popular songs and composed his first melodies. During the 1970s, he studied the law in the University of Athens. Karvelas created his first rock band influenced by famous rock bands like the Beatles and The Rolling Stones. He started to become known at the end of the 1970s. In the beginning of the 1980s, Karvelas met his muse, Vissi, and a few years later, in 1983 they got married. Vissi has claimed that the first impression she had when she met Karvelas was a "hairy thing," but she was amazed by his talent and his sex appeal.
Musical career
1985–91
Karvelas' career as a singer started in 1985 when he released his first studio album under CBS Records Greece, San Diskos Palios (Like An Old Record) making two big hits, Despina and Kalokairines Diakopes (Summer Holidays). The album sold over 50,000 copies and became gold. In 1987, he released his second album Ola i Tipota (All or Nothing) and it became platinum. Next year, he released his third album, Dimosies Scheseis (Public Relations) and in 1989 he released his fourth album, "Tsouzi." His fifth step came out in 1990and tended to be his "lucky" album. It was called Diavolaki (Little Devil) and became gold. The top hit of the album was Antistrofi Metrisi (Final Countdown), a duet with Vissi.
One year later he released another gold album, titled O Teleftaios Horos (The Last Dance). The self-titled duet with Vissi confirmed the rumors about the problems of their marriage. In 1991, Karvelas and Vissi tried their luck in a different type of music. Demones (Demons) is the first opera composed by Karvelas and Vissi was the protagonist, while actors including Nikos Samsiaras and John Modinos participated. Vissi has stated "Me and Nikos would like so much to do Demones in Athens and we spent all our money to produce it without knowing if it will have success". The rock opera was a great success and for two years the theater "Attikon" was sold-out.
1992–99
Karvelas and Anna Vissi live at "Asteria" in 1998.
Emeis (We) was the next album of Karvelas, released in 1992 with the top single Emeis, another duet with Vissi. Two years later, Karvelas releases another gold album, 25 ores (25 Hours). In this period, he cooperated with many famous Greek singers like Lefteris Pantazis, Antypas, Stathis Aggelopoulos, Katerina Stanisi and others. All the albums were great successes and became either gold or platinum. In 1993, Karvelas released Best Of with 2 new songs, "Oikto" (Mercy) and "Thes Den Thes" (Whether You Want or Not). In 1996, he released the album To Aroma tis Amartias (The Aroma of Sin) and it became platinum. Next year, the title of his gold album, O Pio Eftihismenos Anthropos Pano Sti Gi (The Happiest Man On Earth), ironically expressed Karvelas' mood. This certain period, Karvelas moved to London permanently, having enough time and great inspiration to prepare his next steps. He released the album Ena Hrono to Perissotero (One Year the Most) expressing his feeling about love, happiness and relationships. Vissi sang with Nikos the top single of the album which was the name of the album. Few months later, the famous Greek composer Stamatis Kraounakis declared that this song was one of the best ever songs of Karvelas.
2000–present
In 2000, Karvelas from London shared his new hits with his fans in the album Ola Ine Endaxi (Everything Is Alright). However, he started to prepare his new musical Mala, dealing with the story of Mala Zimetbaum, a Jewish girl who tried to escape from Auschwitz in 1944. In January 2002, Mala’s premiere in "Pallas" theater took place, with Vissi playing the lead role. The musical was a great success and it was sold-out every night. After Mala, Karvelas released an album titled, Party Gia Spasmenes Kardies (Party for Broken Hearts). Boom Boom Boom was the first single of the album, a memorial duet with Vissi. His next album was Robot, released by Nitro Music. In 2004, he released a single dedicated to the Greek football champion team in Euro 2004. The title was Imaste Nikites (We Are Winners). Some of the football players participated in the song's music video. In 2006, he released the album Thriller and in 2007 the single Pios Fovate ton Passari (Who's Afraid of Passaris). In late 2007 he released the album Trakter. In February 2009, Karvelas released his 19th studio album titled Adio Heimona. In a radio interview prior to the album's release, good friend Natalia Germanou, described the album as featuring a variety of styles, and classified it as "the return of good old Karvelas." In December 2009, it was announced that Karvelas would become the head judge on the Greek talent show "Greek Idol" to be aired on Alpha TV in 2010, but he eventually withdrew from the project before it started airing.
Personal life
In the beginning of the 1980s Karvelas met Vissi and a few years later, in 1983, they got married. They have a daughter named Sofia Karvela. The couple later got divorced, but remain good friends up to date, while Karvelas also writes most of Vissi's songs.
In January 2008, Karvelas and his fiancé Annita Pania had a son named Andreas. In November 2008, Pania and Karvelas were arrested by the police after an alleged police chase, which started off with them running a red light. The incident supposedly started when a car, driven by Karvelas, ran a red light. Police then allegedly followed them and turned their sirens on to pull them over. Karvelas allegedly continued on, running further red lights and driving erratically, while the police continued to chased him. Pania and Karvelas allege that they were listening to a new song Karvelas wrote, with the volume up high, and did no hear any sirens and were not aware of any police. They also deny ever running the red light. Later, the couple claimed that the policemen not only were overzealous, commanding and rude (using the word re), but also threatened them with their weapons. Pania also mentioned later on TV that she does respect the police, but on the other hand the couple would not comply to "bullies", "cops" and "baskines" (the latter is a pejorative Greek word signifying policemen), whose insulting behavior rather "reminded of the Greek Junta". The couple vowed to take the subject up in court. Pania and Karvelas were later judged in court, found guilty and sentenced to 14 and 10 months in prison respectively, though they were allowed to buy out their sentences.
In 2010, Karvelas married Pania in Athens.
Discography
Studio albums
Year Title Certification
1983 Taxi —
1984 Den Pandrevome —
1985 Nick Carr —
1986 Sa Diskos Palios Gold
1987 Ola I Tipota Platinum
1988 Dimosies Scheseis —
1989 Tsouzi —
1990 Diavolaki Gold
1991 O Teleftaios Horos —
1992 Emeis Gold
1995 25 Ores Gold
1996 To Aroma Tis Amartias Platinum
1997 O Pio Eftihismenos Anthropos Pano Sti Gi —
1998 Ena Hrono To Perissotero —
2000 Ola Einai Endaxi —
2002 Robot —
2006 Thriler —
2007 Trakter —
2009 Adio Heimona —
2011 Ola Einai Mes Sto Mialo —
CD Singles
Year Title Notes
2003 Party Gia Spasmenes Kardies —
2004 Eimaste Nikites —
2007 Pios Fovate Ton Passari —
Compilations
Year Title Notes
1992 Ikto!: 20 Megales Epitihies Tou —
As a songwriter for other artists
1981: Anna Vissi - Anna Vissi (as Nikos Leonardos) - Platinum
1982: Anna Vissi - Eimai To Simera Kai Eisai To Hthes
1984: Anna Vissi - Na 'Hes Kardia - Gold
1985: Anna Vissi - Kati Simveni - Gold
1986: Anna Vissi - I Epomeni Kinisi - Platinum
1986: Rita Sakellariou - Areso - Platinum
1988: Anna Vissi - Tora - Gold
1988: Anna Vissi - Empnefsi! - Gold
1989: Anna Vissi - Fotia - Platinum
1990: Anna Vissi - Eimai
1992: Katerina Stanisi - Anastatonomai - Gold
1992: Anna Vissi - Lambo
1993: Katerina Stanisi - Na Mineis - Gold
1993: Lefteris Pantazis - Ego Den Eimai Ego - Platinum
1993: Anna Vissi - Live!
1994: Sakis Rouvas - Aima, Dakrya & Idrotas - Platinum
1994: Lefteris Pantazis - O Paixtis - Gold
1994: Anna Vissi - Re! - Gold
1995: Lefteris Pantazis - Erhetai - Gold
1996: Sakis Rouvas - Tora Arhizoun Ta Dyskola - Platinum
1996: Lambis Livieratos - Bam Kai Kato - Gold
1996: Anna Vissi - Klima Tropiko - 3x Platinum
1997: Lambis Livieratos - Poios Einai Aftos - Gold
1997: Anna Vissi - Travma - 3x Platinum
1998: Anna Vissi - Antidoto - 3x Platinum
1999: Christina Anagnostopoulou - Ola Ki Ola
1999: Dimitris Kokotas - Gia Mena - Gold
2000: Anna Vissi - Everything I Am - Platinum
2000: Anna Vissi - Kravgi - 7x Platinum
2001: Christina Anagnostopoulou - Ke Hamogelao
2002: Anna Vissi - X - 2x Platinum
2003: Anna Vissi - Paraksenes Eikones - 2x Platinum
2004: Christina Anagnostopoulou - Straight
2004: Anna Vissi - Live - Platinum
2005: Anna Vissi - Nylon - Platinum
2007: Various artists - Je T'Aime
2010: Anna Vissi - Agapi Einai Esi Gold
2011: Paschalis Terzis - Dio Nichtes Mono
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