Adamantia Stamatopoulou ( el, Αδαμαντία Σταματοπούλου; born 13 April 1966), known as Mando ( el, links=no, Μαντώ), is a

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

singer. She was born and raised in

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

by her jazz pianist father, Nikos Stamatopoulos and a classic soprano opera mother, Mary Apergi. From a young age she began to develop her talent and interest in music, and was characterized as a " born musician". On 14 March 2010,

Alpha TV Alpha TV is a Greek free-to-air channel, being one of the biggest stations in Greece. The station features a mix of Greek and foreign shows with an emphasis on information. The studios are located in Kifissia and Pallini. Alpha TV is owned by Alph ...

ranked Mando the 23rd top-certified female artist in the nation's phonographic era (since 1960), totalling five gold records.''Chart Show: Your Countdown''.

. Airdate: 14 March 2010. On 21 April 2013 she participated at the Greek version of ''

Your Face Sounds Familiar ''Your Face Sounds Familiar'' ( Spanish: ''Tu cara me suena'') is a Spanish interactive reality television franchise series where celebrity contestants impersonate singers. The format, similar to Dutch television series ''Soundmixshow'', was ...

'' which was aired by Antenna TV Greece, where in the last episode (30 June 2013), she placed 4th. She was a special guest star in the semi-final of The Voice of Greece where she and one of the participants, Maria Elena Kiriakou, sang together Beyonce's Hit ''

Listen Listen may refer to: * The action of listening * Central auditory system listening is how the brain processes what you hear * Listening behaviour types in human communication Computing * LISTEN, a TCP connection state on the server side indi ...

'' And she has presented her new song ''Poliploka'' from her upcoming album.

Early life

At the age of four Mando could easily sing operatic arias, gospel and jazz music. Her parents, astonished by her musical capability, signed her with the National Conservatory for piano and music theory lessons. Meanwhile, she took up vocal training and dance lessons. At the age of ten, Mando began to teach herself how to play the guitar and various percussion instruments. Her dedication and passion quickly led her to compose her own melodies. Along with her school work, her music, and her English and French lessons, she performed in the musical "Jesus Christ Superstar", under the direction of Mimis Plessas and Dimitris Malavetas. She has sung for various orchestras and as a member of various jazz groups and trios, working with music in all its textures: jazz, Greek, European, American, and Arabic. She has sung and composed all types of music.

Personal life

Mando has two children, a boy and a girl. Her sister is

Chryso Stamatopoulou Chryso Stamatopoulou (in Greek: Χρυσώ Σταματοπούλου) is a Greek rock singer, composer, musical theatre actress, vocal coach and lead singer of romantic folk metal band Chrysilia. She is mostly known for her two greek rock stud ...

, also a professional singer.

Professional career

1985–2002

After the completion of her music studies, she signed her first record contract with CBS, which gave her the international hit "Fill me up" and offered her the chance of an international career at a very young age. Mando remained in America for five years where she took up vocal training with Hal Sheaffer (vocal trainer of

Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...

and Liza Minnelli) and interacted with many musicians, producers and with people who helped her talent grow. Her diverse knowledge and international edge defined her as the Greek artist with the international voice.

Vangelis Yannopoulos Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou ( el, Ευάγγελος Οδυσσέας Παπαθανασίου ; 29 March 1943 – 17 May 2022), known professionally as Vangelis ( ; el, Βαγγέλης, links=no ), was a Greek composer and arranger of ...

, an A&R manager with record company Minos EMI heard of all these assets and signed Mando for her first album with the company that she stayed with for six successful albums: Dos mou ena fili... Afto to kalokeri" (Give me a kiss... This summer), "Ptisi gia dio" (Flight for two), "Kinisi triti" (Third move), "Esthisis" (Senses), "I diki mas I agapi" (Our love), and "Anisiho vlema" (Uneasy look). She has released four albums under the Sony label: "Ston evdomo ourano" (On the seventh sky), "Gia oles tis fores" (For all the times), "Prodosia" (Betrayal), "Se alli Diastasi" (In another dimension). She also released three CD singles under this label. Mando's hits include "Danika" (Borrowed), "Faros" (Lighthouse), "Ston evdomo ourano" (On the seventh sky), "Esi" (You), "Fotia sta prepi" (Burn the have to's). Her international tours have included cities such as Los Angeles, London, Paris, Toronto, Montreal, New York, and Chicago. She has toured and collaborated with many established artists such as:

Marinella Marinella ( el, Μαρινέλλα) (born 20 May 1938, Thessaloniki) is one of the most popular Greek singers whose career has spanned several decades. She has sung professionally since 1957. Since the beginning of her career, she has release ...

, D. Mitropanos, Tolis Voskopoulos, Paschalis Terzis, C. Nikolopoulos, Dimitra Galani. Mando has collaborated with the best songwriters in the Greek music business, such as Phoivos, A. Papadimitriou, K. Haritodiplomenos, N. Germanou, G. Theofanous, E. Giannatsoulia. Several of Mando's compositions have been sung by artists such as P. Terzis and K. Kouka. Mando composes mainly on her guitar. She penned the track " Where You Are" for Jessica Simpson; it has been chosen as the theme song to 20th century Fox's film production titled "Here on Earth". It has sold more than one million copies. An international collaboration is that with

Jean Michel Jarre Jean-Michel André Jarre (; born 24 August 1948) is a French composer, performer and record producer. He is a pioneer in the electronic, ambient and new-age genres, and is known for organising outdoor spectacles featuring his music, accompanie ...

on one of his own tracks and sung by Mando in Greek with the title "Zoi" (Life); it will be included on her new album. Another international collaboration is Mando's duet with Turkish top artist

Sertab Erener Sertab Erener (born 4 December 1964) is a Turkish singer, songwriter and composer. With her coloratura soprano voice, she started working as a backing vocalist for Sezen Aksu, and with Aksu's help she released her first studio album in the 1990 ...

, titled "Aşk/Fos" (Love/Light). At the end of 2003, Mando recorded a new double album with Alpha records called ''Oi agapes fevgoun, ta tragoudia menoun'' (The loves are gone by, the songs remain).

2003: Eurovision

Mando's first attempt to enter the Eurovision Song Contest was in

1989 File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxon Valdez oil tanker runs ...

; she was second, only one point behind Marianna. She took action against the Greek television station ERT because one of the jury members didn't vote. She won the ruling, but because it was too late to reverse the decision, Marianna went to Eurovision. Mando was chosen to represent Greece at the

Eurovision Song Contest 2003 The Eurovision Song Contest 2003 was the 48th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Riga, Latvia, following the country's victory at the with the song " I Wanna" by Marie N. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) a ...

with the song " Never Let You Go". She was placed 17th.

2008: ''Mando II'' and ''Afraid of the Dark''

Mando planned a comeback for 2008 with two new albums: one

and one English. The first single from the Greek album titled "Dos Mou Logo Na Sotho" ''(" Δως Μου Λόγο Να Σωθώ ")'' is a rock song and was released as a music video on 10 May 2008, premiering on "Megastar". The album, titled '' Mando II'', was released on 30 May 2008 with twelve new tracks. The English album, provisionally titled ''Afraid of the Dark'', has evident American beats and is a very promising international album for Mando. Four songs from the album were released by means of her official Myspace and the album was expected to be released sometime in 2009 but it was cancelled.

2011–2013: Phoebus 20 years, Shamone and Your face Sounds Familiar

In September 2011 her album ''Perfection'' was released from Polymusic. ''Tha se Perimenw'' (I'll be waiting for you), ''Mia Signomi ti na kanei'' (Sorry is not Enough) and ''Theos pano sti gi'' (God in earth) are some of more popular songs of this album. On 24 September 2012, Mando participated in a special 20-year Anniversary concert dedicated to

Phoebus Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label=Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label= ...

. The concert took place at the Olympic Stadium in Athens where the 2004 Summer Olympics were held. Mando sang her songs "Gia Oles Tis Fores" and "Daneika" along with "Emeis", a duet between her and

Antonis Remos Antonis Remos ( el, Αντώνης Ρέμος, ; born Antonios Paschalidis, el, Αντώνιος Πασχαλίδης, links=no; 19 June 1970) is a Greek singer. Biography Early life He was born in Düsseldorf, West Germany. Later his family ...

which are all songs written by

. On 2 December, she appeared at Shamone, a night bar-club where she sang a lot of her songs and international songs such as

Adele Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (, ; born 5 May 1988), professionally known by the mononym Adele, is an English singer and songwriter. After graduating in arts from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele signed a rec ...

's ''

Skyfall ''Skyfall'' is a 2012 spy film and the twenty-third in the ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Productions. The film is the third to star Daniel Craig as fictional MI6 agent James Bond and features Javier Bardem as Raoul Silva, the vill ...

'',

Nina Simone Eunice Kathleen Waymon (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), known professionally as Nina Simone (), was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and civil rights activist. Her music spanned styles including classical, folk, gospel, blu ...

's ''

I Put a Spell on You "I Put a Spell on You" is a 1956 song written and composed by Jalacy "Screamin' Jay" Hawkins, whose own recording of it was selected as one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. It was also included in Robert ...

'' and Madonna's '' Frozen''. On 21 January 2013 she appeared at Half Note Jazz Club, where she sang a tribute to her singer and mentor Stevie Wonder. The performance of Stevie Wonder which aired second of June was her biggest success on this TV show where she one first place in that episode. During this season she gave many interviews in several Greek Late Night Shows like ''Ola'' with Themos Anastasiadis and ''Vrady'' with Petros Kostopoulos, and early-morning shows like '' Kalimera Ellada'' with Giorgos Papadakis and ''Fthistv'' with Thanasis Patras which all was aired by Ant1.

2014–15

She participated as a special guest star at the semi-final of The Voice of Greece where she sang her new song "Poliploka" from her upcoming album.

Discography

;Studio albums *1989: '' Dos Mou Ena Fili... Afto to Kalokairi'' (Give Me A Kiss... This Summer) *1990: '' Ptisi Gia Dio'' (Flight For Two) *1991: '' Kinisi Triti'' (The Third Move) *1992: '' Esthisis'' (Sensations) *1993: '' I Diki Mas I Agapi'' (Our Love) *1994: '' Anisiho Vlemma'' (Worried Stare) *1995: '' I Mando Ston Evdomo Ourano'' (Mando in the Seventh Heaven) *1997: '' Gia Oles Tis Fores'' (For All The Times) *1998: '' Prodosia'' (Betrayal) *2000: '' Se Alli Diastasi'' (In Another Dimension) *2003: '' Oi Megaliteres Epityhies'' (The Greatest Hits) *2003: '' Oi Agapes Fevgoun, Ta Tragoudia Menoun'' (Loves Go, Songs Stay) *2008: '' Mando II'' *2011: ''Perfection'' *2017: ''Bare Bones'' ;EPs *1986: "Fill Me Up" (With Your Love) *1986: "Set Yourself in Motion" *2001: " Mando & Coltrane Big Band" *2002: "Ligo Ligo" ;CD singles *2003: " Never Let You Go"

References

External links

* Official website: http://www.mandofficial.com
Official Internet fan club
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mando 1969 births Living people Eurovision Song Contest entrants of 2003 Eurovision Song Contest entrants for Greece 21st-century Greek women singers Greek pop singers Greek sopranos Minos EMI artists 20th-century Greek women singers Singers from Athens Sony Music Greece artists