Vicky Leandros at home in Greece
Vicky Leandros, born Vassiliki Papathanasiou, daughter of musician and composer Leandros Papathanasiou (known as Leo Leandros), is a Greek singer with a long international career. She was born August 23, 1952, in Paleokastritsa, a resort on the island of Corfu, in the Ionian Sea.

As her father wanted to expand his career, he went to Germany. Vicky grew up at her grandmother's house until the age of five. In 1957 her parents took her with them. They lived in Hamburg, where she went to a German school. Her parents divorced and she stayed with her father.

Vicky revealed her talent at a very young age and when she was 13 she released her first album, Messer, Gabel, Schere, Licht, which was an immediate success.

In 1967, she received an offer to sing for Luxembourg at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "L'amour est bleu". She finished in fourth place.

This was the beginning of a unique career for her and her father: She was singing in eight languages, with her albums being sold all over the world.

In 1972, she received the second offer to represent Luxembourg at the Eurovision. She accepted and won the contest with the song "Après toi". Translated into English as "Come What May", it was also a big hit in the UK. The total sellings of the album up to nowdays have far exceeded the 10 million of copies!

During her career Leandros worked with many well-known composers and producers, such as Kim Fowley, Brad Shapiro and Michel Legrand, and also with conductors such as Herbert von Karajan, and C. Denjean.

In 2000 she started producing her own records. The album "Jetzt" / "Now" was a big success and her own compositions were praised as the best ballads she has sung the last decade.

In 2003 she recorded a new album with songs by Mikis Theodorakis with the Kamerata Orchestra under Mr. Theodorakis's supervision which is already a big success in Germany and central Europe and in Greece too. ("Tragoudi alliotiko"). The media have celebrated her comeback and the reviews are talking for one of the best albums she has ever released. During December 2003 she appeared in many TV shows on German and Greek Television, in the Gala of Jose Carreras and she is planning a big European tour for 2004 which will cover countries like France, Belgium, Holland, Austria, Germany, Greece, Cyprus and others.

She is married to Enno Freiherr von Ruffin and has three children (Milana, Sandra, Leandros).

She has received innumerable awards, golden and platinum records from all around the world that have sold more than 100 million of albums!

More information can be found on the homepage of Vicky Leandros