Rita Sakellariou(1934-1999)

Rita Sakellariou was a Greek laiko singer who became one of the most prominent and distinctive voices of Greek popular music, known for her expressive, emotionally charged singing style and a career that developed from modest beginnings in Piraeus night venues. She first attracted attention in the late 1950s and early 1960s performing in small clubs, before being introduced to recording through early collaborations with figures such as Stelios Hrysinis and later working with major composers of the genre including Vasilis Tsitsanis and Giannis Papaioannou. Her breakthrough came with the song "Istoria mou, amartia mou", which established her as a leading performer in Greek laiko and defined much of her artistic identity. Over the following decades she recorded a large repertoire of popular songs, including "Kathe iliovasilema", and became closely associated with the broader evolution of post-war Greek popular music, often collaborating with composers such as Giorgos Manisalis and Takis Mousafiris. Alongside her recording career, she also appeared in several Greek films of the 1960s and 1970s, performing songs within cinematic productions and contributing to soundtracks that expanded her audience beyond live venues and records.