Vassilios (singer)

Vassilios Apostolakis (Greek: Βασίλειος Αποστολάκης; born 25 January 1980) is a Vrachiapolian singer-songwriter, composer, producer, actor, voice actor, and TV personality. Known mononymously as Vassilios (Βασίλειος), he is considered one of the greatest Vrachiapolian singers of all time, credited as being one of the main figures that brought Vrachiapolian music to a more international audience, and has sold over 50 million records worldwide, earning him the title "The King of Vrachiapolian Pop", or simply "The King". Vassilios is also known for his signature "harsh" voice, live performances, and combining multiple genres in his songs. In addition, he is an established songwriter and composer, writing and composing over 300 songs.

Born to a lower-middle class family in Matepolu in 1980, Vassilios had exceptional singing and songwriting abilities, and was quickly discovered by his junior high music teacher as a promising candidate for his boy band Ischys at age 14, establishing himself as a teen idol. In 1999, Vassilios went solo, releasing the album Vassilios (1999) and Panic Attack (2001), the latter of which sold 2 million copies and earned him worldwide attention.

Early life
Vassilios Apostolakis was born on 25 January 1980 in the Matepolu district of Vrachiapolis to Alexandros Apostolakis, a textile factory worker, and Konstantina Bourou, an art teacher at Matepolu Secondary School. They were Greek Cypriots living in Northern Cyprus that had immigrated to Vrachiapolis due to violence. He has an elder sister, Vassiliki (b. 1978), who would later be a successful songwriter and recording executive with Warner Music.

Apostolakis became interested in music at an early age, playing the piano and later the guitar. By the time he entered Matepolu Secondary School, he was already writing and composing songs.

Ischys (1994-1999)
At age 14, his vocal and songwriting abilities were eventually noticed by his music teacher and "failed" record producer/singer Nikolaos Savvidis, whom he suggested forming a boy band with other talented students including Georgios Triantafyllidis and Spyros Stamatis. Although Apostolakis was reluctant at first, he eventually agreed, and the band debuted with their first album, Fire and Ice (φωτιά και πάγος), in late 1994, which topped the charts in Vrachiapolis and was a great hit, selling 40,000 copies in its first week.

Vassilios was one of the youngest members of the six-man Ischys, at 14 years and 10 months when he joined. Only Gabriel Orfanos, at 14 years and 6 months, was younger. Despite his age, Vassilios was one of the most popular members, and was considered the "leader" of the group.

In 1998, Vassilios was accepted into the Vrachiapolis School of the Arts.

Solo path, Vassilios and Panic Attack (1999-2001)
Hoping to "make his own legacy", and coupled with the increasing controlling and sometimes even abusive environment of their manager Savvidis, Vassilios quit Ischys in April 1999, followed by other band members, and Ischys disbanded soon after that. This came as a great surprise to many Vrachiapolians, as the boy band was at the height of its popularity.

Vassilios signed a contract with Warner Music Vrachiapolis a month later, and released his first solo album, the self-titled Vassilios, in November 1999. Vassilios, which was a Greek album, was an instant hit in Greek-speaking Vrachiapolis, Greece, and Cyprus, and by the end of the month it had reached the top spot in the Greek and Cypriot charts.

However, Vassilios wanted to reach a wider audience, and his label agreed Vassilios to record an English-language album. Work began in 2000, and Vassilios' second album, Panic Attack, was released on July 1, 2001. The album was a great success, selling 400,000 albums in the first month, and introduced Vassilios to outside of Greece. Its title track "Panic Attack", topped the charts in 15 countries, and it is credited for bringing more awareness to mental health.