Marinella

Marinella
Background Information
Origin	Thessaloniki, Greece
Birth date	20 May 1938
Death date	N/A
Age	86
Eurovision Song Contest
Country	Greece
Year	1974
Song	Krasi, thalassa kai t'agori mou
Semi Position	--
Semi Points	--
Final Position	11th
Final Points	7

Kyriaki Papadopoulou, better known by the name Marinella, is considered one of the most popular Greek singers in history. She's also known for representing Greece for their debut at the Eurovision Song Contest 1974.

Born in Thessaloniki to immigrants from Constatinople, her family was poor, yet were filled with artistic appreciation. She started singing at age four for a radio broadcast, and then for a children's theater troope. When she was a teenager, she paused it to finish school; afterwards she joined an artistic group Mary Laurent. When the lead singer fell ill, Marinella took her place. Later, she went to the Military Troupe because the pay was better, and she started to use the name "Marinella", after a song.

Marinella began collaborating with the singer Stelios Kazantzidis after releasing her first song in 1957; together, they became a force within Greek music, touring all over the country.

She participated in V Festival Internacional da Cançao Popular – Parte Internacion (FIC) in Brazil with the song "Wife of George", placing fourth for Greece in a field of 34. Later, she received positive reviews from the American Billboard magazine.

Her emerging successes led to her being the first Greek representative for the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974, with the song Krasi, thalassa kai t'agori mou. It placed 11th with 7 points.

Nevertheless, she participated in multiple musicals, and released sixty albums through her multi-decade career. She is also known for the range of genres she performs in.