Alexia Vassiliou

Alexia Vassiliou (born February 5, 1964, Famagusta) is a Greek Cypriot singer, composer, songwriter, and activist with a special relationship to jazz music. She has also worked extensively in vocal improvisation and has achieved great success in various musical genres.

Early Life

Vassiliou was born in Famagusta, Cyprus, where she spent her early childhood until August 1974, when the Turkish invasion forced her family to leave as refugees.

Career

### Eurovision Song Contest

Vassiliou represented Cyprus twice at the Eurovision Song Contest. Her first appearance was in 1981 as a member of the group "Island", where she won 6th place with the song "Monika" (music by Doros Georgiades and lyrics by Stavros Sideras). She also participated in 1987, representing Cyprus alone.

### Music Career

Vassiliou has worked extensively in various musical genres, including jazz, pop, gospel, folk, and avant-garde music for films. She has collaborated with classical orchestras, jazz quartets, and has performed solo with a piano or only her voice.

### Education and Studies Abroad

In 1982, Vassiliou went to study jazz in Boston (the exact location is not specified in the sources). Later, she attended Berklee College of Music while still achieving great success in her music career. During this time, she obtained platinum and gold records, including one in Scandinavia.

### Activism

Vassiliou is also an activist, although no specific details about her activism are mentioned in the provided sources.

Discography and Achievements

Throughout her career, Vassiliou has achieved numerous successes, including:

* Gold and platinum records in Greece and Scandinavia
* A Top-100 hit in the United States (while still a student at Berklee College of Music)
* Great success in the 1980s and 1990s

Note: The provided sources contain some discrepancies regarding Vassiliou's birthdate. Source 5 mentions February 1, 1979, while all other sources agree on February 5, 1964.