Kostis Maraveyas

Kostis Maraveyas or Kostis Maravegias (Κωστής Μαραβέγιας), also known by his stage name Maraveyas ilegál or just Maraveyas, is a Greek singer-songwriter, composer, performer, director, TV presenter and writer.

He plays the accordion, piano, guitar, hammond, farfisa and he sings in Greek, English, Spanish and Italian.

While there, he played with groups such as Yamas and X Darawish ("Una ratsa mia fatsa" ed. Il manifesto 1998), which combined a variety of languages and musical styles.

His music combines Mediterranean and Balkan elements, colorful arrangements and jazz and bossa nova influences.

Maraveyas returned to Greece in 2001 as a solo artist.

In 2003, he released his solo debut "Radiopiratis" (FM Records 2003), which signaled the arrival of a new exciting talent in the Greek music scene.

His second album "Maraveyas Ilegal" (Cantini 2007) came out in 2007 to enthusiastic reviews and audiences.

His third release was "Welcome To Greece" (EMI 2009) and his most recent release is "Lola" (EMI 2012).

He's been touring regularly with his live band in Greece and other European countries, such as United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, France, Netherlands, Italy and Belgium.

Maraveyas Ilegál's live shows in Greece are often sold out.

In 2010 Maraveyas performed during the opening night of Prix Europa organized by RBB in the Großen Sendesaal of RBB in Berlin, the biggest annual European trimedial festival and competition.

The concert was broadcast live in most European countries (ZDF, Arte, Radio France, France Télévisions, MTV, NTR, NRK, ERT, RTÉ, ORF, RBB, Radio Russia etc.).

The song "Rue Madame" was premiered during that concert and a competition was launched for the video shoot, in collaboration with Dailymotion.

It was the first worldwide director competition by a Greek artist.

His digital single "Fila Me Akoma" featuring Panos Mouzourakis, the Greek cover version of Lorenzo Jovanotti's "Baciami Ancora", has won 2 MAD Video Music Awards for Best Alternative Video and Best Duet (MAD TV is Greece's No. 1 rated music network), as well as nominated for Best Greek Act at the 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards.

Maraveyas served as the host of the music documentary "Mesogeios" ("Mediterranean"), for 2011/2012 television season, a production by Panos Karkanevatos for the Greek public television ERT.

It's a road trip to cities of the Mediterranean with Maraveyas exchanging ideas and sounds with local musicians as well as jamming with them.

Just to mention a few of them, Vinicio Capossela, Ludovico Einaudi, Riccardo Tesi, Orchestra Di Piazza Vittorio, RadioDervish, Mariza, Teresa Salgueiro, Cristina Branco, Deolinda, Cristina Hoyos, Amparo Sanchez, Macaco, Massilia Sound System, Psarantonis, Mercan Dede, Baba Zula, Yasmin Levy and other.

In March 2012, Maraveyas introduced his very first novel "Lola" which was released by Metaichmio editions as a part of a CD with the same title.

The story is about a young musician named Lola and her boyfriend Markos.

In 2014 he wrote and directed 12 episodes of the music documentary series "Mousiki Pantou" (Μουσική Παντού) which was transmitted on Greek Public Television NERIT and gained positive reviews from the media.

On 8 November 2014, Maraveyas was awarded as "Best Composer" at the Athinorama People's Choice Theatre Awards for the play "Filargyros" ("L’Avare/The Miser") by Molière that was performed at the National Theatre of Greece during the 2012–2013 season.

Although he began his musical career in the underground and alternative music scene of Italy and Greece, as of 2015 Maraveyas has reached wider audiences and is considered as a well known songwriter-performer in Greece.

In summer 2015, Maraveyas composed the music for the play Ecclesiazousae, Aristophanes, for the National Theatre of Greece.

In May 2016, he participated as a singer-songwriter in the French film "Voir du pays" which was awarded at the 69th edition of the Cannes Film Festival.

In June 2016 he composed the music for the play "Monaksxa a lonely planet", for the Athens & Epidaurus Festival 2016.

From 2017 to 2019 he has been one of the four judges of the TV show The Voice of Greece, winning all three seasons with his team.

Maraveyas began his musical career in Italy where he studied Statistics and Mathematics at the University of Bari, as well as piano, harmony, counterpoint and fugue at the Conservatory Niccolò Piccini of Bari.

From 2017 to 2019 he has been one of the four judges of the Greek version of the TV show The Voice (franchise), winning all three seasons with his team.

In October 2021 Maraveyas wed Greek actress Tonia Sotiropoulou.