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Phoebus (songwriter)
Phoebus (Greek: Φοίβος, pronounced [ˈfivos]; real name: Evangelos-Phoebus Tassopoulos, Greek: Ευάγγελος-Φοίβος Τασσόπουλος; born 1 January 1971), sometimes spelled Phivos or Foivos, is a well-known songwriter in both Greece and Cyprus. Phoebus is mostly known for his music through Despina Vandi and Katy Garbi, although he has composed albums for many other artists in Greece and Cyprus. A high percentage of the albums he composes receive certification making him one of the most successful Greek songwriters of the 1990s and 2000s, selling 6,000,000 records.[1] In 2009, he founded his own record label, The Spicy Effect, to which he has signed various artists, many of whom he has collaborated with in the past. BiographyPhoebus was born in Athens, Greece. He first got interested in music during his school years where he was a drummer in a rock band. During that time he experimented with the music fads of the time. Despite getting into Athens Law School, Phoebus did not want to pursue a career in law, and instead focused on his involvement in music and began to compose his first songs. While studying harmony and music at the conservatory and taking private tutorials by Demis Roussos, he started writing his first lyrics. His talent was quickly shown, and he signed his first contract with a record label at age 22. At the start of his second decade in music, Phoebus made several record accomplishments. By that time, he had composed over 18 gold LPs and CD singles, 19 platinum, nine albums that are two times platinum, two albums that are three times platinum; Evaisthisies and Profities, two four times platinum; Gia and To Kati and one six times platinum CD single; "Ipofero", selling more than 150,000 units.[2] This in turn gave him his name in Greek music history. During his career, Phoebus has shown the ability in mixing popular music trends with different ideas as well as bringing new artists into the spotlight with his music. Apart from writing and composing, Phoebus, almost exclusively, programs, orchestrates and produces his albums. His producing abilities have broken new ground while he has gone on to sign the highest contracts with all of the record labels he has worked with; starting off with Sony Music Greece, moving to Minos EMI and finally signing on to Heaven Music. In the summer of 2001, Phoebus' career passed a significant milestone as he gained international recognition. Along with Despina Vandi, he received the award for the best-selling album of the year in Greece for the CD single "Ipofero" ("I'm Suffering"), awarded to him by the director of the Virgin Megastores in London, Sir Richard Branson. In the period 2001–02, Phoebus collaborated with the international producer Desmond Child and other international producers, for the Sakis Rouvas album, Ola Kala, which was released in the European market by Universal Music France. The album was released in Greece by Minos EMI. On March 6, 2002, Phoebus and Despina Vandi, received another honour. They won the "World’s Best-Selling Greek Artist 2001" award (for the sales of the album Gia) in the World Music Awards. The greatest global success composed by Phoebus came with the song "Gia" by Despina Vandi. It went multi-platinum in the Greek market, and broke into the international music scene. It was included in the playlists of celebrated DJs and clubs worldwide. "Gia" reaching the No1 spots in the US Billboard Dance Charts and the UK Dance Charts. It was released as a CD single in Europe, the US, Australia, Turkey and Northern Africa while it has been included in more than 120 compilations, worldwide. In the spring of 2004, Phoebus teamed up with Coca-Cola to compose the tune that will accompany all of Coca-Cola's activities in its Olympic Sponsorship agreement. Phoebus composed the song "Come Along Now" with Despina Vandi singing it, and the tune was heard all around the world in Coca-Cola's ads. In the beginning of 2005, the Greek football team AEK asked Phoebus to compose the team's new anthem. This imposing melody is played and sung by the team's sports fans until today. 2005 and 2006 were again big years for Phoebus. Despina Vandi's album Stin Avli Tou Paradeisou, after a huge local success was also released in Bulgaria, Russia, Ukraine and Turkey reaching the 2nd position on the charts. The album was also repackaged for the Greek market entitled "Special Edition" and contained 4 new songs composed by Phoebus. The album sold over 100,000 copies in Greece only. Both albums were used by TIM telecommunications for their campaign throughout the whole year since they had a sponsorship contract with Despina Vandi. In mid 2005, Phoebus and Victoria Halkiti teamed up and release the song "Telia", which once again was used by Coca-Cola's ads, but only in Greece and their Sound Wave campaign. Only a few months later their next single "F...Magic" was heard in all the Attica commercials, one of Athens's biggest shopping malls. After big scores during the 2005 and 2006, together with artists such as Despina Vandi, Elli Kokkinou, Thanos Petrelis, Giorgos Mazonakis and Victoria Halkiti, Phoebus composed the Christmas dance single "Kalanta" along with Despina Vandi. The single was once again used by TIM telecommunications for their 2006 Christmas campaign. After only two weeks from release date Phoebus and Vandi achieved a 2× platinum CD single. This success over the years and particularly with Despina Vandi has put a name out in the Greek music industry that Phoebus is the composer to go to for an automatic hit. This can be seen also with Heaven Music asking him to compose a song on Fame Story finalist Maro Lytra's second album, which shot her to the number 1 spot on the radio charts with the song "I Mihani Tou Hronou" (The Time Machine). After some delay, October 21, 2009, brought the end of Phoebus's eight-year collaboration with Heaven Music, announcing through his official site.[3] Reasons of this label change, and the fate of the artists he was collaborating with under the label's name including Despina Vandi and Thanos Petrelis were currently unknown at the time. Vandi officially announced she was leaving Heaven Music on November 2, 2009. In 2009, he founded with the Star Channel Group, the record label “The Spicy Effect” and has since been successfully active in all aspects of the music industry. It is noteworthy that Spicy became the first independent music company in Greece to operate with the 360 model. At the same time, with his unstoppable musical career in Greece, Foivos has also composed songs for countries abroad, such as Asia, South Korea & Japan, Serbia and Turkey. In 2019, he wrote music for the soundtrack of the movie "The miracle of the Sargasso sea", which is actually performed by the protagonist, directed by Sylla Tzoumerka. He also attended the premiere of the film at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival. The orchestral piece that he composed and musically closes the film, received a nomination for the Best Music Award at the 2020 Iris Awards of the Hellenic Film Academy. In early 2021, Phoebus participated as a judge in the reality talent show House of Fame broadcast by Skai TV. In June 2022, Foivos realized Desmond Child's biggest and only concert "Desmond Child rocks the Parthenon" for the reunion of the Parthenon Sculptures, with the participation of Alice Cooper, Bonnie Tyler, Rita Wilson, Sakis Rouvas, The Rasmus , Kip Winger, Chris Willis, George Lebesis, Tabitha Fair, Justin Benlolo & Andrea Carlsson! In November 2022, the idea of "Gia – The Musical", born a year earlier on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the legendary album "Gia", becomes a reality and everyone is talking about the musical of the year. Phoebus made new arrangements of the big hits, while he also wrote new songs, especially for the theatrical adaptation of the album. Until today, he has collaborated with the biggest names of Greek singers such as: Vassilis Karras, Yiannis Parios, Tolis Voskopoulos, Antonis Remos, Sakis Rouvas, Kaiti Garbi, Despina Vandi, Natasa Theodoridou, Elli Kokkinou, George Mazonakis, Yiannis Ploutarhos, Elena Paparizou, Pashalis Terzis, Dionysis Schinas, Antipas, Dimitris Kokotas, Angela Dimitriou, Giorgos Lembesis, Thanos Petrelis, Manto, Thanos Kalliris, Victoria Chalkiti, Eleni Dimou, Angelos Dionysiou, Konstantina etc. The Spicy EffectIn 2009, Phoebus decided to start his own record company, in collaboration with Star Channel called "The Spicy Effect",[4] and has signed Despina Vandi,[5] Elli Kokkinou,[6] Nino,[6] and Thanos Petrelis, among others.[7] Discography
Phoebus has collaborated with the following artists:
Notes: (*) Phoebus composed only some tracks and not the whole album. (**) In 1994, Phoebus composed the song "Pes Mou Ti Sou Kanei" for the album "Fovamai Mi Fygeis" of Aggelos Dionysiou. According to the album's credits, the composer of the song seems to be Mirto Nikolopoulou. In fact, the real composer is Phoebus. (***) The song "Opa Opa" was composed by Giorgos Alkaios and not by Phoebus. This song was originally performed by the Greek singer, Notis Sfakianakis in 1992. In 1999, a second, more beat version of "Opa Opa" was performed by the group Antique, which gave a rebirth to the song. The Despina Vandi version is the final one and features English lyrics for the first time. Although Phoebus is not the composer of the song, he was involved in the arrangements and the whole production. "Opa Opa" became an international hit. (****) In 2002, a compilation of four older and five new songs written by Phoebus was released by Heaven Music. The songs were performed by the Serbian pop singer Jelena Karleusa. 20-year anniversary concertOn 24 September 2012, a special 20-year anniversary special concert dedicated to Phoebus was held.[9] The concert took place in the OAKA Stadium in Athens and featured the majority of the artists that have collaborated with Phoebus during the last 20 years. The artists that participated are: Despina Vandi, Katy Garbi, Angela Dimitriou, Thanos Kalliris, Panos Kalidis, Vasilis Karras, Elli Kokkinou, Dimitris Kokotas, Konstantina, Giorgos Mazonakis, Manto, Nino, Thanos Petrelis, Antonis Remos, Dionysis Shoinas and Tus.[10][11] The show was directed by Fokas Evaggelinos. On 25 December 2012, the concert was broadcast for the first time by ANT1 Television and in late October 2013, its audio part was released in a 4-cd deluxe package by Spicy. References
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