Despina Vandi, born as Despina Malea on 22 July 1969, is an Greek singer. Born in Tübingen near Stuttgart, Germany, Vandi's family returned to Kavala, Greece when she was six years old.
Gia is the fifth studio album by Greek singer Despina Vandi that was originally released on December 19, 2001 by Heaven Music. Since release, it has been re-released several times, and has become one of the best-selling albums of all time in Greece. According to the DVD "Guide of the Greek discography" which is compiled privately by Petros Dragoumanos, it is the best selling album for the last 20 years in Greece. In 2010, Alpha TV's "Chart Show" which uses statistics also compiled by Mr. Dragoumanos, ranked the album as the third most successful album in terms of sales in Greece during 1985-2009 and the most successful album from 2000-2009. The album has sold more than 200,000 units and stands at five times platinum in Greece. It also stands at four times platinum in Cyprus and gold status in Turkey. Additionally, the album was licensed to 35 territories.
"Opa Opa" is a song by Greek singer Notis Sfakianakis, released as a single from his second album Ise Ena Pistoli in 1992. Opa Opa is a laïko dance song and was written and produced by singer Giorgos Alkaios years earlier.
This page includes the discography of singer Despina Vandi. Vandi began a musical career in 1994 after signing with Minos EMI. She released two albums with little success, Gela Mou (1994) and Esena Perimeno (1996), before beginning an exclusive collaboration with composer Phoebus, which would eventually become one of the most successful partnerships in Greek history, and striking commercial success with her third and fourth albums Deka Endoles (1997) and Profities (1999), the latter which reached multi-platinum status. In the 2000s, Vandi and Phoebus began experimenting with more contemporary, radio-friendly pop influences in combination with laiko repertoire to much initial success. Her single "Ipofero" (2000) became the best-selling Greek single of all time ; after the success Vandi and Phoebus signed to new-found independent label Heaven Music with Gia (2001) remaining the label's biggest sales success, and one of the biggest-selling albums of all time in Greece. For the sales of Gia, Vandi became the first of four artists recording in Greece to receive a World Music Award for "World's Best Selling Greek Artist". With Gia earning success in neighboring markets as well, Vandi embarked on a career abroad briefly to some mild success; she became the first Greek artist to chart on any Billboard chart, reaching number one on the Hot Dance Airplay Chart for 2 weeks and 39 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart, although her later singles proved less successful. Vandi released her first live album in 2003 before taking a maternity leave after having her first child. During this time, both her former and current label released a number of compilations and video albums to capitalize on her recent marketability. Vandi returned with another multi-platinum record, Stin Avli Tou Paradeisou, before another maternity leave. 10 Hronia Mazi (2007) was released as a celebration of her 10-year collaboration with Phoebus. In 2009 Vandi and Phoebus announced that they were leaving Heaven Music in favor of a new label founded by Phoebus. The biggest music channel in Greece, MAD TV, in tribute to the 10 years since its foundation called Despina Vandi as the biggest female Greek star in Greek music. Vandi has sold over 1 million records.
"Gia" is a song recorded by Greek singer Despina Vandi. It was originally released as the lead single off her 2001 multi-platinum Greek album also of the same name. Vandi signed with Ultra Records for the international release of the track, and in 2003 a CD single was made available in many markets, following by a 2004 US re-issued which included a new English-language version.
"Thelo" is a song by Greek singer Despina Vandi. On October 10, 2007 (10/10), Despina released the song simultaneously on all radio stations and TV stations across Greece at 10 AM. It marked her 10th anniversary of collaborating with the composer Phoebus. The song topped Nielsen's Radio Airplay chart for 8 consecutive weeks in Greece. It is the first single released from the album 10 Hronia Mazi.
Deka Entoles is the third studio album by Greek singer Despina Vandi. It was released in Greece in 1997 by Minos EMI and was her first album to be certified, reaching platinum status. This is the first album that Despina Vandi collaborated with popular composer Phoebus.
Esena Perimeno is the second studio album by Greek singer Despina Vandi. It was released in Greece in 1996 by Minos EMI and according to Despina Vandi it sold 18,000 copies.
Gela Mou is the first studio album by Greek singer Despina Vandi. It was released in Greece in 1994 by Minos EMI. It includes her very first mass hits "Gela mou", "Den Iparhi Tipota" and "To Adiexodo", a duet with Greek singer Giannis Parios. Αccording to Despina Vandi it sold 14,000 copies.
"Ipofero" is a 6× platinum CD single by Greek artist Despina Vandi released on 13 December 2000 by Minos EMI. The CD single is entirely composed by Phoebus and was awarded as being the highest-selling Greek CD single at Virgin Megastores and generally in Greece, by Richard Branson of Virgin Group, having sold over 120,000 copies in Greece. The single also stands at 4× Platinum in Cyprus.
Singles is a compilation album by the popular Greek singer Despina Vandi, containing her most successful singles under the EMI Music Greece label. The compilation includes singles taken from the albums Gela Mou (1994), Esena Perimeno (1996), Deka Entoles (1997), and Profities (1999). It also included tracks from the singles "Spania" (1997) and "Ipofero" (2001). The CD was also released in Germany and other European countries.
Ta Laïka Tis Despinas is the fourth compilation album by Greek singer Despina Vandi, featuring a collection of songs of the laïka genre during her time at the Minos EMI label. The album was included as the third disc of the box set Despina Vandi in 2005.
Dance is the third compilation album by Greek singer Despina Vandi, featuring a collection of dance music including both laïka and pop during her time at the Minos EMI label. The album was included as the second disc of the box set Despina Vandi in 2005.
Despina Vandi is the first box set album by Greek singer Despina Vandi, featuring her three previous compilations Dance, Ballads, and Ta Laïka Tis Despinas, released in 2005 by her previous record label Minos EMI in Greece and Cyprus.
The EMI Years: The Complete Collection is the eighth compilation album and second box set album by Greek singer Despina Vandi, released in 2007 by her previous record label Minos EMI in Greece and Cyprus.
The Very Best of Despina Vandi is a compilation album by Greek singer Despina Vandi, released in 2005 by record label EMI in Turkey.
Greatest Hits: 2001–2009 is a compilation album by the Greek singer Despina Vandi, released in 2009 by her previous record label Heaven Music in Greece and Cyprus, after Vandi announced her departure from the label.
Greek Hits: Giorgos Mazonakis vs. Despina Vandi is the fifth video album by Greek singer Despina Vandi and her only video album in Ukraine, released in 2008 by Odyssey Company in Ukraine. It features videos of Despina Vandi and Giorgos Mazonakis, from the period 2003-2007.
Giati Fovase is a Greek-language song performed by Greek recording artist Despina Vandi from her live album Despina Vandi Live. It was released as a promotional cd-single from the album in 2004. The song was recorded from her sold-out live concert in Lycabettus theatre in Athens in 2003.
