Gia (album)
Encyclopedia
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. According to the DVD "Guide of the Greek discography" which is complied privately by Petros Dragoumanos, it is the best selling album for the last 20 years in Greece. In 2010, Alpha TV
's "Chart Show" which uses statistics also compiled by Mr. Dragoumanos, ranked the album as the third most successful album in terms of sales in Greece during 1985-2009 and the most successful album from 2000-2009. The album has sold more than 200,000 units (400,000 discs) and stands at five times platinum in Greece. It also stands at four times platinum in Cyprus and gold status in Turkey.
A re-release titled Gia & Ante Gia Collector's Edition was later released on March 21, 2002 and includes two discs featuring the songs from the original album plus the songs from her CD single "Ante Gia
". Gia was also later released in the United States
by Escondida Music in 2004 as her first international release with a slightly altered track listing. The first single "Gia
" reached number one on the US Billboard Club Dance Airplay. Gia was later released in Australia
by Central Station and in Romania
by Mach 1 in 2004. Following the success of the album, Despina Vandi was awarded as Best Selling Greek Artist 2001 at the World Music Awards
which held in Monaco on March 6, 2002.
Production
Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.
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...
that was originally released on December 19, 2001 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:...
. Since release, it has been re-released several times, and has become one of the best-selling album of all time. According to the DVD "Guide of the Greek discography" which is complied privately by Petros Dragoumanos, it is the best selling album for the last 20 years in Greece. In 2010, Alpha TV
Alpha TV
Alpha TV is a Greek terrestrial channel . The station features a mix of Greek and foreign shows with an emphasis on entertainment programs. The studios are located near Athens...
's "Chart Show" which uses statistics also compiled by Mr. Dragoumanos, ranked the album as the third most successful album in terms of sales in Greece during 1985-2009 and the most successful album from 2000-2009. The album has sold more than 200,000 units (400,000 discs) and stands at five times platinum in Greece. It also stands at four times platinum in Cyprus and gold status in Turkey.
A re-release titled Gia & Ante Gia Collector's Edition was later released on March 21, 2002 and includes two discs featuring the songs from the original album plus the songs from her CD single "Ante Gia
Ante Gia
"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:...
". Gia was also later released in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by Escondida Music in 2004 as her first international release with a slightly altered track listing. The first single "Gia
Gia (song)
"Gia" is a techno/dance pop track recorded by Greek singer Despina Vandi. It was originally released as the first single off her 2001 multi-platinum Greek album also of the same name...
" reached number one on the US Billboard Club Dance Airplay. Gia was later released in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
by Central Station and in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
by Mach 1 in 2004. Following the success of the album, Despina Vandi was awarded as Best Selling Greek Artist 2001 at the World Music Awards
World Music Awards
The World Music Awards is an international awards show founded in 1989 that annually honors recording artists based on worldwide sales figures provided by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry . John Martinotti is an executive producer and co-founder of the show...
which held in Monaco on March 6, 2002.
Track listing
Music videos
- "Gia"
- "Hristougenna"
- "Anaveis Foties"/"Deste Mou Ta Matia"
- "Olo Lipeis"
- "Lathos Anthropos"
- "Thelo Na Se Do"
- "Ela"
- "Simera"
- "I Melodia Tis Monaxias"
- "Gia" (Greek-English Version)
- "Opa Opa"
Release history
| Region | Date | Label | Format | Version |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greece Greece Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe.... |
December 19, 2001 | Heaven 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:... |
CD Compact Disc The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,... |
Original |
| March 21, 2002 | Heaven 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:... |
CD, digital download Music download A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment... |
Gia + Ante Gia | |
| Cyprus Cyprus Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the... |
December 19, 2001 | Heaven 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:... |
CD | Original |
| March 21, 2002 | Heaven 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:... |
CD | Gia + Ante Gia | |
| Turkey Turkey Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe... |
2002 | Mega Müzik | CD, MC | Turkish edition |
| United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
September 7, 2004 | Ultra Ultra Records Ultra Records is an American independent electronic dance music record label. Ultra was formed in New York City in 1995 by former Polygram and Virgin Records executive Patrick Moxey, who is still currently the owner... /Escondida |
CD, digital download | International edition |
| Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... |
2004 | Central Station | CD, digital download | Australian edition |
| Romania Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea... |
2004 | Mach 1 Records | CD | Romanian edition |
| Bulgaria Bulgaria Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east... |
2004 | KA Music Plus | MC | Bulgarian edition |
Charts
| Chart | Providers | Peak position |
Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greek Albums Chart | IFPI | 1 | 5x Platinum |
| Cypriot Albums Chart | Musical Paradise Top 10 | 1 | 4x Platinum |
| Turkish Albums Chart | Turkey Charts | 1 | Gold |
Credits and personnel
Personnel- Demos Beke - background vocals, second vocals, solo vocals
- Hakan Binikoglou - oud, sazi
- Achilleas Diamantis - guitars (electrics, blinks, solo)
- Pavlos Diamantopoulos - bass
- Akis Diximos - second vocals
- Natalia GermanouNatalia GermanouNatalia Germanou is a Greek lyricist, television hostess, radio producer, DJ and journalist.Germanou has written lyrics for many popular Greek singers such as Anna Vissi, Christos Dantis, Elena Paparizou, Sakis Rouvas, Despina Vandi, Mihalis Hatzigiannis, Notis Sfakianakis, Natasa Theodoridou,...
- lyrics - Antonis Gounaris - guitars (acoustics, electrics), cümbus
- Panagiotis Haramis - bass
- Giorgos Hatzopoulos - guitars (electrics, acoustics, solo)
- Paola Komini - background vocals
- Fedon Lionoudakis - accordion
- Andreas Mouzakis - drums, break drums
- Giannis Mpithikotsis - bouzouki, mpaglama, tzoyra
- Alex Panayi - second vocals, background vocals
- Elena Patroklou - 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, keyboards, background vocals, programming, orchestration - Santy Politi - background vocals
- Giannis Rentoumis - lyrics
- Giorgos Roilos - percussion, harmonica
- 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, second vocals - Thanasis Vasilopoulos - clarinet, mizmar, ney
- Alexandros Vourazelis - keyboards, programming, orchestration
- Nikos Zervas - keyboards
- Martha Zioga - background vocals
Production
- Tasos Hamosfakidis - sound
- 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...
- production management, orchestration - Vaggelis Siapatis - sound, computer editing
- Manolis Vlahos - sound, mixing
- Alexandros Vourazelis - sound
Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.
Cover versions
- 2002: AneliaAneliaAnelia Georgieva Atanasova , best known as Anelia, is a Bulgarian pop-folk singer. She gained popularity in Bulgaria with her second single "Pogledni me v ochite"...
- Pogledni Me V Ochite (Όλα οδηγούν σε σένα; Погледни ме в очите) (Bulgaria) - 2002: Malina - Obicham Ludo (Γειά; Малина - Обичам лудо) (Bulgaria)
- 2003: 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...
- GiaGia (song)"Gia" is a techno/dance pop track recorded by Greek singer Despina Vandi. It was originally released as the first single off her 2001 multi-platinum Greek album also of the same name... - 2003: Jelena KarleušaJelena KarleušaJelena Karleuša Tošić , professionally known under her maiden name Jelena Karleuša and initials JK, is a Serbian pop singer, fashion designer and former columnist. She rose to fame with her debut turbo-folk album Ogledalce , and has since been a popular Serbian female singer...
- Samo Za Tvoje Oci (Γειά) (Serbia) - 2003: Mustafa SandalMustafa SandalMustafa Sandal, commonly known as Musti, is a famous Turkish pop singer. He is fluent in English, Turkish, Italian and French. He emerged in the early 1990s with the revival of Turkish pop music and is one of the most successful pop singers in Turkey with overall sales of 13 million copies...
feat. Natalia - Aşka Yürek Gerek (Ανάβεις φωτιές) (Turkey) - 2003: Shohreh SolatiShohreh SolatiShohreh Solati is a popular Iranian singer. She has had one of the most consistently active and prolific careers among contemporary, women Iranian singers...
- Boro (Γειά) (Iran) - 2004: Despina Vandi - I Believe It (Olo Lipis)
- 2010: SpicyThe Spicy EffectThe Spicy Effect, commonly referred to as Spicy, is a Greek independent record label founded in 2009 by songwriter and record producer Phoebus, in association with the investment arm of Nea Tileorasi.-Overview:...
Artists - Christougenna 2010 (Χριστούγεννα 2010) (Greece) [Spicy Artists: Elli KokkinouElli KokkinouElli Kokkinou is a Greek singer who was born in Athens, Greece. Kokkinou is among the most popular singers in Greece today. She has performed together with Greek music stars such as Anna Vissi, Glykeria, Paschalis Terzis, Sakis Rouvas, Tolis Voskopoulos, Thanos Petrelis, Natassa Theodoridou,...
, Thanos PetrelisThanos PetrelisAthanasios Petrelis is a popular singer. He has released four albums and several singles.-Fame Story:...
, NinoNino (Greek singer)Nino Xypolitas is a Greek singer, known professionally as Nino. He rose to fame in 2003 after appearing as a contestant on the debut season of the television show Fame Story. He has since released five studio albums.-Early life:...
, Panos Kalidis Elisavet Spanou, Ioakim Fokas, Stella Kalli, Spiros Lamprou's Choir] - Arkın Çelik - Serden Geçtim (Αχ καρδούλα μου) (Turkey)
- Asuman KrauseAsuman KrauseAsuman Krause is a German-born former model and singer of mixed Turkish and German-Dutch descent.Krause grew up in Germany until the end of middle school. Afterwards she decided to stay with her mother in Turkey...
- Aşkı Bana Sakla (Δέστε μου τα μάτια) (Turkey) - AzisAzisAzis is a Bulgarian Romani chalga singer known for, among other things, his atypical gender expression and his flamboyant persona....
- Az sam zagadka (Ανάβεις φωτιές) (Bulgaria) - Azizcan - Peri Masalı (Θέλω να σε δω) (Turkey)
- Dilek Budak - Aşka Yürek Gerek (Ανάβεις φωτιές) (Turkey)
- Dilek Pinar - Son Şansın (Τι κάνω μόνη μου) (Turkey)
- Fulden Uras - Hadi Yüreğim (Θέλω να σε δω) (Turkey)
- Göknur - Unuttun Mu? (Θέλω να σε δω) (Turkey)
- Liviu Guta - De Ce Ma Minti (Αχ καρδούλα μου)
- Azizcan - Peri Masalı (Θέλω να σε δω)
- Yulduz UsmanovaYulduz UsmanovaYulduz O‘rayimoxunovna Usmonova is a popular singer in Uzbekistan and other parts of Central Asia.-Biography:Yulduz Usmonova was born in Margilan in the Ferghana district, Uzbekistan. Her parents worked at a silk factory...
feat. YaşarYaşarYaşar is a masculine Turkish given name, which also appears as a surname.-Given name:* Yaşar Büyükanıt, Turkish general* Yaşar Doğu, Turkish wrestler* Yaşar Giritli, Turkish boxer* Yaşar Kurt, Turkish musician* Yaşar Nuri Öztürk, Turkish politician...
- Seni Severdim (Θέλω να σε δω)