Michalis Violaris

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Michalis Violaris | image = | caption = | birth_name = Michalis Kyriakou | alias = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1944|1|9}} | birth_place = Agia Varvara, Nicosia, Cyprus | genre = Greek popular music, Cypriot popular music, Modern Laika | occupation = Singer, actor, composer | years_active = 1960s–present }}

'''Michalis Kyriakou''' ({{langx|el|Μιχάλης Κυριάκου}}), known by his stage-name '''Michalis Violaris''' ({{lang|el|Μιχάλης Βιολάρης}}; born 9 January 1944), is a singer and composer of modern Greek and Cypriot music.<ref name=e-orfeas/>

He is also a pioneer responsible for popularising in Greece Cypriot songs sung in the Cypriot dialect. His song "Ta Ryalia" (also "Ta Rialia") sung in Cypriot Greek became a hit in the top-10 of Greece in 1973.<ref name=Billboard1/>

==Life and career== He grew up in Larnaca, Cyprus where he studied at the National Conservatory of Music in Larnaca, a branch of the National Conservatory of Music of Athens.<ref name=e-orfeas/> In 1962 he moved to Greece where he enrolled at the school of Philosophy of Athens University and eventually obtained his degree.<ref name=e-orfeas/>

He became part of the New Wave musical movement in Greece and his first musical cooperation was with Greek composer Yannis Spanos.<ref name=e-orfeas/> His songs made Cypriot music widely popular in Greece in the 1960s and 1970s. He won third prize at the Thessaloniki Song Festival in 1972 and in 1974 he came in second at the same festival.<ref name=Maniatis/> Aside from his cooperation with Yannis Spanos his songs included works by Greek composers such as Giorgos Kontogiorgos, Mimis Plessas, Yorgos Katsaros, Apostolos Kaldaras, Yorgos Mitsakis and others.<ref name=e-orfeas/>

In 1971 he signed with Zodiac Records,<ref name=Billboard2/> while in 1977 his records were sold under the Lyra record label.<ref name=Billboard3/> His songs include works by Greek poets Georgios Vizyinos, Odysseas Elytis, Myrtiotissa and others.<ref name=e-orfeas/>

His hits include "To Delfinokoritso", "Halalin tou", "Ta Karavakia", "Ta matia sou Katerinio", "Mia xanthia ap' ti Mytilini", "Irthes epses", "Aspra Karavia", "Ti Lozani ti Kozani", "An voulitho na s' arnitho", "Mavromalloussa Kopellia", and others.<ref name=e-orfeas/>

He is considered one of the most popular people born in Cyprus.<ref name=Starmeter/>

==References== {{Reflist|2|colwidth=30em|refs=

<ref name=Billboard1>{{cite book|title=Billboard Hits of the World 13 October 1973|date = 13 October 1973|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AQkEAAAAMBAJ&q=Mihalis+Violaris+Billboard&pg=PA42}}</ref>

<ref name=Billboard2>{{cite book|title=Billboard International Talent p. 16 25 December 1971|date = 25 December 1971|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SQ8EAAAAMBAJ&q=Thessaloniki+Song+Festival+Violaris&pg=RA1-PA16-IA45}}</ref>

<ref name=Billboard3>{{cite book|title=Billboard Hits of the World (From the Music Capitals of the World) 28 May 1977|date = 28 May 1977|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2UQEAAAAMBAJ&q=Mihalis+Violaris+Billboard&pg=PT6}}</ref>

<ref name=e-orfeas>{{cite news|last=Τάσος Π. Καραντής|title=Μιχάλης Βιολάρης: Να προσέξουμε τον πολιτισμό της χώρας μας|url=http://www.e-orfeas.gr/artists/interviews/5114-μιχαλης-βιολαρης-να-προσεξουμε-τον-πολιτισμο-της-χωρας-μας.html|accessdate=21 December 2011|newspaper=e-orfeas|date=6 November 2011}}</ref>

<ref name=Maniatis>{{cite news|last=Δημήτρη Ν. Μανιάτη|title=Ta Nea Από το "Αεροπλάνο" ώς το "'21"|url=http://www.tanea.gr/politismos/article/?aid=4679518|accessdate=20 December 2011|date=12 December 2011}}</ref>

<ref name=Starmeter>{{cite web|title=IMDB Starmeter|url=https://www.imdb.com/search/name?birth_place=Cyprus&sort=starmeter|accessdate=20 December 2011}}</ref> }}

==External links== *{{IMDb name|id=1868789|name=Mihalis Violaris}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Violaris, Mihalis}} Category:1944 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century Cypriot male singers Category:Modern Greek–language Cypriot singers Category:Cypriot actors Category:Cypriot singer-songwriters Category:Musicians from Nicosia Category:People from Larnaca Category:Thessaloniki Song Festival winners