Νίκος Καρβέλας

Nikos Karvelas (Greek: Νίκος Καρβέλας; born 8 September 1951) is a Greek musician, composer, singer, songwriter, record producer and author. He has sold millions of records as a producer and is most recognizable for his four-decade-long collaboration with Anna Vissi, while some of his other well-known collaborations include Tolis Voskopoulos and Sakis Rouvas. Karvelas has released multiple personal studio albums that have had mild to big success. In 2012, Alpha TV ranked Karvelas as the 13th top-certified composer in Greece in the phonographic era. Karvelas was born in Piraeus. When he was five years old, his parents bought him his first piano. He started to play popular songs and composed his first melodies. During the 1970s, he studied law at the University of Athens. Karvelas created his first rock band influenced by famous rock bands like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. He started to become known at the end of the 1970s. In the early 1980s, Karvelas met his muse, Vissi, and a few years later, in 1983, they got married. Vissi has claimed that the first impression she had when she met Karvelas was a "hairy thing," but she was amazed by his talent and his sex appeal. Karvelas' career as a singer started in 1985 when he released his first studio album under CBS Records Greece, San Diskos Palios (Like An Old Record) making two big hits, Despina and Kalokairines Diakopes (Summer Holidays). The album sold over 50,000 copies and became gold. In 1987, he released his second album Ola i Tipota (All or Nothing) and it became platinum. Next year, he released his third album, Dimosies Scheseis (Public Relations) and in 1989 he released his fourth album, "Tsouzi." His fifth step came out in 1990 and tended to be his "lucky" album. It was called Diavolaki (Little Devil) and became gold. The top hit of the album was Antistrofi Metrisi (Countdown), a duet with Vissi. One year later, he released another gold album, titled O Teleftaios Horos (The Last Dance). The self-titled duet with Vissi confirmed the rumors about the problems of their marriage. In 1991, Karvelas and Vissi tried their luck in a different type of music. Demones (Demons) is the first opera composed by Karvelas and Vissi was the protagonist, while actors including Giannis Samsiaris and John Modinos participated. Vissi has stated "Me and Nikos would like so much to do Demones in Athens and we spent all our money to produce it without knowing if it will have success". The rock opera was a great success and for two years the theater "Attikon" was sold-out. Emeis (We) was the next album of Karvelas, released in 1992 with the top single Emeis, another duet with Vissi. Two years later, Karvelas releases another gold album, 25 ores (25 Hours). All the albums were great successes and became either gold or platinum. In 1993, Karvelas released Best Of with 2 new songs, "Oikto" (Mercy) and "Thes Den Thes" (Whether You Want or Not). In 1996, he released the album To Aroma tis Amartias (The Aroma of Sin) and it became platinum. Next year, the title of his gold album, O Pio Eftihismenos Anthropos Pano Sti Gi (The Happiest Man On Earth), ironically expressed Karvelas' mood. This certain period, Karvelas moved to London permanently, having enough time and great inspiration to prepare his next steps. He released the album Ena Hrono to Perissotero (One Year the Most). Vissi sang with Nikos the top single of the album which was the name of the album. In 2000, Karvelas from London shared his new hits with his fans in the album Ola Ine Endaxi (Everything Is Alright). However, he started to prepare his new musical Mala, dealing with the story of Mala Zimetbaum, a Jewish girl who tried to escape from Auschwitz in 1944. In January 2002, Mala’s premiere in "Pallas" theater took place, with Vissi playing the lead role. The musical was a great success and it was sold-out every night. After Mala, Karvelas released an album titled, Party Gia Spasmenes Kardies (Party for Broken Hearts). Boom Boom Boom was the first single of the album, a memorial duet with Vissi. His next album was Robot, released by Nitro Music. In 2004, he released a single dedicated to the Greek football champion team in Euro 2004. The title was Imaste Nikites (We Are Winners). Some of the football players participated in the song's music video. In 2006, he released the album Thriller and in 2007 the single Pios Fovate ton Passari (Who's Afraid of Passaris). In late 2007, he released the album Trakter. In February 2009, Karvelas released his 19th studio album titled Adio Heimona. In a radio interview prior to the album's release, good friend Natalia Germanou, described the album as featuring a variety of styles, and classified it as "the return of good old Karvelas." In December 2009, it was announced that Karvelas would become the head judge on the Greek talent show "Greek Idol" to be aired on Alpha TV in 2010, but he eventually withdrew from the project before it started airing. As of 2024, Karvela’s collaboration with Anna Vissi, spans over 4-decades and remains as one of the most lucrative in Greek history, having achieved multi-million record sales (in the range of 15 and 20 million). Karvelas first met Greek-Cypriot singer Anna Vissi in early 1980s, and married in 1983. They have a daughter named Sofia (b. 1983). The couple later divorced, but have remained good friends to date, while Karvelas also has written the lyrics of most of Vissi's songs. In 2006, Karvelas began dating Greek television hostess Annita Pania. In 2008 Pania gave birth to their son named Andreas. The couple married in 2010 and divorced in 2016. Since 2019, Karvelas has been in a relationship with Greek singer Elena Ferentinou. They have a son named Fedon (b. 2022). 1975: Yiannis Parios – Erhontai Stigmes – Gold 1976: Yiannis Parios – Tora Pia – Platinum 1977: Yiannis Parios – Mi Fevgis Mi – Platinum 1977: Litsa Diamanti – Ase Me Na S' Agapao – Gold 1977: Yiannis Kalatzis – Kapoios Panta Leei Antio 1977: Dimitris Kontolazos – Min Rotas 1977: Litsa Sakellariou – Litsa Sakellariou 1977: Tolis Voskopoulos – Einai To Kati Pou Menei – Gold 1978: Themis Andreadis – O Themis Pou Paei Pantou 1978: Dimitra Galani – M' Agapouses Thimame... – Gold 1979: Yiannis Kalatzis – Pali Konta Sou 1979: Tolis Voskopoulos – Mera Nychta Pantou – Gold 1981: Doukissa – Gia Sena Ksana Tragoudo 1981: Anna Vissi – Anna Vissi (as Nikos Leonardos) – Gold 1982: Anna Vissi – Eimai To Simera Kai Eisai To Hthes 1984: Anna Vissi – Na 'Hes Kardia – Gold 1985: Angela Dimitriou – Poia Thysia – Gold 1985: Anna Vissi – Kati Simveni – Gold 1986: Anna Vissi – I Epomeni Kinisi – Platinum 1986: Rita Sakellariou – Areso – Platinum 1986: Litsa Diamanti – Den Pandrevome – Gold 1987: Dimitris Kontolazos – Den M' Agapas – Gold 1987: Haroula Ntanou – Dikaiologimena 1987: Dimitris Kontolazos – Den M' Agapas – Gold 1987: Polina – Pame Gia Treles Stis Seychelles 1988: Anna Vissi – Tora – Gold 1988: Anna Vissi – Empnefsi! – Gold 1988: Litsa Diamanti – Piretos – Gold 1989: Anna Vissi – Fotia – Platinum 1990: Polina – Kali Epityhia 1990: Dimitris Kontolazos – Tachypalmia – Gold 1990: Anna Vissi – Eimai – Gold 1992: Katerina Stanisi – Anastatonomai – Gold 1992: Anna Vissi – Lambo – Gold 1993: Sofia Karvela – Kolla To 1993: Katerina Stanisi – Na Mineis – Gold 1993: Lefteris Pantazis – Ego Den Eimai Ego – Platinum 1993: Anna Vissi – Live! 1994: Sakis Rouvas – Aima, Dakrya & Idrotas – Platinum 1994: Lefteris Pantazis – O Paixtis – Gold 1994: Stathis Aggelopoulos – Kripse Me Stin Agkalia Sou 1994: Anna Vissi – Re! – Gold 1995: Margarita Pappa – Etsi Eimai Ego 1996: Anna Vissi – Klima Tropiko – 3× Platinum 1996: Sakis Rouvas – Tora Arhizoun Ta Dyskola – Platinum 1996: Lambis Livieratos – Bam Kai Kato – Gold 1997: Anna Vissi – Travma – 3× Platinum 1997: Efi Sarri – Adinaton – Gold 1997: Lefteris Pantazis – Erhetai – Gold 1997: Antypas – Kataigida – Gold 1997: Katerina Stanisi – Imoun, Eimai Kai Tha Eimai – Gold 1998: Lambis Livieratos –