Irini Merkouri
Background information
Born May 26, 1981 (1981-05-26) (age 27)
Origin Greece
Genre(s) Modern Laika , Pop, dance
Label(s) Sony BMG
Website http://www.eirinimerkouri.com
Irini Merkouri (Greek: Ειρήνη Μερκούρη; born in Ilion, Athens, on May 26, 1981) is a Greek pop singer.[1]
1 Career
1.1 Early life
1.2 2001 - 2003: Debut Album & Meine Mazi Mou Apopse
1.3 2004: Sarbel & Palirroia
1.4 2005 - 2007: Aneta, Argises, & "Nai"
2 Discography
2.1 Albums
2.2 CD Singles
3 References
4 External links
Career
Early life
Born was and raised in Ilion, Athens to a Greek father and a Romani mother. Merkouri began showing interest in being a singer at a very young age and at the age of seven she would mimic all the singers she would see on television.[2]
2001 - 2003: Debut Album & Meine Mazi Mou Apopse
Irini Merkouri signed with Sony Music Entertainment Greece and recorded her first solo album Na Fysai I Anixi in November 2001. On it, she sang a duet with Antonis Remos titled "Dio Mas" and also included was a Greek version of the French song "Si Tu Ouvres Tes Bras" titled "Iparhi Kai Theos". There were twelve songs total including the hits "Syntelia" and "Foties Anapste".[2]
In June of 2003, Merkouri released her second studio album, titled Mine Mazi Mou Apopse (Stay With Me Tonight). It consisted of 12 songs and included a remix of "Syntelia" which topped the airplay charts for 3 consecutive months.[1] Also on the album were th hits "Ematha Na Zo Horis Esena" and "Meina Mazi Mou Apopse".
Cover of Argises
2004: Sarbel & Palirroia
The year 2004 brought Sarbel's "Se Pira Sovara" in which Merkouri was featured. On the same CD Single, Merkouri and Sarbel also released a second duet together called "Agapi Mou Esi".[2]
In June, Merkouri released her third studio album, titled Palirroia which contained 15 new songs. The first single to hit the airwaves was "Ela", a song with a mix of both modern laika and ragga elements. The second single, "Pou Na Fantasto" became the first video clip of the album and was a big hit at clubs throughout Greece. The third single, "Krata Me Ksana", was written by Takis Damashis of C:Real and with his help, Merkouri won the Arion Award for "Best Pop Singer".[1]
2005 - 2007: Aneta, Argises, & "Nai"
On July 7, 2005, Merkouri released her fourth studio album, titled Aneta (Comfortably). It featured hits from her previous albums and also contained 7 new songs."[1]
The year 2006 brought Merkouri's fifth studio album, titled Argises (You Were Late). It contained 13 new songs including the hits "Pame Gi'Alla" and "Miso Lepto" which became a video clip. Christos Pazis performs a duet with Merkouri called "Argises".[1]
Merkouri finished off 2007 with her release of a CD single titled "Nai" (Yes). It contained two songs "Nai" and "Kane Ena Tsigaro". "Nai" was made into a video clip, and the single reached second on the IFPI Singles Chart for Greece.[3]