Phoebus

Phoebus (Φοίβος, ; real name: Evangelos-Phoebus Tassopoulos, Ευάγγελος-Φοίβος Τασσόπουλος; born 1 January 1971), sometimes spelled Phivos or Foivos, 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.

A high percentage of the albums he composes receive certification making him one of the most successful Greek songwriters of the 1990s and 2000s, selling 6,000,000 records.

In the summer of 2001, Phoebus' career passed a significant milestone as he gained international recognition.

Along with Despina Vandi, he received the award for the best-selling album of the year in Greece for the CD single "Ipofero" ("I'm Suffering"), awarded to him by the director of the Virgin Megastores in London, Sir Richard Branson.

In the period 2001–02, Phoebus collaborated with the international producer Desmond Child and other international producers, for the Sakis Rouvas album, Ola Kala, which was released in the European market by Universal Music France.

The album was released in Greece by Minos EMI.

They won the "World’s Best-Selling Greek Artist 2001" award (for the sales of the album Gia) in the World Music Awards.

The greatest global success composed by Phoebus came with the song "Gia" by Despina Vandi.

It went multi-platinum in the Greek market, and broke into the international music scene.

It was included in the playlists of celebrated DJs and clubs worldwide.

"Gia" reaching the No1 spots in the US Billboard Dance Charts and the UK Dance Charts.

It was released as a CD single in Europe, the US, Australia, Turkey and Northern Africa while it has been included in more than 120 compilations, worldwide.

On March 6, 2002, Phoebus and Despina Vandi, received another honour.

In the spring of 2004, Phoebus teamed up with Coca-Cola to compose the tune that will accompany all of Coca-Cola's activities in its Olympic Sponsorship agreement.

Phoebus composed the song "Come Along Now" with Despina Vandi singing it, and the tune was heard all around the world in Coca-Cola's ads.

In the beginning of 2005, the Greek football team AEK asked Phoebus to compose the team's new anthem.

This imposing melody is played and sung by the team's sports fans until today.

2005 and 2006 were again big years for Phoebus.

Despina Vandi's album Stin Avli Tou Paradeisou, after a huge local success was also released in Bulgaria, Russia, Ukraine and Turkey reaching the 2nd position on the charts.

The album was also repackaged for the Greek market entitled "Special Edition" and contained 4 new songs composed by Phoebus.

The album sold over 100,000 copies in Greece only.

Both albums were used by TIM telecommunications for their campaign throughout the whole year since they had a sponsorship contract with Despina Vandi.

In mid 2005, Phoebus and Victoria Halkiti teamed up and release the song "Telia", which once again was used by Coca-Cola's ads, but only in Greece and their Sound Wave campaign.

Only a few months later their next single "F...Magic" was heard in all the Attica commercials, one of Athens's biggest shopping malls.

After big scores during the 2005 and 2006, together with artists such as Despina Vandi, Elli Kokkinou, Thanos Petrelis, Giorgos Mazonakis and Victoria Halkiti, Phoebus composed the Christmas dance single "Kalanta" along with Despina Vandi.

The single was once again used by TIM telecommunications for their 2006 Christmas campaign.

In 2009, he founded his own record label, The Spicy Effect, to which he has signed various artists, many of whom he has collaborated with in the past.

Phoebus was born in Athens, Greece.

He first got interested in music during his school years where he was a drummer in a rock band.

During that time he experimented with the music fads of the time.

Despite getting into Athens Law School, Phoebus did not want to pursue a career in law, and instead focused on his involvement in music and began to compose his first songs.

While studying harmony and music at the conservatory and taking private tutorials by Demis Roussos, he started writing his first lyrics.

His talent was quickly shown, and he signed his first contract with a record label at age 22.

At the start of his second decade in music, Phoebus made several record accomplishments.

By that time, he had composed over 18 gold LPs and CD singles, 19 platinum, nine albums that are two times platinum, two albums that are three times platinum; Evaisthisies and Profities, two four times platinum; Gia and To Kati and one six times platinum CD single; "Ipofero", selling more than 150,000 units.

This in turn gave him his name in Greek music history.

During his career, Phoebus has shown the ability in mixing popular music trends with different ideas as well as bringing new artists into the spotlight with his music.

Apart from writing and composing, Phoebus, almost exclusively, programs, orchestrates and produces his albums.

His producing abilities have broken new ground while he has gone on to sign the highest contracts with all of the record labels he has worked with; starting off with Sony Music Greece, moving to Minos EMI and finally signing on to Heaven Music.