Anna Vissi.

Nestoras Vissis owned a small supermarket in Larnaca, Cyprus, and his wife Sophoula, a housewife, filled the home with music. Their daughter Anna was born on December 20, 1957. She grew up with two sisters, Lia and Niki, and together they formed The Vissi Sisters, performing Greek folk songs at local festivals. When Anna was a teenager, the family relocated to Athens so the girls could finish high school. At Kypseli 60th High School, she signed her first recording contract at age sixteen. She later studied at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

Anna Vissi’s big break came in 1973 when she won a sing-a-song competition for young talents, often referred to as the Thessaloniki Song Festival. After winning, she sang with established stars George Dalaras and Haris Alexiou. In 1983, she married rock composer Nikos Karvelas, who shifted her style from folk to pop. The 1990s were her peak decade, producing hit albums with Karvelas as composer and appearing in Broadway-style musicals Demons and Mala. In 2006, she represented Greece at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song Call Me. She also released an English album produced by Peter Asher, Brian Rawlings, and Ric Wake, and won awards including the MAD Video Music Awards and Arion Music Awards.

Anna Vissi married Nikos Karvelas in 1983 and they have a daughter, Sofia Karvela, who is an actress living in New York City. After her marriage, she lived with male model Kostas Fragolias, who is eighteen years younger. She maintains a close friendship with Sex and the City costume designer Patricia Field, of Greek descent. She only eats organic foods, exercises daily, and enjoys movies and popcorn. She owns a white Maltese dog named Vanilla that travels with her everywhere. She also supports the Panathinaikos sports club.

Anna Vissi won three awards at the first Cyprus Music Awards in 2005, including Best Female Singer for Call Me. Her career spans over four decades, making her one of Greece’s most successful pop singers. A Los Angeles critic described her stage presence as a cross between Madonna, Céline Dion, and Melina Mercouri. Her 2006 Eurovision single Call Me, her powerful voice, and her glamorous image define her legacy.