Giannis Ploutarhos

Armed with a powerful voice and heavily influenced by the Hellenic folk tradition of laïko, Yannis Kakossaios (born on December 18, 1970), better known as Giannis Ploutarhos, is one of the most popular Greek singer-songwriters of his generation. Born into poverty in the rural village of Mavrogia, Kakossaios started singing at the age of six inspired by dimotiká and traditional Byzantine music. He moved to Athens in his teenage years in order to pursue a career in music, working a series of odd jobs to make ends meet and performing at clubs at night. Ploutarhos soon became a household name in the club circuit, where he became a part of the surging contemporary laïko scene. Mono Esi, his studio debut, saw the light in late 1998 via Minos EMI and enjoyed minor success in his home country thanks to the single “Enas Theos.” His breakthrough moment arrived in 2000 with the release Ipirhan Orki, an album packed with hits that quickly obtained platinum certification. Follow-up albums Mikres Fotografies (2001) and Den Einai O Erotas...Paidi Tis Logikis (2002) met a similar fate, achieving triple platinum status as the singer racked up accolades at the Arion Music Awards. A world tour ensued in 2005, after which he returned with the commercial blockbuster Ola Se Sena Ta Vrika and Krimmena Mistika (2006), which went double platinum after selling over 40,000 copies. A greatest hits collection entitled Stigmes dropped in 2007, prompting a tour throughout the US and Canada. Ploutarhos continued his run of multi-platinum albums with O, ti Gennietai Stin Psihi (2008), Prosopika Dedomena (2010), and Dio Fones-Mia Psihi (2011) with Italian singer Albano Carrisi. In subsequent years, the singer kept releasing music at a prolific rate with the albums I Dinami Tou Erota (2011), Kato Apo Ton Idio Ilio (2013), O Anthropos Sou (2014), and Pera Ap' Ta Matia Mou (2017).