Marinella has passed away

Marinella, the great lady and myth of Greek song, is no longer with us. She left this world, leaving behind a massive void in the heart of Greek music. With a career that spanned over seven decades, Marinella managed to indelibly stamp Greek music with her expressive voice and unique passion, making history as one of the most significant performers of our country.

“It is with deep sorrow that we announce the loss of Marinella, our beloved mother and grandmother, who passed away at her home today, March 28, 2026, at 18:00,” her family said in a statement.

Marinella was living history, a symbol of Greek music who transmitted emotion and power with every appearance. Celebrities such as Manos Katrakis, Alexis Minotis, Irene Papas, Ingrid Bergman, Zoí Láskari, Jenny Karezi, Aliki Vougiouklaki, Omar Sharif, Franco Rosellini, Michalis Kakogiannis, and even Frank Sinatra were huge admirers of hers.

It is no coincidence that she was called “Myth” by both the public and experts because of the magnitude of her artistic journey and the strong connection she had with the audience for over six decades. What set her apart was the range of her voice, its unique tone, and her incredible expressiveness in her performances, both in recordings and on stage.

Marinella “fell” at the peak of her greatness. On the night of Wednesday, September 25, 2024, she fainted at the Herod Atticus Theater during a major tribute concert to her. It was a performance that marked the pinnacle of her musical career, a performance that united entire generations of Greeks and Greek women through her interpretation, passion, expressiveness, voice, talent, and theatricality. Unfortunately, she never recovered.

She was an artist who revolutionized the music scene in the 1980s: she paid attention to the sound, added theatrical lights, replaced plate smashing with gardenias, built dressing rooms, and even enforced Sunday as a rest day, making sure her musicians were paid for that day off.

Marinella: The Early Years…

Marinella, born Kyriaki Papadopoulou in Thessaloniki on May 20, 1938, was the fourth and last child of a large family with a strong artistic flair. Her parents were Greek refugees from Constantinople, bringing with them the tradition and ethos of a different Greece.

At twelve, she advertised the “Melka” stores in Thessaloniki. At seventeen, she joined Mary Loran’s theatrical troupe, touring all of Greece. Among her colleagues were rising actors like Kostas Voutsas, Martha Karagianni, Sonia Dimou, Giannis Tzanetakos, and dancer Dépy Filosofou.

One night, the troupe’s singer fell ill, and Marinella, who knew all the songs by heart, replaced her. She performed “O Anthropos Mou” by Sofia Vembo, with music by Menelaos Theofanidis and lyrics by Mimi Traiforos, as well as “Malaghenia,” a German song from the occupation. Marinella then became the troupe’s lead singer.

How She Got the Name “Marinella”

In 1956, Marinella joined the Thessaloniki Military Theater as a singer because it offered better pay. At the same time, she began her singing career at the “Panorama” venue in Nea Elvetia, Thessaloniki, behind Aris Football Stadium, where composer Tolis Harmas gave her the stage name “Marinella,” inspired by his own song.

There, Stelios Zafeiriou, a bouzouki player, worked, who would later be deeply connected to Marinella.

Her Love Affair with Stelios Kazantzidis

In August 1956, at the “Panorama” club, Marinella met Stelios Kazantzidis. She sang “Pikro Psomi” in front of him. After the performance, she expressed her admiration for him. He, enchanted by her pure voice and dance skills, remarked that she sang folk music in her own way, not too heavy. Their relationship blossomed from there, and Kazantzidis asked her to become his “second” on stage.

From their early successful performances at the seaside venue “Luxembourg” in Thessaloniki, they moved to Athens on November 12, 1957, and began their rise to fame. Their first songs were “Nitsa, Elenitsa” and “I Proti Agapi Sou Eimai Ego” by Giorgos Mitsakis, released in 1957 on 78 rpm records. Their first duet, “Ti Gyreveis Apo ‘Mena,” was released in 1957, and Marinella’s first solo song, “Irtha Pali Konda Sou,” came out in 1959 with backing vocals by Giota Lydia.

Kazantzidis and Marinella became a massive success in Greece and abroad. They performed in America and Australia, recorded songs in first and second versions, and their harmonies still draw admiration and study. They sang the works of composers like Theodore Derveniotis, Apostolos Kaldaras, Yannis Markopoulos, Vassilis Tsitsanis, and others.

Her Solo Career

In 1966, after splitting from Kazantzidis, Marinella began to establish a solo career. Composers like Giorgos Katsaros, Giorgos Zabetas, Yannis Markopoulos, Manos Loizos, Christos Leontis, Angelos Sempos, and Mimi Plessas helped shape her path.

Katsaros, after a 45-day tour with her in Russia, invited her to perform in the theatrical revue “Allos Gia Ypourgeio” at Park Theater, where she sang two of his new songs. This was Marinella’s first solo performance after her split from Kazantzidis.

In the same year, she performed the song cycle “Lipotaktis” by Mikis Theodorakis at the “Musical August” festival at Lycabettus Theater, conducted by the composer, alongside Grigoris Bithikotsis and Giannis Poulopoulos.

In 1967, she appeared at “Chrysos Vareli” in Tzitzifies, alongside Tolis Voskopoulos, Doukissa, Giannis Poulopoulos, Stratos Dionysiou, and Bemba Blans. She later returned to “Mastrou” alongside Pano Kokkinos and Giorgos Katsaros and decided to perform with Giannis Poulopoulos and Christakis at “Nerai” for the next two seasons.

Η Μαρινέλλα Eurokinissi

Η Μαρινέλλα 

The 1980s – The Marinella Phenomenon

On March 3, 1980, Marinella released the album “Marinella Sings Songs of Vembo,” featuring 12 songs originally performed by her youth idol, Sofia Vembo. The following month, on April 19 and 20, 1980, she performed two concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York.

In 1981, Marinella celebrated 15 years of her solo career, with her record company releasing a double album with many of her biggest hits. During the same year, she went on a successful tour in Australia, and the Australian press hailed her as a triumph.

Marinella continued to break boundaries, as in 1988, she moved to a new record company, releasing the album “Tolmo” and continued her successful performances and tours across the globe.

The legend of Marinella, now a part of history, will always remain a beacon of Greek musical culture.