Katy Garbi

Infobox musical artist
Name = Katy Garbi


Img_capt = Katy Garbi
Img_size = 230px
Landscape =
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Katerina Garbi
Alias =
Born = birth date and age|1963|6|8
Athens, Greece
Died =
Origin = Athens, Greece
Instrument =
Genre = Modern Laika, Pop, dance
Occupation = Greek Singer
Years_active =1987-present
Label = Sony BMG
Associated_acts =
URL = http://www.katygarbi.com/
Current_members =
Past_members =
Notable_instruments =

Katerina 'Katy' Garbi (Greek: "Κατερίνα 'Καίτη' Γαρμπή"; born June 8 1963, in Egaleo, Athens) is a Greek singer active in Greece, Cyprus and Turkey. Her career has spanned over 20 years and is marked by several multi-platinum releases.

Biography

Early life

Garbi began her singing career with her younger sister Liana as the "Garbi Sisters" when she was just 15 years old and Liana 13. Due to their tender ages, their father was against their careers as singers, but did not want to stand in the way of any promising future the two might have. He always was there as a "guardian angel" to protect them. Garbi learned from a very young age how to work and earn her way, she remembers she and Liana drinking milk during those performances in clubs. She and her sister are most remembered for the back-up vocals they provided at Yannis Floriniotis's performances in the early eighties.

Personal life

On meeting male popstar Dionisis Schinas, Garbi realized the presence of sudden spark between both of them. They went on dating for a lengthy period during the early 90's, including 1993 when Garbi participated in a duet with none other that Dionisis Schinas himself. Rumours began to fly, that the duet put them in something a lot deeper then a normal business collaboration, however in the coming months, they were to take separate paths and continue on with their solo careers. In the time after they both were seeing other people; Dionisis was seen various times with another singer, "Elli Kokkinou" who was at the beginning of her entrance into the music industry.Nevertheless, this couple was not meant to be, as Dionisis still had his eyes set on Garbi and this time was not going to let her get away because he knew there was something special that both of them felt disregarding their small age gap.

On May 4 1997, Garbi married modern pop singer Dionisis Schinas and in June 1999, the couple had their first child, a baby boy. [ cite web |title= Biography by Sony BMG| url = http://sonybmg.gr/page/artist/artists_greek.asp?art_id=40el icon "Sony BMG". Retrieved on April 20, 2008]

Early Solo Career

Breaking away from the duo with her sister Liana, Garbi broke the ice into the music industry with her first ever solo song "Sain Trope", which quickly became a hit.Her first appearance in discography came in 1987, when she appeared as one of the artists on a new compillation CD called "Ta Deka Dekaria" alongside other fresh new singers including Manto, Polina, Sofia Vossou and Laurentis Mahairitsas. In this CD she appeared in two tracks "Sain Trope" and also in a duet with Kostas Haritodiplomenos called "Glyka".

With the success of this album, the second volume was released in 1989 which featured Garbi in two new numbers "Ah, Afto Mou Aresei" and "Zo Na S'agapo". This successful entrance into the Greek music industry lead her to her first music contract with CBS Records Greece, which very soon became Sony Music Greece, paving the way for her first studio album in 1989.

Career

1989–1992: The Beginning

Two years after her debut entry to the music world, she released her first album titled "Prova" (Trial) in 1989. At this point, Garbi and her sister separated from their professional paths in quest for solo careers. "Prova" became a great success and in a short time Katy Garbi became a popular figure. The Greek audience who adored her back when she was with her sister remained loyal to her and have ever since.

In 1990 and 1991 she released "Gyalia Karfia" (Glass and Nails) and "Entalma Silepseos" (Warrant) respectively. Both albums had great acceptance and allowed her to penetrate into the Greek local music scene.

On her fourth album, "Tou Feggariou Anapnoes" (The Moon's Breaths) released in 1992, Garbi decided to sing more pop/popular tunes than just clean pop. As a result, this twist in her musical style awarded her with a gold album, raising her to a new artistic level.

1993: Eurovision

In 1993 she accepted the offer to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 1993. The song that she sung was "Ellada, Hora Tou Fotos." This event gave her career new opportunities and was what carved the path that lead to her gold and platinum years. At the end of the competition, she was placed 9th with 64 points.

1994–1997: The Platinum Years

Following her successful participation in the Eurovision she began releasing hits that reached gold and platinum standards, releasing the Gold Album "Os Ton Paradeiso" (Until Paradise) and the Platinum Album "Atofio Hrysafi" (Pure Gold) in 1994. On this particular album is a duet with her then boyfriend Dionysis Schoinas who whilst promoting the song on Channel Mega's show Bravo with Roula Koromila, Dionysi proposed to her live in front of a national audience.

After her huge success with 3x platinum album "Arhizo Polemo" (I'm Starting A War) was released in 1996, she doubled her success with "Evaisthisies" (Sensitivities) in 1997 which reached 3x platinum status. In that time, 1994-96-97, Garbi managed also to win eight Pop Corn Greek Music Awards. These 3 Albums awarded as the best album of each year in Pop Corn Greek Music Awards.

1998–1999: Garbi's Christmas Present

For Christmas 1998, Garbi, who cherishes the holidays, created a special album full of well known Christmas songs adapted to Greek lyrics by Eleni Giannatsoulia. This project was a long wished one by the popular artist. Also featured on this album titled "Hristouyenna Me Tin Katy" (Christmas With Katy) is the internationally known tenor K. Paliatsaras and the children's choir of St. Labros. The Album went Gold in Greece.

1999 saw the release of Garbi's Platinum certified album "Doro Theou" (God's Gift). It featured a song with the back-up vocals of Antonis Remos called "Anisos Agonas". Other tracks include "Doro Theou", "Agkires", and "Aponomi Dikeosinis", all of which were made into video clips. She also cooperated with the well-respected musician and singer Foivos Delivorias. Garbi performed his song "O Antras tis Zois Mou" (The Man of My Life), which is included in one of his albums. In June of that year Garbi was also blessed with her own gift from god; a new born baby boy, who she named Dimitri.

2000–2001: To Kati, Anna Vissi & Ti Theloune Ta Mata Sou

The year 2000 arrived and Garbi kicked off the new millennium by releasing her super hit album "To Kati" (That Something), a double CD with songs written by Fivos. Fivos, the songwriter of the hottest hits within the last 5 years, and the extraordinary super star Katy Garbi meet up once more. The result of their collaboration is seven new songs, which are combined with the best tracks Garbi and Fivos have created together in the past, and make a total of 31 super hits. In addition, label mate Natasa Theodoridou joins Garbi on the hit "Epitelous" (At last). "To Kati" was certified 4x Platinum, marking a high point in her career.

After the success of her super 4x Platinum album "To Kati", Garbi partenered up with superstar Anna Vissi in a duet, releasing the massive hit song "Kalitera I Dio Mas" on Anna Vissi's 6x Platinum Album "Kravgi". The song was such a success that two video clips were made; Version A and Version B, which had them both hilariously mucking around in front of the camera. Some months later, they both presented a fantastic show together with boyband ONE at Club Fever, which is one of the biggest distributed performance on the internet. Since then their friendship has stayed strong.

The release of her platinum CD single "Ti Theloune Ta Matia Sou" (What do your eyes want?) followed on December 15, 2001. [cite web|url=http://beta.mad.tv/news/new.php?id=2684|title=Τρεις αγαπημένες και πλατινένιες!|date=2001-03-14|publisher="MAD TV"|language=Greek|accessdate=2008-09-14] It featured three new songs and two remixes of "Ti Theloune Ta Matia Sou" which was a co-operation with the popular rock band Exis. Kostas Tournas also gave Garbi one song for that release. The music video of the song "Ti Theloune Ta Matia Sou", is considered to be one of Garbi's best clips as it took an award at the "Pop Corn Greek Music Awards".

2001: Apla Ta Pragmata

In 2001 Katy Garbi, along with her producer Yannis Doulamis, presented a new project titled "Apla Ta Pragmata" (Things are simple) a double CD with 31 tracks. The first CD includes tracks composed by Nikos Terzis (who had also given Garbi her first big hit "Pesto M' Ena Fili" (Say It With A Kiss)). A special track on this project is Garbi's duet with the young duo Antique titled "Einai Adiko Kai Krima" (It Is Unfair And A Pity). The album also included the hits "Viastika" (In a hurry) and "Thelo Apopse Na Horepso" (Tonight I Want to Dance). It went 2x Platinum in Greece [cite web|url=http://beta.mad.tv/news/new.php?id=9512|title=Μια καρδιά από την Καίτη Γαρμπή!|date=2002-12-03|publisher="MAD TV"|language=Greek|accessdate=2008-09-14] and Cyprus and was awarded the album of the year award at the Pop Corn Greek Music Awards.

2002: The Club Hits

In 2002, Garbi took her music one step further releasing a mini disk "Remix Plus" which included four remixes of her latest hits "Apla ta Pragmata", "Krayon", "Otan se Hreiazomai" and an album version of "Thelo Apopse Na Horepso".

During the same year she released a CD bringing back all of her past hits in a non-stop album titled "Katy Garbi Hit Mix".

A year later in 2003, Katy Garbi's CD Single "Mia Kardia" (2x Platinum) (One Heart) burned up the dance floor in Greek clubs everywhere. With a seducing tsifteteli, techno-infused club anthem, an intoxicating Hindi collaboration, and a memorable duet with Giorgos Tsalikis, Katy Garbi pleased even the pickiest of her fans.

2003–2004: Emmones Idees & Galazio Kai Lefko

After that, Garbi worked with the group 667 on a song titled "Aeraki" (Breeze) which was included in the group's album. In 2002 Garbi won an Arion Greek Music Award, for the Best Folk Female Singer of the Year.

It's no surprise that Garbi was back on top at the end of 2003 with another red-hot album, "Emmones Idees" (Platinum) (Constant Ideas), which brought to life the smash hits "Na Pernas" (Go on With Your Life), "Andres" (Men), "Esena Mono" (Only You), and a duet with Yiannis Vardis "Poso Tha Thela" (How Much I Want To...). A bonus club track titled "Zilia" (Jealousy) was also included. A music video featuring three of the songs from the album was released to both Greek and Cypriot television stations.

The year 2004 came and Garbi whipped up her third CD single "Galazio Kai Lefko" (Blue and White) dedicating the title song to Greece. It also featured a new High-Bass song "Katapliktiko" (Amazing), and two remixes of "Esena Mono", which gained an incredible amount of airplay and a #1 position on the club charts. The "Esena Mono" remixes were a big success in several countries other than Greece and Cyprus, such as Russia, Bulgaria, and Turkey. Also included on the single was a "New Tempo Mix" of "Viastika".

2005–2006: Eho Sta Matia Ourano & Pos Allazei O Kairos

The hits kept rolling in when 2005 arrived with the release of her 13th studio album "Eho Sta Matia Ourano" which reached Gold status in Cyprus. The album was written by Christos Dantis and so a duet between the two "Spaciba Baby" was recorded as well. Other songs include "Teleia Kai Pavla", "To Narkotiko Mou", a brilliant zeimbekiko "Eho Sta Matia Ourano" and a song that immediately became a hit "Akouse Agori Mou", which she performed live at the 2005 Mad Video Music Awards.

Garbi was a judge on the Fame Story talent show. Her vocals are included in the Planetworks album Al Bazzar 3 with a released remake of a hit Turkish song that she has called "Stohos" (Goal). Her song "Esena Mono" (Only You) was mixed with the Turkish hit "Leili" by Mokka and it became a music video named "Esena Mono vs Leili".

Garbi sacked her previous creative director Yannis Doulamis and hired Yannis Doksas who is a song-writer and a member of the Greek Sony BMG board. She released her 14th studio album: "Pos Allazei O Kairos" ("How Time Changes") on October 23 2006. Before the release of the album, the song "Isovios Desmos" (Lifetime Bond) sung in duet with ex-Fame Story contestant Stathis Raftopoulos, was a radio hit in Greece. A video-clip was then made to the title-track "Pos Allazei O Kairos", which became a big hit, in the month following the release of the album, and then another video-clip was made for "Afti", which is featured on the album too, which reached Gold status in Greece.

Weeks after the release of the gold 2006 album "Pos Allazei O Kairos" news of a label change from Sony BMG aired as her contract with the company came to the end of its ten year collaboration. Garbi has the option to resign, but could ultimately chose a different label.

2007: Live Album

On August 31, Garbi performed at the Alexis Miniotis theatre. The event was organized to benefit the victims and families of the 2007 Greek forest fires. The guest list included Kostas Tournas, Giorgos Lembesis, Vanesa Adamopoulou and Nikita Kaklamanis and many more. The choice of songs included old songs which have never been released on any artist's live album before and included hits from Garbi's discography.

Earlier in 2006, during an interview with MAD TV presenter Themis Georgantas on his show "OK!", the question was asked if she was planning to record and release an official live album. Garbi replied that indeed she is planning to and that she wanted it to be recorded at at a special, memorable and important place of hers and that a lot of thought would be put into its tracks.

Garbi's live album was released on November 29 2007. It included many of her favorite songs, past hits, and some new tracks. It reached Gold status and was certified at Garbi's "18 Hronia Live" party in Athens on March 11.

2008: New CD single and album

Garbi performed eight concerts in North America along with Dionysis Schinas and Christos Pazis. Starting February 1 and continuing to the 17th, they appeared in Chicago, Los Angeles, Toronto, Astoria, Washington DC, Vancouver, Boston, and Tampa. [ [http://www.greekconcertpromotions.com/kaiti-garbi-info.html KAITI GARBI / DIONYSIS SCHINAS & CHRISTOS PAZIS NORTH AMERICAN TOUR 2008 ] ] After her North America Tour, Garbi went back to Greece where there was a party in celebration of her 20 years of discography and also the gold certification of "18 Hronia Live".

In July 2008, Garbi released a dance-pop remix of the song "Tzini" as a digital download. It was first released in 1990 on her album "Gyalia Karfia" and penned by Giannis Nikolaou. The song was remixed by Giorgos Alkaios and Dionysis Schinas and is her second digital download song after "Isovios Desmos" in 2006. [cite web|url=http://music.net.cy/mousika_nea/july2008/24-7/kaiti_garmpi.htm|title=“ΤΖΙΝΙ” Η ΚΑΙΤΗ ΓΑΡΜΠΗ..|date=2008-07-28|publisher="Music net.cy"|language=Greek|accessdate=2008-07-27]

In mid 2008, Garbi went back to the studio to record a CD single which is set for release sometime in the summer. It was also announced that she is returning to her "beloved" pop music of her past. The CD single will be a precursor to her album which is scheduled to be released in the fall. [ cite web | title = Η Καίτη Γαρμπή στο στούντιο...| url = http://music.net.cy/mousika_nea/june2008/4-6/kaiti_garmpi.htm "Music.net.cy", June 4 2008. Retrieved on June 4, 2008] It is slated to be her last album on her current contract with Sony BMG Greece. [cite web|url=http://music.net.cy/mousika_nea/june2008/30-6/kaiti_garmpi.htm|title=Το δυναμικό comeback της Καίτης Γαρμπή...|date=2008-06-30|publisher="Music.net.cy"|language=Greek|accessdate=2008-07-27]

Philanthropy

Garbi has been involved in many fund-raising acts for Greece, holding numerous concerts for homeless children, the “Erithnos Stavros” of Greece and sick children of Athens hospital. She also held many concerts for international countries for the Red Cross in many countries. She has contributed to Live Aid concerts along with other well known Greek Singers for numerous causes. This has added to her popularity.Recently she has devoted a concert to the fire victims of Greece (2007), where all the money would be used as charity for the victims.

"It is our obligation to offer what we can. It is impossible to find a single Greek who is not bent over from the human pain and the size of destruction. I shared my desire to help the victims with the Mayor of the city of Aigaleo, and he supported me in every way. The concert will take place in the theater of Aigaleo, and all the money will be given to aid the victims. So, on Friday, at 21:30 local time, we will all be waiting for you to come there.”"

Performing

Garbi has performed in fantastic concerts all over the world, with different people, in different environments throughout her singing career.She has toured all over the world to places including Greece, Cyprus, Australia, U.S.,Canada, Britain, Africa with many other famous artists including Dionysis Schoinas, Anna Vissi, Sakis Rouvas, Paschalis Terzis and Giorgos Tsalikis.

In 2001, one year after she released her 4x Platinum Album To Kati she met up with Anna Vissi (with whom she recorded the duet "Kalitera I Dyo Mas") to perform at Club Fever. That specific performance was a great sell out success. They have since kept a fantastic friendship for many years.

More recently she has collaborated with Zucchero during his recent Athens concert in "Theatro Vraxon Melina Merkouri". Other performances of Garbi's include the Eurovision Song Contest 1993 with "Ellada, Hora Tou Fotos", where she took the 9th position, and Mad Video Awards 2005 with her hit "Akouse Agori Mou". Garbi also performed at Radio City Music Hall on May 9, 1997, enjoying tremendous success.

Certification Celebrations

In releasing each album, Sony BMG usually organizes a CD Premiere celebration of the particular album, which occurs at a venue where Katy is present along with Sony BMG's president, Katy's manager, her family and of course the Kaiti Garbi Fanclub and Fans. This event can occur as a premiere, the premiere of a film clip or mainly after the CD has circulated. If it is held after the CD has circulated it usually involves the official certification "(Platinum, Gold etc.)" where the official plaque is handed to her.

There have also been a few discography certification celebrations where new plaques are issued for all the previous albums which have been certified. Some of these events include the release of To Kati in which a large concert took place in front of the Virgin Megastore for the album which became "4x Platinum", also the film clip "To Lathos" was filmed during this performance; Emmones Idees which became "Platinum" and also the release of 18 Hronia Live which celebrated 18 Years In Discography and an all-round sales plaque, this party was made possible by the Kaiti Garbi Fanclub and was a great success.

Current Projects

*Katy Garbi is going to Release her last album labeled by Sony BMG this October. Moreover, it is rumored that there is going to be a duet with Pashalis Terzis or Notis Sfakianakis
*Katy Garbi and Notis Sfakianakis are going to be together this winter at "Enastron" music hall! Prmiere date: 7th of November!
*Nikos Adupas, Pegasus, Sabanis are some of the composers that is rumored to co-operste with Katy Garbi at her upcoming album!

Discography

Videography

References

External links

* [http://www.katygarbi.com/ Official Site]
* [http://www.sonybmg.gr/ Sony BMG]
* [http://www.myspace.com/kaitoula/ Official Myspace]