Biography
Who is Katy Garbi?
Early life and career beginnings
Katy Garbi began her professional music career during the summer of 1977. At the time, she performed alongside her younger sister, Liana, under the name the Garbi Sisters. Although their father initially opposed their early involvement in the music industry due to their young age, he eventually allowed them to pursue their artistic ambitions. The sisters are remembered for providing backing vocals for performances by Yannis Floriniotis during the early eighties.
Katy eventually moved toward a solo career and recorded a song titled Sain Trope. She made her official discography debut in 1987 as a featured artist on the compilation album Ta Deka Dekaria. This release included other emerging artists such as Manto, Polina, and Sophia Vossou. The project also featured a duet with Kostas Haritodiplomenos titled Glyka. Her early work caught the attention of music executives, leading to her first recording contract with CBS Records Greece.
Eurovision and commercial success
In 1993, Katy accepted an offer to represent Greece at the Eurovision Song Contest. She performed the song Ellada, chora tou fotos, which secured ninth place in the competition. Her performance became widely discussed in the media, partly due to the specific blue dress she wore. During the broadcast, she was featured in a focused camera close-up that lasted for forty-three seconds, which remains a well-known record for individual singers at the event.
Following her Eurovision participation, her popularity grew significantly. She released several albums that achieved platinum certification, including Os Ton Paradeiso and Atofio Hrysafi in 1994. By 1996, she released Arhizo Polemo, which eventually reached triple-platinum status. She followed this with the 1997 album Evaisthisies, another triple-platinum success. That same year, she became the first Greek female artist to perform at the Radio City Music Hall.
Later discography and achievements
Katy continued to release successful albums throughout the late nineties and early two thousands. In 1998, she released a Christmas album titled Hristougenna Me Tin Katy, featuring collaborations with the Spiros Labros children's choir. Her 1999 album Doro Theou was dedicated to her son, Dimitris, and included the title track written to celebrate her wedding anniversary with Dionysis Schinas.
In 2000, she released the album To Kati, which was certified four times platinum. This double CD contained both new songs and greatest hits. She also collaborated with Anna Vissi on the track Kalitera I Dio Mas. Her subsequent album, Apla Ta Pragmata, released in 2001, featured thirty-one tracks and earned her the Modern Laiko Female Singer of the Year award at the Arion Music Awards. In 2003, she released the album Emmones Idees, which included a bonus DVD of music videos.
Family and personal life
Katy Garbi is married to the singer Dionysis Schinas. The couple has one child together, a son named Dimitris Skhinas. Her husband famously proposed to her live on national television while they were promoting a song on the show Bravo, which was hosted by Roula Koromila. She also has a sister named Liana Garbi, who was her original musical partner at the beginning of her career.
Birthday and age
Katy Garbi was born on June 8, 1963, which makes Katy 63 years old today. That birthday falls under the Gemini sign. Katy shares the date with 57 other famous people.
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