Yiannis Kotsiras

Yiannis Kotsiras was born in Athens and started his career in 1990 singing rebetika and laika. Kotsiras’ first personal album “INNOCENT GUILTY” was released in 1996. During the next years many more CDs were released.

Yiannis Kotsiras has participated in recordings with Nikos Portokaloglou, Nikos Antypas, Dimitris Papadimitriou and Haris Alexiou, besides taking part in the albums dedicated to Dionysis Savvopoulos to Yiannis Markopoulos and to Mikis Theodorakis.

Kotsiras has appeared live with Haris Alexiou, Eleftheria Arvanitaki, Eleni Tsaligopoulou, Dimitris Basis, Kostas Makedonas. He has gone on several summer tours in Greece. The 2003 personal tour in particular was most impressive since it included 50 stops in Greece and Cyprus

Kotsiras sings for Athens 2004

In March 2004, just a few days after the Flame-Lighting Ceremony in Ancient Olympia, Kotsiras’ CD-single “PASS THE FLAME”, containing the song of the Athens 2004 Torch Relay, was released internationally. “PASS THE FLAME” was written by Trevor Horn, a composer who has connected his name with great artists internationally (Paul Mc Cartney, Bryan Ferry, Pet Shop Boys, Art of Noise etc), in collaboration with Lol Creme. The Greek lyrics were written by Lina Nikolakopoulou. The CD was recorded in Sarmwest Studios, the studios Trevor Horn uses in London. The vocals are supported by famous singers from all over the world reflecting the international spirit of the torch relay. The CD single contains three versions of the song (English lyrics, Greek lyrics, instrumental). Yiannis Kotsiras interprets the song in both languages.

Yiannis Kotsiras latest work

In March 2005 he participates in the new version of the historical work “Cross of South” and “Lines of Horizons” by Thanos Mikroutsikos and Nikos Kavadias. The concert took place Megaron for 6 days and was released on CD in October 2005 and became golden.

In September 2006 Kotsiras’ eighth personal alboum titled “Taxidia filia” (Travel Kisses) has been released.

More about Yiannis Kotsiras:

• Yiannis Kotsiras, website