Ante Gia
Encyclopedia
"Ante Gia" is a EP maxi single
by Greek singer Despina Vandi
released on December 19, 2002 by Heaven Music
. The entire EP was written and produced by Phoebus
in promotion of the reissue of Vandi's 5× Platinum album Gia
, which was reissued as Gia + Ante Gia
and as a box set as Gia + Ante Gia: Collector's Edition
. The EP contains all new material, with the title track being a response to the single "Gia" (Hello), based around that song but in a negative lyrical context. The remix of the songs "Spania
" and "Giatriko" is licensed by Vandi's former label Minos EMI
.
The first single from the EP was "Simera", a dance-pop song that was later rewritten in English
as "C'est La Vie" for the international release of the album in 2003. The music video
was directed by Kostas Kapetanidis
and features Vandi in five different scenes dressed up in different costumes, in front of solid color backgrounds, doing things such as writing on the walls and playing electric guitar
. Towards the end her four personas meet in one scene, with the video ending showing speeding cars on a highway.
"I Melodia Tis Monaxias"
The second single was "I Melodia Tis Monaxias". The music video was once again directed by Kapetanidis and centers around a storyline of Vandi involved in a car accident and presumably being killed, and wander around in an out-of-body experience
, finally being revived at the end.
Production
Design
Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.
Maxi single
A maxi single or maxi-single is a music single release with more than the usual two tracks of an a-side song and a b-side song.-The first maxi singles:...
by Greek singer Despina Vandi
Despina Vandi
Despina Malea , known by her stage name Despina Vandi , is a Greek singer. Born in Tübingen near Stuttgart, West Germany, Vandi's family returned to Kavala, Greece when she was six years old and she later enrolled at the University of Thessaloniki, but eventually dropped out to begin a career in...
released on December 19, 2002 by Heaven Music
Heaven Music
Heaven Music is an independent record label in Athens, Greece, founded in 2001 by ANT1 Group. It is known for signing new and young artists.-Overview:...
. The entire EP was written and produced by Phoebus
Phoebus (songwriter)
Phoebus sometimes spelled Phivos or Fivos , is a well-known songwriter in both Greece and Cyprus. Phoebus is mostly known for his music through Despina Vandi and Katy Garbi, although he has composed albums for many other artists in Greece and Cyprus...
in promotion of the reissue of Vandi's 5× Platinum album Gia
Gia (album)
Gia is an album by Greek singer Despina Vandi that was originally released on December 19, 2001 by Heaven Music. Since release, it has been re-released several times, and has become one of the best-selling album of all time...
, which was reissued as Gia + Ante Gia
Gia (album)
Gia is an album by Greek singer Despina Vandi that was originally released on December 19, 2001 by Heaven Music. Since release, it has been re-released several times, and has become one of the best-selling album of all time...
and as a box set as Gia + Ante Gia: Collector's Edition
Gia (album)
Gia is an album by Greek singer Despina Vandi that was originally released on December 19, 2001 by Heaven Music. Since release, it has been re-released several times, and has become one of the best-selling album of all time...
. The EP contains all new material, with the title track being a response to the single "Gia" (Hello), based around that song but in a negative lyrical context. The remix of the songs "Spania
Spania (Despina Vandi song)
"Spania" is a platinum CD single by popular Greek artist Despina Vandi released in 1998 by Minos EMI. The single was totally composed by popular composer Phoebus...
" and "Giatriko" is licensed by Vandi's former label Minos EMI
Minos EMI
Minos EMI is the domestic trade name of EMI Music Greece, a record company in Greece. It is the Greek record label division of the British-based, multinational EMI Group....
.
Track listing
Singles
"Simera"The first single from the EP was "Simera", a dance-pop song that was later rewritten in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
as "C'est La Vie" for the international release of the album in 2003. The music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
was directed by Kostas Kapetanidis
Kostas Kapetanidis
Konstantinos Kapetanidis, sometimes credited as Costas Kapetanidis, is a Greek music video director who is associated with the production company Anosi S.A...
and features Vandi in five different scenes dressed up in different costumes, in front of solid color backgrounds, doing things such as writing on the walls and playing electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
. Towards the end her four personas meet in one scene, with the video ending showing speeding cars on a highway.
"I Melodia Tis Monaxias"
The second single was "I Melodia Tis Monaxias". The music video was once again directed by Kapetanidis and centers around a storyline of Vandi involved in a car accident and presumably being killed, and wander around in an out-of-body experience
Out-of-body experience
An out-of-body experience is an experience that typically involves a sensation of floating outside of one's body and, in some cases, perceiving one's physical body from a place outside one's body ....
, finally being revived at the end.
Chart performance
Ante Gia peaked at number one on the Greek Singles Chart (where EPs chart in Greece). The EP was certified double platinum, recognizing shipments of at least 40,000 units.| Chart | Providers | Peak position |
Certification | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greek Singles Chart | IFPI | 1 | 2× Platinum | 40,000 |
Credits and personnel
Personnel- Demos Beke - background vocals, second vocals
- Antonis Gounaris - guitars (electrics, acoustics, twelve-strings), orchestration, programming, keyboards
- Panagiotis Haramis - bass
- Roland Hoffman - flamenco guitar
- Katerina Kiriakou - background vocals
- Vaggelis Konstantinidis - lyrics
- Tony Kontaxakis - remix, orchestration
- Ioanna Koutalidou - background vocals
- Trifon Koutsourelis - orchestration, programming, keyboards, extra programming
- Alex Leon - orchestration, programming, keyboards
- Lilian - background vocals
- Eleana Papaioannou - background vocals
- Grigoris Petrakos - background vocals
- PhoebusPhoebus (songwriter)Phoebus sometimes spelled Phivos or Fivos , is a well-known songwriter in both Greece and Cyprus. Phoebus is mostly known for his music through Despina Vandi and Katy Garbi, although he has composed albums for many other artists in Greece and Cyprus...
- music, lyrics, orchestration, programming, keyboards - Vasilis Tassopoulos - percussion
- Aspa Tsina - background vocals
- Fotini Tsitsigkou - background vocals
- Despina VandiDespina VandiDespina Malea , known by her stage name Despina Vandi , is a Greek singer. Born in Tübingen near Stuttgart, West Germany, Vandi's family returned to Kavala, Greece when she was six years old and she later enrolled at the University of Thessaloniki, but eventually dropped out to begin a career in...
- vocals
Production
- Vaggelis Siapatis - sound, computer editing
- Giorgos Stampolis - sound, computer editing
- Nikos Stavropoulos - sound engineer
- Manolis Vlahos - sound, mixing
Design
- C. Coutayar - cover photo
- Panos KallitsisPanos Kallitsis-Early life:Panos Kallitsis was born in Athens and raised in Piraeus. The first stimulants into the fashion industry and styling came from his father, also a hair stylist at the time....
- make up, hair - Dimitris Panoulis - photo show
Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.
Official remixes
- 2003: Thimisou (Remix by Nikos Halkousis - G. Koutsouflakis)
- 2007: Thimisou (Soumka Mix)
- 2007: I Melodia Tis Monaxias (Soumka Loneliness Mix)
Cover versions
- 2004: Despina VandiDespina VandiDespina Malea , known by her stage name Despina Vandi , is a Greek singer. Born in Tübingen near Stuttgart, West Germany, Vandi's family returned to Kavala, Greece when she was six years old and she later enrolled at the University of Thessaloniki, but eventually dropped out to begin a career in...
- C'est La Vie (Simera) (Σήμερα) - Lana JurčevićLana JurcevicLana Jurčević is a Croatian pop singer.Born in Zagreb, her self-titled debut album came out in 2003. All songs on album was written by Milana Vlaović...
- Odlaziš (Σήμερα) (Croatia) - Cristina RusCristina RusCristina Rus , is a Romanian dance music singer, dancer and model from Cluj Napoca, mostly known for her past collaboration with Andreea Banica in the group Blondy. She is also known for her current solo career...
- Viata Mea (Σήμερα; My life) (Romania)