“Music is made by constantly blending classic with new”

Flexible, with a very wide range of music skills and daring to experiment with various music genres, from Greek “classics” that make up her main canvas to modern arrangements, ballads, ethnic and lyrical sounds, she is literally “living and growing with music”. To her, playing the piano, writing lyrics or composing fall almost under the same title: communicating with the world and living in harmony amid time changes. A modest and self-conscious artist, having conquered her personal and artistic balance over time, she manages to convey to the audience -through her compositions and live performances- inner feelings and deep emotions. After all she strongly believes that the public is key to the artist and that communicating with the public is true music-making.

The I years (the Innocent years)

  • Before even releasing her first solo album, she contributes with two wonderful ballads to an album by Nikos Laryngakis, released under the title Atakto paidi (Naughty child).
  • In 1995 Iro releases her first album entitled Atima ta pragmata (Things are tricky) and sets out on a unique journey.
  • On 8 March 1998 her song Tipota (Nothing) is selected among 113 entries for the final stage of the competition, for the song representing Greece at the Eurovision Song Contest, coming up second out of the 10 competing songs, only by few votes behind the winner.

The R years (the Recognition years)

  • 1999: Etsi eimai ego (This is what I am) is the title of her second solo album, containing 11 songs and released by Virgin Records.

Having composed the music and written the lyrics for most of the tracks herself, she is trying to open a new, fresh and direct channel of communication. The songs are fresh and lively, with a strong personal style and their melody is “flowing”, complementing the dynamism and the spontaneity of the text. On the album, she collaborates with Margarita Mytilinaiou, who wrote the lyrics for some of the tracks, and Dimitris Kontopoulos, who composed one of the songs and did the arrangement of the whole album. The album also includes a cover of an old song entitled Giati fovasai (Why are you afraid) with music by Stelios Vlavianos and lyrics by Pythagoras.

The album remained at number 18 in overall album sales (based on the official IFPI music market index) for over 18 weeks until 31 May 2000. Long after its initial release, it remained a radio station favourite, with three of its songs being a constant feature in all playlists – Tipota, Chronia (Years), and Etsi eimai ego.

  • 2001: Iro’s third solo album Αpogeiosi (Take-off) reaches number 1 in the IFPI rankings, and remains in first place for radio preferences for four consecutive months, and second place for airplay from 2002 to 2004. The album has sold 86,000 copies to date, becoming a gold and platinum album in Greece and Cyprus.
  • In the same year, her concerts all over Greece bring Iro even closer to her public, which she adores. By mid-September 2001, having given 39 concerts, Iro chooses to surprise her fans by releasing an English version of her hit Tipota under the title “Away From You”.
  • 2002: Iro writes the songs, with her own music and lyrics, for Aleka Kanellidou’s big comeback solo album Argises (You are late).
  • In April 2002 Iro wins two awards – best solo album and singer of the year – at the Arion Music Awards, organised by MegaTV and IFPI.
  • 2002 also sees the release of the album Ena pouli pou to elegan agapi (A bird called Love) with four children’s songs. Profits are donated to “Iris”, a housing project for children with mental health problems.
  • 2003: Iro releases her fifth solo album Koita me antexo (Look at me, I’m standing), on which she writes most of the music and lyrics herself.
  • 2005: She releases her sixth solo album Chromata (Colours), with music, lyrics and overall arrangement by her. Ero collaborates for the first time with Dimitra Galani and Stefanos Korkolis.
  • 2007: She is chosen by leading Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis to interpret songs based on poetry with the popular Mikis Theodorakis Orchestra both in Greece and abroad. This collaboration is still running to date.
  • 2008: Her seventh solo album Allazo (I’m changing) is released, with her own lyrics and music, and including a very successful collaboration with Italian singer Gigi D’Alessio.

 The O years (the Open years)

  • 2011: Eighth solo album entitled Psychraima (Calmly), all music composed by her, lyrics by leading writers, arrangement and production by herself. The title song Psychraima was highly praised by radio broadcasters, and the song Mono Emeis (Only us) also achieved high acclaim.
  • 2012: Iro composes music for the theatre in connection with the Athens Festival for a production of the Strindberg play Miss Julie, directed by Dimitris Lignadis.
  • In autumn 2012, she takes part in the closing ceremony of the International Film Festival of Thessaloniki.
  • 2013: In the summer of 2013, again at the Athens Festival, she presents two concerts at the Little Theatre of Ancient Epidaurus with tango as the basic theme, collaborating with guest artist Javier di Ciriaco, a very popular Argentinian tango singer. The concerts are a huge success with audiences and are given glittering reviews by journalists and critics.
  • 2014: Iro’s ninth solo album entitled Kateytheian kardia (Straight to the heart) is released with all lyrics written by Eleana Vrachali. The music is mainly composed by Iro herself, but also by partners and friends such as Giorgos Tzavaras and Dimitris Tsoukas. She arranges the album herself using both physical instruments and synthesisers, a combination that creates a very traditional but contemporary effect.
  • In 2014-2015 she also performs live all over Greece and receives outstanding reviews for performances (piano and vocal) in music venues such as VERGINA, Thessaloniki Concert Hall, Ianos, and the Half Note Jazz Club, as well as many other acoustic music venues both in Greece and abroad.

 

Choose your own moment in Iro’s history and share your passion for music!