Katerine Avgoustakis
Encyclopedia
Katerine Avgoustakis (16 September 1983) is a Flemish
solo singer and winner of the 2005 Star Academy
show in Belgium
.
, Belgium to a Greek
father and a Flemish
mother, who died in 2005, at 54 years old, after a long struggle with liver cancer
. She plays the piano
and used to be in a choir
.
to represent Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest 2002
with the song "Imitation Love". Indiana failed to make it through the selection's semi-final round.
After leaving Indiana, she entered Star Academy
in Flanders
in 2005. She worked her way to the finale and won the contest and a record contract with Universal Music Belgium
. Avgoustakis's debut single "New Day", released in July 2005 in Belgium, peaked at #2 in the Belgian UltraTop 50 chart. "New Day" was written and produced by Regi Penxten & Filip Vandueren, the team behind Milk Inc.
Three months later, she received the TMF Flanders
award for Best New National Artist for the song. Also the song was certified gold in Belgium. Her self-named debut album Katerine was released on 14 November 2005 in Belgium. The album is to be released in May in the Netherlands. Due the 'unexpected' sudden death
of her mother, her second single, Here Come All the Boys, was delayed to be released in October 2005. This is the first single she also released in the Netherlands, that peaked at #89 in the Dutch Mega Singles Top 100. The song is also featured on the hits compilation HitBox, which was released on 13 March 2006, containing hits like Ricky Martin
's "I Don't Care", Rihanna
's "If It's Lovin' That You Want
" and the Michael Jackson
cover "Say Say Say (Waiting 4 U)
" by Hi_Tack.
In 2006 Katerine was nominated for 3 TMF Awards: Best pop music national, best female artist national and best music video national. She won best pop music and best female artist, the award best musicvideo national was going to Nailpin
, a Belgium rock band.
Katerine also won the first Belgian pre-selection for Eurosong 2006 on 8 January 2006 with the song "Watch Me Move".
The third single from her album Katerine, "Take Me Home", was released on 4 April 2006 in Belgium, with "Watch Me Move" as B-side. The next single "Catfight" was a quick follow-up and both "Take Me Home" and "Catfight" had very strong videos.
In May 2007, she released "Live Wire", the first single from her upcoming second album and the song's music video was her first 'computer animated' video. A couple of months later she released "Don't Put It on Me" and then she and her Record Label reached a 'hiatus' and wanted to go in different directions which they did. Avgoustakis soon agreed to a new recording contract with Mostiko, which led to the single "Shut Your Mouth", with music different from her normal sounds. The single fared well in the charts charting in its first week at number three in the 'Ultratop 50'. In the following months, she released three more singles: "He's Not Like You", "Upon The Catwalk" (soundtrack from a Belgium TV channel '2BE'"Topmodel") and "Ultrasonic" Ultrasonic even made it in the Canada Dance Charts on the 2nd place! All songs from her new album OVERDRIVE, which will be presented on 6 December 2008 at Versuz discothèque in Hasselt
.
Avgoustakis and Mostiko have been approached by several international labels that showed interest in her new album for which negotiations are in progress to release internationally. Avgoustakis said in an interview that an international career "would be fabulous" and that she is "... negotiating with [...] contact persons in Greece and [that] there have been releases in Spain, South Africa and Poland. [They] also got positive reactions from the Scandinavian countries, Russia and Japan".
In an interview, Avgoustakis stated that she would have liked to represent Greece at the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest
. As she is not very well known in Greece, the fact that she was set to submit lyrics for one of Sakis Rouvas
's national final
songs for the Eurovision Song Contest 2009
introduced her name and talents.
A surprise for Katerine in March 2009: for her record company she sung "Ayo Technology
" for a children's cd but the song was picked up by radio stations in Poland. Not much later, the song was in the Polish top 5 and Avgoustakis had her first international hit and also first number one single.
August 8, 2009 in Sopot using the track "Ayo Technology" won the contest for the International Hit Summer Sopot Hit Festiwal.
. Avgoustakis used to be a beauty specialist and before that a saleswoman.
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
solo singer and winner of the 2005 Star Academy
Star Academy
Star Academy is a highly successful television show format based on the Spanish format "Operación Triunfo" produced by Endemol, that has been broadcast in over 50 countries...
show in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
Early life
Avgoustakis was born in MaasmechelenMaasmechelen
Maasmechelen is a municipality located on the Meuse river in the Belgian province of Limburg. The Maasmechelen municipality comprises the former communes of Mechelen-aan-de-Maas, Vucht, Leut, Meeswijk, Uikhoven, Eisden, Opgrimbie, Boorsem, and Kotem...
, Belgium to a Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
father and a Flemish
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
mother, who died in 2005, at 54 years old, after a long struggle with liver cancer
Hepatocellular carcinoma
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of liver cancer. Most cases of HCC are secondary to either a viral hepatitide infection or cirrhosis .Compared to other cancers, HCC is quite a rare tumor in the United States...
. She plays the piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and used to be in a choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
.
2002–2006: Indiana, Star Academy and Katerine
Katerine Avgoustakis made her singing debut as a member of the band Indiana in 2002, with whom she participated with in the national finalBelgium in the Eurovision Song Contest 2002
Belgium was represented by Sergio & The Ladies,with the song Sister.The Belgian Final was held on February 17th, and was hosted by Bart Peeters at the VRT TV Studios in Schelle...
to represent Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest 2002
Eurovision Song Contest 2002
The Eurovision Song Contest 2002 was the 47th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place on 25 May 2002 at the Saku Suurhall Arena in Tallinn, Estonia....
with the song "Imitation Love". Indiana failed to make it through the selection's semi-final round.
After leaving Indiana, she entered Star Academy
Star Academy
Star Academy is a highly successful television show format based on the Spanish format "Operación Triunfo" produced by Endemol, that has been broadcast in over 50 countries...
in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
in 2005. She worked her way to the finale and won the contest and a record contract with Universal Music Belgium
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
. Avgoustakis's debut single "New Day", released in July 2005 in Belgium, peaked at #2 in the Belgian UltraTop 50 chart. "New Day" was written and produced by Regi Penxten & Filip Vandueren, the team behind Milk Inc.
Milk Inc.
Milk Inc. is a Euro House band that formed in the commercial house-scene in Belgium in 1996. The Discography of the band includes a total of six studio albums and thirty-four singles In 2006, to celebrate their 10th anniversary, Milk Inc...
Three months later, she received the TMF Flanders
TMF Group
TMF Group is an independent provider of accounting, corporate secretarial and HR and payroll administrative services to businesses operating on an international scale....
award for Best New National Artist for the song. Also the song was certified gold in Belgium. Her self-named debut album Katerine was released on 14 November 2005 in Belgium. The album is to be released in May in the Netherlands. Due the 'unexpected' sudden death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
of her mother, her second single, Here Come All the Boys, was delayed to be released in October 2005. This is the first single she also released in the Netherlands, that peaked at #89 in the Dutch Mega Singles Top 100. The song is also featured on the hits compilation HitBox, which was released on 13 March 2006, containing hits like Ricky Martin
Ricky Martin
Enrique "Ricky" Martín Morales , better known as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican and Spanish pop singer and actor who achieved prominence, first as a member of the Latin boy band Menudo, then as a solo artist since 1991.During his career he has sold more than 60 million album copies worldwide...
's "I Don't Care", Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
's "If It's Lovin' That You Want
If It's Lovin' That You Want
"If It's Lovin' that You Want" is a song recorded by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, from her debut studio album Music of the Sun . The song was released on December 2, 2005 through Def Jam Recordings, as the album's second and final single. The song was written by Samuel Barnes, Scott LaRock,...
" and the Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
cover "Say Say Say (Waiting 4 U)
Say Say Say
"Say Say Say" is a pop song written and performed by Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson. The track was produced by George Martin for McCartney's fifth solo album, Pipes of Peace...
" by Hi_Tack.
Nailpin
Nailpin is a Belgian band.After Belgian singles "Endless Conversations", "Movin' On" and "Together", from their debut album '12 TO GO', Nailpin made their international debut....
, a Belgium rock band.
Katerine also won the first Belgian pre-selection for Eurosong 2006 on 8 January 2006 with the song "Watch Me Move".
The third single from her album Katerine, "Take Me Home", was released on 4 April 2006 in Belgium, with "Watch Me Move" as B-side. The next single "Catfight" was a quick follow-up and both "Take Me Home" and "Catfight" had very strong videos.
2007–present: New album and label
In 2007, Katerine was asked for the Belgian TV program Sterren op het Ijs (a Belgian version of Stars on Ice), an opportunity she gladly accepted. She even made it to the final, but came in second. After Dean Delannoit, the Winner of 'Idol 2007' of that year.In May 2007, she released "Live Wire", the first single from her upcoming second album and the song's music video was her first 'computer animated' video. A couple of months later she released "Don't Put It on Me" and then she and her Record Label reached a 'hiatus' and wanted to go in different directions which they did. Avgoustakis soon agreed to a new recording contract with Mostiko, which led to the single "Shut Your Mouth", with music different from her normal sounds. The single fared well in the charts charting in its first week at number three in the 'Ultratop 50'. In the following months, she released three more singles: "He's Not Like You", "Upon The Catwalk" (soundtrack from a Belgium TV channel '2BE'"Topmodel") and "Ultrasonic" Ultrasonic even made it in the Canada Dance Charts on the 2nd place! All songs from her new album OVERDRIVE, which will be presented on 6 December 2008 at Versuz discothèque in Hasselt
Hasselt
Hasselt is a Belgian city and municipality, and capital of the Flemish province of Limburg...
.
Avgoustakis and Mostiko have been approached by several international labels that showed interest in her new album for which negotiations are in progress to release internationally. Avgoustakis said in an interview that an international career "would be fabulous" and that she is "... negotiating with [...] contact persons in Greece and [that] there have been releases in Spain, South Africa and Poland. [They] also got positive reactions from the Scandinavian countries, Russia and Japan".
In an interview, Avgoustakis stated that she would have liked to represent Greece at the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
. As she is not very well known in Greece, the fact that she was set to submit lyrics for one of Sakis Rouvas
Sakis Rouvas
Anastasios "Sakis" Rouvas II , often referred to mononymously as Sakis, is a Greek musician, television and film artist, businessman, and former pole vaulter who is one of the most successful and influential entertainers of all time in Greece and Cyprus...
's national final
Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009
Greece participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 with the song "This Is Our Night" sung by Sakis Rouvas. The Greek national television broadcaster Ellinikí Radiofonía Tileórasi announced that it had internally selected Rouvas to represent Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest on July 15,...
songs for the Eurovision Song Contest 2009
Eurovision Song Contest 2009
The Eurovision Song Contest 2009 was the 54th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest and was hosted by Russia after their win in 2008. It took place between 12 and 16 May 2009 at the Olympic Indoor Arena in Moscow, Russia....
introduced her name and talents.
A surprise for Katerine in March 2009: for her record company she sung "Ayo Technology
Ayo Technology
"Ayo Technology" is the fourth single from 50 Cent's third album, Curtis. The song, featuring Justin Timberlake and uncredited vocals from Timbaland, who also produced the song, was a hit in the United States and United Kingdom, where it charted at #5 and #2 respectively, amongst other national...
" for a children's cd but the song was picked up by radio stations in Poland. Not much later, the song was in the Polish top 5 and Avgoustakis had her first international hit and also first number one single.
August 8, 2009 in Sopot using the track "Ayo Technology" won the contest for the International Hit Summer Sopot Hit Festiwal.
Personal life
Currently, she lives in MaasmechelenMaasmechelen
Maasmechelen is a municipality located on the Meuse river in the Belgian province of Limburg. The Maasmechelen municipality comprises the former communes of Mechelen-aan-de-Maas, Vucht, Leut, Meeswijk, Uikhoven, Eisden, Opgrimbie, Boorsem, and Kotem...
. Avgoustakis used to be a beauty specialist and before that a saleswoman.
Albums
| Year | Information | Chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| BE Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
PL Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north... |
||
| 2005 | Katerine
|
||
| 2008 | Overdrive
|
Singles
- All regularly released singlesSingle (music)In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
and their chart peak positions in BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
(BEL) - UltraTop 50, NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
(NED) - GfK Single Top 100 and PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
(POL) - Nielsen Music Control Top 100 BulgariaBulgariaBulgaria , 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...
(BUL) - Nielsen Music Control Airplay Chart RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
(RUS) - Russian Top 100 Airplay ChartYear Title Album Chart positions BEL NED POL BUL RUS 2005 "New Day" Katerine 2 - - - - 2005 "Here Come All The Boys" Katerine 5 89 - - - 2006 "Take Me Home/Watch Me Move" Katerine 15 - - - - 2006 "Catfight" Katerine 32 - - - - 2007 "Live Wire" Overdrive 27 - - - - 2007 "Don't Put It On Me" Overdrive - - - - - 2008 "Shut Your Mouth" Overdrive 3 - - - - 2008 "He's Not Like You" Overdrive 34 - - - - 2008 "Ultrasonic" Overdrive 20 - - - - 2008 "Upon The Catwalk" Overdrive 38 - - - - 2009 "Ayo Technology Ayo Technology"Ayo Technology" is the fourth single from 50 Cent's third album, Curtis. The song, featuring Justin Timberlake and uncredited vocals from Timbaland, who also produced the song, was a hit in the United States and United Kingdom, where it charted at #5 and #2 respectively, amongst other national...
"Overdrive (Re-Release) - - 1 8 54 2009 "Treat Me Like A Lady" Overdrive 26 - 4 - - 2010 "Enjoy The Day" TBA 26 - 21 - - Top 10 hits 3 0 2 1 0
External links
- Official website (videos, Music, photos or contact) /