Angeliki Kiourtsaki (Greek: Αγγελική Κιουρτσάκη; born 18 August 1954), known as Angela Dimitriou (Greek: Άντζελα Δημητρίου, pronounced[ˈandzelaðimiˈtri.u]), is a Greek singer. She is one of the top 10 most popular and commercially successful Greek female singers, with album sales reaching 1.5 million in Greece and 2.4 million internationally.
Biography
Angela Dimitriou, born on 18 August 1954 in Peristeri, Attica, Greece, initially named Angeliki Kiourtsaki, faced financial difficulties from a young age, which led her to start working early in life and prevented her from completing her formal education.
In 1968, at the age of 14, she first appeared on stage after being discovered by an agent. Her career officially began in 1970 when she performed at the venue BETA VETA. In 1972, she adopted the name Angela Dimitriou. Throughout her career, she collaborated with notable Greek artists and signed contracts with various record labels, including CBS (now Sony Music), Minos EMI, Alpha Records, Lobby Music, and Heaven Music.
Angela Dimitriou's journey in the music industry continues to this day, with collaborations with renowned composers and artists. She has released 39 albums, with 30 going gold and 24 achieving platinum status, consistently achieving commercial success.
She gained popularity in Arab countries across the Middle East, where her song "Margarites" reached the top of the charts in Lebanon and other regions. Angela Dimitriou also collaborated with Egyptian singer Amr Diab on a song titled "Ana Bahebak Aktar." Both of these songs were produced by Vangelis Yannopoulos, the A&R manager of Minos-EMI Greece, through his connections with EMI Arabia. She also performed a Greek rendition of Marc Almond's song "Death's Diary," titled "Keravni ki Astrapes" (Lightnings and Thunders). However, she has faced criticism for her limited education and her humorous style of communication. Angela Dimitriou's most iconic and signature song is "Fotia Sta Savvatovrada" ("Fire on Saturday Nights"), which was produced by Yannis Doulamis, Sony Music's A&R manager.[1] Her CD single Ah Patrida Mou went gold. On 14 March 2010, Alpha TV ranked Dimitriou the ninth top-certified female artist in the nation's phonographic era (since 1960).[2]
