Biography
Who is Maria Elena Kyriakou?
Early life and background
Maria Elena Kyriakou was born on January 11, 1984, in Larnaca, Cyprus, where she has lived for much of her life. She grew up in a family with three siblings, including a brother named Kyriacos Pavlou and two sisters. When she reached the age of 13, her mother enrolled her in a music school to help nurture her vocal talents.
As a young adult, Maria moved to study philosophy at the University of Ioannina. After spending two years at that institution, she decided to return to her home country and continued her education at the University of Cyprus. Following her graduation from the university, she established her own tutorial class to teach students.
Rise to fame on The Voice
At the age of twenty-nine, Maria auditioned for the reality singing competition program The Voice of Greece. During the blind auditions, she performed a rendition of the Kelly Clarkson song Because of You, which prompted all four coaches to turn their chairs around. She ultimately chose to join the team led by coach Despina Vandi.
Throughout the subsequent stages of the competition, Maria advanced by winning her vocal battle and consistently earning enough votes from the television audience during the live shows. In the grand final of the series, she performed her original song Dio Egoismoi alongside duets with her mentor. She secured the victory and earned a recording contract with Minos EMI.
Eurovision and music career
Following her success on television, Maria competed in and won the Greek national final to secure her spot in a major international contest. She represented Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest held in Vienna, Austria, performing her song One Last Breath on the global stage.
In addition to her Eurovision appearance, she recorded music for television and collaborated with other international artists. She released a track titled Horis Esena for a television show sharing the same name and participated in the collaborative single The Otherside alongside Tamar Kaprelian and other performers.
Personal life and family
In 2006, Maria married Cypriot sports journalist Gregoris Gregoriou. During their marriage, the couple welcomed three children together before ultimately getting a divorce in 2011. Her mother had previously attempted to support her career by applying for her to audition for Greek Idol earlier that same year, though she did not attend.
Her family background also includes connections to sports through her brother Kyriacos Pavlou, who became known as a Cypriot footballer. Maria has balanced her family life with her ongoing musical endeavors and television appearances in Greece and Cyprus.
Birthday and age
Maria Elena Kyriakou was born on January 11, 1984, which makes Maria 42 years old today. That birthday falls under the Capricorn sign. Maria shares the date with 33 other famous people.
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