The Spicy Effect

Last updated

The Spicy Effect
TheSpicyEffect.png
Founded2009
Founder Phoebus
Distributor(s)Soundforge Music Group (physical)
Universal Music Greece (digital)
Digital Minds (digital, 2009-2013)
The Orchard Music (digital, 2013–present)
GenreVarious
Country of origin Greece
Location Athens
Official website www.spicymusic.gr
YouTube channel

The Spicy Effect, commonly referred to as Spicy or Spicy Music, is a Greek independent record label founded in 2009 by songwriter and record producer Phoebus, in association with the investment arm of Nea Tileorasi. [1]

Contents

Overview

After eight years under an exclusive songwriting and record production collaboration with independent record label Heaven Music of ANT1 Group, Phoebus announced on 21 October 2009 via his website that he had left the label, without providing further details. This news was followed by a statement from Despina Vandi that she had also left Heaven Music. The fate of the other artists under Heaven Music's roster with whom Phoebus exclusively collaborated were not disclosed by any of the concerned parties. By December 2009, Phoebus announced that he was starting his own record label, with Vandi being the first artist to sign. [2] Thereafter more artist signings to Phoebus' company were announced, including a five-year contract with Elli Kokkinou following her departure from Sony Music Entertainment Greece, [3] with whom Phoebus had worked with on two studio albums while both were under contract at Heaven Music. Nino [3] and Thanos Petrelis, both of whom were also with Heaven Music, signed with the company. [4] The company's trade name – The Spicy Effect – was also revealed following these signings.

In April 2010, The Spicy Effect obtained a digital distribution deal under a licensing agreement with Universal Music Greece, which grants access to popular services such as iTunes Store. C'est La Vie by Vandi marks the first studio album released by the label.

In July 2011, The Spicy Effect announced a collaboration with the record label My Group, founded by Manos Theofilos. [5] The label focuses on dance music and is credited with a number of hits since its inception. [5]

Charity

In December 2010, a remake of Vandi's Christmas song "Christougenna" (Christmas), titled "Christougenna 2010", was released featuring vocals by the entire Spicy Effect roster of artists- Kokkinou, Nino, Panos Kalidis, Elissavet Spanou, Ioakeim Fokas, and Stella Kalli, with the exception of Vandi. [6] The song also features the well-known Spiros Lambrou's children choir. [6] Vandi could not participate in the remake as a clause from her previous recording contract prohibited her from re-recording the song on a different label, [7] however she does appear in the music video. The remake was brought into fruition after Nino held a benefit concert in Agrinio in the summer to raise funds for the rehabilitation of 23-year-old paraplegic Petros Zaferis. [8] [9] [10] Proceeds from the sale of the digital release also went toward his rehabilitation. [8]

Discography/Artists

Discography/Artists
ArtistAlbumsYearLabel
Despina VandiC'est La Vie2010The Spicy Effect
Allaxa2010The Spicy Effect
2010The Spicy Effect
2012

Spicy Entertainment

In early 2011, The Spicy Effect launched Spicy Entertainment, a concert promoting division dealing across Greece and Cyprus, servicing foreign acts. [11]

The Spicy Labels

"The Spicy Effect" has also three labels under this label:

a) "Loca Records by Spicy" was created by Christodoulos Siganos and Valentino, with artists such as DJ Valentino, Constantinos Pantzis, Christina Koletsa and Hrispa (http://www.loca-records.com)

b) "Nuke Records by Spicy / The Urban music label" with artists, such as REC and FlyByWire and

c) "Noize The Label" (née Legend Music) with artists such as Giorgos Giasemis, Nikos Apergis, Dimitris Giotis, Thelxi, Andreas Stamos, Angelos Andreatos. This label is specialized in Laïko music.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Despina Vandi</span> Greek singer (born 1969)

Despina Malea, known as Despina Vandi, is a Greek singer. Born in Tübingen near Stuttgart, Germany, Vandi's family returned to Kavala, Greece when she was six years old.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kalomira</span> Greek-American singer (born 1985)

Maria Kalomira Sarantis, known professionally as Kalomira, is a Greek-American singer. Born and raised on Long Island, just outside of New York City in the United States, she first came to prominence in Greece in 2004, after winning the Greek talent show Fame Story. She has subsequently released four studio albums, represented Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008, and hosted various television shows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elli Kokkinou</span> Greek singer (born 1970)

Elli Kokkinou is a Greek singer. She is among the most popular singers in Greece today and has performed together with many notable Greek names of the music industry such as Anna Vissi, Glykeria, Paschalis Terzis, Sakis Rouvas, Tolis Voskopoulos, Thanos Petrelis, Natassa Theodoridou, Despina Vandi, Giorgos Tsalikis and Kalomoira. Kokkinou has been certified for the sales of 135 thousand albums by IFPI Greece. On 14 March 2010, Alpha TV ranked Kokkinou the 27th top-certified female artist in the nation's phonographic era.

<i>Gia</i> (album) 2001 studio album by Despina Vandi

Gia is the fifth studio album by Greek singer Despina Vandi. It was released on 19 December 2001 by Heaven Music and has sold more than 400,000 units and stands at five fold-platinum in Greece. 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. It also certified quadruple-platinum in Cyprus and gold status in Turkey. Additionally, the album was licensed to 35 territories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phoebus (songwriter)</span> Musical artist

Phoebus, 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. 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Despina Vandi discography</span>

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. The next two international singles, "Come Along Now" and "Opa Opa", achieved worldwide recognition. "Come Along Now" was heard all around the world in Coca-Cola's ads, and "Opa Opa" reached number 3 on the Hot Dance Radio Airplay of Billboard. 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katy Garbi</span> Greek singer (born 1961)

Katerina "Katy" Garbi is a Greek singer active in Greece and Cyprus, with some popularity in Turkey. Her career has spanned over 35 years with over 2 million records sold in Greece and abroad. Garbi's discography is marked by several multi-platinum releases, including Arhizo Polemo (1996) and Evaisthisies (1997), two of the best-selling albums of the decade. Garbi represented Greece in the annual Eurovision Song Contest in 1993 with the song "Ellada, chora tou fotos", taking ninth place. She later struck her biggest commercial success with To Kati (2000) in terms of unit sales. Over the years, Garbi has won 11 Pop Corn Music Awards, including three for Album of the Year, and one Arion Music Award. On 14 March 2010, Alpha TV ranked her among the top-certified female artists in Greece's phonographic era.

Athanasios (Thanos) Petrelis is a Greek singer. He has released four albums and several singles.

Kelly Kelekidou, sometimes referred to as Kel Kel, is a Greek singer. To date, she has released four studio albums and one CD Single which was certified Gold.

Stefanos Xypolitas, known professionally as Nino, is a Greek singer. He rose to fame in 2003 after appearing as a contestant on the debut season of the television show Fame Story. He has since released five studio albums.

<i>The Video Collection: 97–03</i> 2003 video by Despina Vandi

The Video Collection: '97–'03 is the first video album by Greek singer Despina Vandi, released in 2003 by Heaven Music in Greece and Cyprus. It features videos from the beginning of Vandi's collaboration with songwriter Phoebus since 1997. All of the music videos were directed by Kostas Kapetanidis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ivi Adamou</span> Greek Cypriot singer (born 1993)

Ivi Adamou is a Greek Cypriot singer. She was born and raised in Agia Napa, Cyprus and currently resides in Alexandroupoli, Greece. Adamou rose to recognition in Greece and Cyprus following her participation in the second season of the Greek version of The X Factor, where she was under the mentorship of Giorgos Theofanous. Right after her elimination from the X Factor, Adamou secured a recording contract with Sony Music Greece. She gained further recognition from her participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012, where she represented Cyprus with the song "La La Love".

<i>Cest la Vie</i> (Despina Vandi album) 2010 studio album by Despina Vandi

C'est La Vie is the eighth studio album released by Greek singer Despina Vandi. Initially, the album was distributed exclusively via a bundling with the newspaper "Real News" on 13 June 2010, marks the first LP released on label "The Spicy Effect", as well as her first studio album of new material since 2007's 10 Hronia Mazi. The album contains eleven songs, composed and produced entirely by Phoebus, with Zoi Grypari having written the lyrics on two songs, Vaggelis Konstandinidis on one song, and one song which is a co-production with a member of German band Schiller, Christopher von Deylen. The album was released via magazine stores of sale on 24 June 2010 in a one disc edition featuring five additional remixes and a fan magazine dedicated to Despina Vandi. Also, was released via traditional points of sale on 29 June 2010 in a double disc edition featuring seven additional remixes, including the five remixes from the second edition

Marianna Chantelle Hansen, known professionally as Shaya, is a Danish-born Greek singer. She was a member of the girl pop band Hi-5, the result of the Greek version of the talent show Popstars in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mou 'His Perasi</span> 2011 single by Despina Vandi

"Mou 'His Perasi" is a song by Greek singer Despina Vandi as a single from her upcoming album. Written by Gavrilis Mosas and produced by Phoebus, the song was released via digital download and on radio stations on November 24, 2011, in Greece and Cyprus, in the hours following its debut on the DC Club.

<i>Ta Genethlia Mou</i> 2011 studio album by Elli Kokkinou

Ta Genethlia Mou is the sixth studio album by Greek singer Elli Kokkinou, released in Greece and Cyprus on 9 December 2011 by The Spicy Effect. It marks her first studio album released under the label and under her renewed collaboration with songwriter and producer Phoebus. It also marks her first studio album in four years since Eilikrina (2007). The album has fifteen songs in total, including two duets and four remixes.

<i>Allaxa</i> 2012 studio album by Despina Vandi

Allaxa is the ninth studio album by Greek singer Despina Vandi. It was released on 27 April 2012 by The Spicy Effect and received double-platinum certification, selling over 24,000 units. It was produced and written by Phoebus and constitute the last cooperation of them. On 26 April 2012, Despina revealed on her Twitter account that after the release of the singles Mou 'Heis Perasei and Girismata, she will release a full-length album.

The first season of the Greek Cypriot reality talent show The Voice of Greece premiered on January 10, 2014, on ANT1. Based on the reality singing competition The Voice of Holland, the series was created by Dutch television producer John de Mol. It is part of an international series.

Maro Litra, born as Maria Litra, is a Greek singer. She studied music at McGill University Conservatory of Music.

<i>Spase Tous Deiktes</i> 2017 studio album by Greek singer Katy Garbi

Spase tous deiktes is the 20th studio album by Greek singer, Katy Garbi. It was released on 20 December 2017 by Panik Platinum, marking Garbi's first album release with the Panik label, and later received gold certification, selling over 6,000 units. It was produced by Leonidas Tzitzos and includes new and past collaborators including Giorgos Sabanis, Natalia Germanou, Ilias Kabakakis, Eleni Giannatsoulia, Dimitris Kontopoulos, Nikos Gritsis and Kostas Miliotakis. The album is a continuation of the modern laika with pop genre since the previous platinum release Perierges Meres, four years prior. It also reintroduces Katy to the dance genre for the first time since 2005, comprising two dance tracks, "Kardia alitissa" and "Kaneis san esena". The album's release coincided with Garbi's live performances at the clubs Stage in Thessaloniki, and Iera Odos in Athens, alongside Vasilis Karras and Christos Menidiatis. The album featured two tracks penned by Karras, one of which was recorded as a duet titled "Oute Lexi".

References

  1. "Star Investments" (in Greek). Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  2. Staff (10 December 2009). Καλομοίρα! Η μεγάλη επιστροφή! (in Greek). MAD TV . Retrieved 11 December 2009.
  3. 1 2 Staff (11 December 2009). Κοκκίνου-Νίνο στο Φοίβο! (in Greek). Panorama Press. Archived from the original on 14 December 2009. Retrieved 12 December 2009.
  4. "Phoebus Music". Veto News. 13 December 2009.
  5. 1 2 "ΜΥ GROUP "WITH" THE SPICY EFFECT" (Press release) (in Greek). The Spicy Effect. 13 July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  6. 1 2 Staff (1 December 2010). "To 'Χριστούγεννα' της Βανδή σε remake!" (in Greek). MAD TV . Retrieved 1 December 2010.
  7. Staff (2 December 2010). "Η απάντηση της Spicy για το "Χριστούγεννα"" (in Greek). Tralala.gr. Retrieved 2 December 2010.
  8. 1 2 Staff (30 November 2010). "Spicy Christmas Spirit!" (in Greek). Olymposfm.gr. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
  9. Staff (1 December 2010). "Χριστούγεννα 2010 με τους Καλλιτέχνες της Spicy!!!" (in Greek). Tralala.gr. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
  10. Staff (2 July 2010). Το μεγαλείο ψυχής του Νίνο και η καλύτερη κατάληξη στη προσπάθεια που συνέβαλε.. Blogger (in Greek). Troktiko. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
  11. Staff (7 February 2011). "Music & Media (7/2/2011)" (in Greek). To Paron. Retrieved 5 September 2011.