Evangelos-Phoebus Tassopoulos (; born 1 January 1971), better known better known mononymously as Phoebus (, ; 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 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.
Biography 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.
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.
On March 6, 2002, Phoebus and Despina Vandi, received another honour. They won the "World’s Best-Selling Greek Artist 2001" award (for the sales of the album Gia) in the World Music Awards.
In 2002, Phoebus collaborated with two of the biggest stars of the former Yugoslavia—Jelena Karleuša of Serbia and Toše Proeski from Macedonia—and worked with famous Serbian lyricist Marina Tucaković to produce their 2002 albums. Proeski released Ako me pogledaš u oči in October 2002, and Karleuša released Samo za tvoje oči in December 2002. The albums were released in Serbia by RTV BK Telecom, which purchased the rights from Heaven Music.
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.
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. After only two weeks from release date Phoebus and Vandi achieved a 2× platinum CD single.
This success over the years and particularly with Despina Vandi has put a name out in the Greek music industry that Phoebus is the composer to go to for an automatic hit. This can be seen also with Heaven Music asking him to compose a song on Fame Story finalist Maro Lytra's second album, which shot her to the number 1 spot on the radio charts with the song "I Mihani Tou Hronou" (The Time Machine).
After some delay, October 21, 2009, brought the end of Phoebus's eight-year collaboration with Heaven Music, announcing through his official site. Reasons of this label change, and the fate of the artists he was collaborating with under the label's name including Despina Vandi and Thanos Petrelis were currently unknown at the time. Vandi officially announced she was leaving Heaven Music on November 2, 2009.
In 2009, he founded with the Star Channel Group, the record label “The Spicy Effect” and has since been successfully active in all aspects of the music industry. It is noteworthy that Spicy became the first independent music company in Greece to operate with the 360 model.
At the same time, with his unstoppable musical career in Greece, Foivos has also composed songs for countries abroad, such as Asia, South Korea & Japan, Serbia and Turkey.
In 2019, he wrote music for the soundtrack of the movie "The miracle of the Sargasso sea", which is actually performed by the protagonist, directed by Sylla Tzoumerka. He also attended the premiere of the film at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival. The orchestral piece that he composed and musically closes the film, received a nomination for the Best Music Award at the 2020 Iris Awards of the Hellenic Film Academy.
In early 2021, Phoebus participated as a judge in the reality talent show House of Fame broadcast by Skai TV.
In June 2022, Foivos realized Desmond Child's biggest and only concert "Desmond Child rocks the Parthenon" for the reunion of the Parthenon Sculptures, with the participation of Alice Cooper, Bonnie Tyler, Rita Wilson, Sakis Rouvas, The Rasmus, Kip Winger, Chris Willis, George Lebesis, Tabitha Fair, Justin Benlolo & Andrea Carlsson!
In November 2022, the idea of "Gia – The Musical", born a year earlier on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the legendary album "Gia", becomes a reality and everyone is talking about the musical of the year. Phoebus made new arrangements of the big hits, while he also wrote new songs, especially for the theatrical adaptation of the album.
Until today, he has collaborated with the biggest names of Greek singers such as: Vassilis Karras, Yiannis Parios, Tolis Voskopoulos, Antonis Remos, Sakis Rouvas, Kaiti Garbi, Despina Vandi, Natasa Theodoridou, Elli Kokkinou, George Mazonakis, Yiannis Ploutarhos, Elena Paparizou, Pashalis Terzis, Dionysis Schinas, Antipas, Dimitris Kokotas, Angela Dimitriou, Giorgos Lembesis, Thanos Petrelis, Manto, Thanos Kalliris, Victoria Chalkiti, Eleni Dimou, Angelos Dionysiou, Konstantina etc.
The Spicy Effect In 2009, Phoebus decided to start his own record company, in collaboration with Star Channel called "The Spicy Effect", and has signed Despina Vandi, Elli Kokkinou, Nino, and Thanos Petrelis, among others.
Discography
Phoebus has collaborated with the following artists: Aggelos Dionysiou Fovamai Mi Fygeis (Minos EMI - 1994)** Iposyneidito (Minos EMI - 1999)* Alexandra Meli Kai Fotia (Sony Music / RIA - 1994)* Angela Dimitriou Pes Afto Pou Theleis (Sony Music - 1994)* Ftanei (Sony Music - 1995) - Vinyl Single Mi Mas Agapas (Minos EMI - 1996)* 100% (Minos EMI - 1998) Margarites (Minos EMI - 1999) - CD Single Anna Fotiou Poias Gynaikas Fili (BMG / Ariola - 1994)* Antonis Remos Antonis Remos (Sony Music - 1996)* Christina Maragkozi Agkalia Gemati Agathia (Sony Music - 1996)* Despina Vandi Deka Entoles (Minos EMI - 1997)* Spania (Minos EMI - 1998) - CD Single Profities (Minos EMI - 1999) Ipofero (Minos EMI - 2000) - EP Gia (Heaven Music - 2001) Ante Gia (Heaven Music - 2002) - EP Gia & Ante Gia Collector's Edition (Heaven Music - 2002) - Includes the album "Geia", the EP "Ante Geia" and some other remixes Gia (Heaven Music/Ministry of Sound - 2003) - CD Single Gia US Edition (Heaven Music/Escondida Music - 2003) Live (Heaven Music - 2003) Come Along Now (Heaven Music - Version 1 - 2004) - CD Single ft. the theme of Coca-Cola 2004 campaign Come Along Now (Heaven Music - Version 2 - 2004) - CD Single ft. the theme of Coca-Cola 2004 campaign Opa Opa (Heaven Music/Ministry of Sound - 2004)*** - CD Single Come Along Now (Heaven Music/Ministry of Sound - 2004) - Worldwide Album released in 3 different versions Stin Avli Tou Paradisou (Heaven Music - 2004) Special Edition (Heaven Music - 2005) - Repackaged Edition of the album "Stin Avli Tou Paradeisou" Kalanta (Heaven Music - 2006) - EP 10 Hronia Mazi (Heaven Music - 2007) 10 Hronia Mazi - It's Destiny (Heaven Music - 2008) - Repackaged Edition of the album "10 Hronia Mazi", including the song "Destiny" with Schiller. Almost all the remixes of the original version are removed. C'est le vie (The Spicy Effect - 2010) Allaxa (The Spicy Effect - 2012) Dimitris Kokotas Diadoseis (Eros Music - 1994) Sineidisi (Eros Music - 1995) Dance Mixes (Eros Music - 1997) - CD Single Aharistia (Eros Music - 1997) Dionysis Shoinas Proti Agapi (Sony Music - 1994)* S'Agapo (Sony Music - 1995)* An M' Agapas (To Dahtylidi) / Esy Ki O Haraktiras Sou (Sony Music - 1995)* - CD Single S'Agapo (Sony Music - 1995)* - Repackaged album including 2 bonus tracks Mou Tairiazeis (Sony Music - 2000) - EP Efi Sarri Petao (Minos EMI - 1994) Eleni Dimou I Eleni Ton Feggarion (Sony Music - 1994)* Eleni Foureira Vasilissa (Panik Records - 2017)* Eleni Hatzidou Eleni Hatzidou (The Spicy Effect - 2016)* Elli Kokkinou Sto Kokkino (Heaven Music - 2003) Platinum Edition (Heaven Music - 2004) - Repackaged Edition of the album "Sto Kokkino" Sex (Heaven Music - 2005) Ki Allo... (Heaven Music - 2006) - Repackaged Edition of the album "Sex" Ta Genethlia Mou (The Spicy Effect - 2011) Giannis Parios Typseis (Minos EMI - 1997) Giannis Ploutarhos Thema Hronou (Heaven Music - 2016) Giorgos Daskoulidis