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    She is a multi-talented person she is Singer, Vocal coach, arranger, Backing vocalist, Lyricist, and she loves her pastry making hobby. She is characterized by her exuberant Mediterranean temperament although she was born and raised in Stockholm, Sweden. At the age of 10 she moved to Greece with her family.
    Her professional singing career started at the age of sixteen with the record "Jump to the Beat" which was released in France, written and produced by her father, Harry Chalkitis, (Composer, Producer, Singer) The album sold more than 40.000 copies under the label of Atoll Music. Her solo career in Greece, began in 1994 with the album "Erotas Einai" followed by many number 1 hits and album releases with Warner music Greece. 7 personal albums plus many collaborations with other artists. Another European CD single "You Never Cared About Me" was released in France under the label of Columbia Records Sony in 2000.
    Participated as a vocal coach and backing vocalist in the Eurovision Song Contest six times. Has worked and co-produced with artists and producers in Sweden, Germany and Russia. (Da buzz, Antique, Schiller, Annie Lorack, Dima Bilan and many more). Throughout the years she has collaborated with top Greek singers and have travelled all over the world performing in many venues and theaters.
    Has also been a part of dubbing Disney movies and series in the Greek language, such as Barbie, Winnie the Pooh, Phineas and Ferb. Has participated in tv and radio jingles and spots through the years for international brands, products such as Coca-Cola, Arla, Attica.
    For the past years she has been the vocal instructor for the number one hit shows "The Voice of Greece" and "Your Face Sounds Familiar", she is still coaching singers and artists till our days. A few months ago her life generously offered a new role in her life, and perhaps the most important of all until now, to become mama, because she is pregnant for her first time.

    I'm Stephanos Garofalakis and I warmly welcome one of the most adorable and talented Greek artists, Mrs. Victoria Chalkiti which I thank from the bottom of my heart for this interview on our website and for her unique friendship.

Let's start from the beginning then, since you were a child, do you remember your first musical influences?
    Of course I remember! I remember my dad when he wrote songs, he always made the composition at home, so I heard original songs, Dad songs! My mom sang me the familiar children's songs, but I do not like them, I like I make my own like dad. So I listened my dad’s songs, then Police, Sade, after 80's, generally I have lots of foreign influences, but mainly most of my influences were from my father who wrote Disco in America, and songs for Demi Rousso and many more!

Who were the first artists who stigmatized you and who are still influence you even today with the same intensity and the same passion?
     I always liked the R'n'B and the Gospel music, without being in this genre, I was always fascinated by them. Stevie Wonder for me is the top of the top and will always be, but I cannot do such music because I do not have the right voice.

When you decided that you want to be a professional singer and who was your biggest supporter in this venture?
    Mom put me in my first job, she took me to my first audition at Constantina’s husband, (Constantina is a very famous Cypriot singer) that time Constantrina made her very great successes. Her husband asked me if I know how to do vocals and what style songs I sing, I did not know then, but mom said, “Of course he does vocals,” I hit her under the table, “Chinese you want to sing you, Chinese will sing,” she continues. I learned the vocals myself, and I got my first job at 1991 in “Athinaia” at Panepistimiou street.

Music is the best way to express our emotions, what is music for you, how do you realize it and what role plays in your life?
     Music for me is everything! Without music I cannot work, when I cook, or see a movie, music is everywhere. She affects us positively or negatively, she helps me immensely to making my cheerfulness many times and when I'm sad I listen special music but it’s always depending on the occasion. I cannot live without music in general!

You are a person interwoven with music and Eurovision Song Contest in Greece, do you remember your first contact with the competition?
    As a viewer, Eurovision was my dream, my mom made me fall in love with the competition from the era we lived in Sweden. It was a special night; it was among those nights were I could stay awake. Mom used to make special food and we watched Eurovision all together!
    I remember the year when Carola was 16 years in 1983 with the song Främling, we had already settled in Greece and watched the contest and from then I wanted to go to Eurovision. Ten years later in 1993 I went to the contest with Kaiti Garbi.

The first time the competition took place with Katy Garbi in 1993, what memories you have of that participation and generally by the then competition?
    I have very fond memories, it was my dream to go, I did not care if I go solo or if I will be in the backing vocals. The issue was to go to the competition and live all this magic of Eurovision!
    We were a crazy group of artists, it was the first time I met Kaiti, we had gone to Aslanis (one of the most known Fashion Designers in Greece and Europe) to make my outfit, it was all setup super blockbuster! But all this was supported by Kaiti, had nothing to do with the National Television of ERT.
    I have of course a bad memory, during a meeting in ERT, I do not want to mention the person, before we left for Eurovision they “preaching” us how we should behave abroad. It was very bad impression to tell me how I will behave going abroad and I felt affected.
    Of course 90s were a difficult time, but there was a good thing, I was one of the few people in mission who knew English and they used me at the hotel, to arrange things, to do this or that.
    Unique experience was the orchestra on stage, incredible feeling! There I met the participation of Cyprus, Dimos Van Beke and Kyriakos Zympoulaki, we became best friends and every day we gathered and sang.
    I was so enthusiastic that I did not care about anything, sing and being on stage was all I wanted. Certainly there was bad and difficult times, but I erased them, I did not care at all I enjoyed it!

How many times took part in the competition with Greece and what special memory you keep from each?
    My first participation, that no-one knows about it, was with the record company Lyra, because I did not tell anyone and no-one heard the music track, and that year went the song Clown if I remember correctly, in 1988. This was the first my experience, I told my dad not to tell anyone, I wanted to be honest, I am honest person. The procedure then was to send the song, that no one ever listened it, to a folder.
    Then I went in 1993 with Kaiti, in 1994 with Kostas Bigalis, then I was a vocal teacher at “Shake it” with Saki. In 2005 I went with Belarus and Angelica Agurbash, in 2008 I was coaching Kalomira and I was on vocals too. In 2012 we went to Azerbaijan with Eleftheria Eleftheriou, from that participation I remember very well the stadium that was build especially for Eurovision and it was wonderful!!!

Have you ever taken part in the competition with another country except Greece?
     Only with Belarus in 2005 and Angelica Agurbash in the backing vocals, but occasionally I do coaching in many countries for Eurovision Song Contest.

How many times have you taken part in vocals for Eurovision entries in studio recordings?
     I was fortunate to participate in several recordings from the studio version of Eurovision songs starting with Trehantiri by Kostas Bigalis, Shake it - Sakis, Secret Combination - Kalomoira, This is our Night - Sakis, Shady Lady - Ani Lorak, Love me Tonight - Angelica Agurbash, Hasta la vista - Ruslan Alehno, Work Your Magic - Dmitry Koldun, and my last participation in recording for cd was in 2014 with the song Shine by Tolmachevy Sisters.

In Baku 2012, among other things, a great sense did the ethereal Aphrodite of Greek participation, which was none other than Victoria Chalkiti. You stole the impressions then, remember?
     Hahaha, you are mocking me ... come on ... no foolish I never stole the impressions ...

Loreen and Euphoria, a beautiful song with excellent stage presence. If you did a solo album on Eurovision, what songs would you choose to interpret?
    What a wonderful song “Euphoria”, but I will go far back, I would choose definitely “Waterloo” of ABBA, I like happy songs. Definitely would be a curious album because I like many songs that had nothing to do with each other, “Volare - Nel blu dipinto di blu” is all time classic, but I love songs that I'm sure no one remembers them, my favourite tracks every year are those that do not go well ... I remember now Denmark in 2005 with the song “Talking to you” by Jakob Sveistrup I loved it!

Besides your career as a singer you took part in the competition as a songwriter in the national final of Greece in 2015 with Barrice and the song “ELA”. How did this collaboration come?
    It was very random, one Swede creator is a friend of mine, we have worked together in the past and in Sweden, he lives there and has a studio and asked me to write the lyrics for the song, it came simple, I was glad that have been given me the opportunity to participate in a Greek Final for Eurovision with this way. It was a great experience!

Having a long history and vast experience in Eurovision, do you believe that there is success recipe to win the contest or is a matter of luck and coincidences?
     There is no such thing as luck or coincidence in Eurovision! Must be all set, something which is difficult to find because you have to have great appearance, good voice, good song, good effects, good costumes, good team and very good PR, as we have seen all the other years in winning songs.

Which Greek and foreign artist would you like to see on Eurovision’s stage?
     Good question, from Greek singers I would like to see “new blood”, but except the appearance they have to have good voice, and support the song, I want to see new artists! Furthermore, this contest supports young artists and young performers.
     From foreign artists I would like to see again new artists and new talent, or should be something very special to go one already seasoned singer because Eurovision is a big risk!

Another well-known name that is synonymous with Eurovision is Nicos Terzis, what is your relationship with Nicos?
    With Nicos we are like brother and sister, we grew up together. When I was in the studio with my dad Nicos came too, he watched and learned. We are close in age; our first collaboration was when I was 16 years. Nicos was the one who paved the way for Eurovision in Greece. When we first moved to Greece with my family, I spoked for Eurovision to my friends and they told me “what is Eurovision?”. When Nicos introduced Antique in 2001 in Eurovision Song Contest everyone learned what Eurovision really is. It was the essentially beginning for Greece in Eurovision! He is multi-talented and true artist!

Besides being excellent singer you are distinguished Vocal coach, they have passed through your hands many voices, what it the special thing that he stands a real artist from a good singer?
     A real artist is a restless creature that nothing delights him, with the result that produces the same. Then he wants to gets better and better, to experimenting, and always work on his voice. That for me is the true artist.

You're still very young and have too much to give, you make overall plans for the future or are you more improvisational?
     I make plans for the future but I'm improvisational, this time I think I want to do a workshop to manufacture my sweet, but not to abandoned music… I will die, I cannot live without music!

Your artistic horizons are scattered in many areas outside the area of music that really flows in your blood.  We have learned that you are excellent in pastry making, you want to develop professionally this hobby sometime?
     Sure and I think about it, I like it very much, it is a hobby that eventually win me because I am a person that I like to do things unrelated, I want to dare it!

Recapitulating by saying that you are beautiful, intelligent, cultured, great artist and performer, you have sweet voice, you are coaching, wonderful confectioner ... and the list goes on ... what wish would Victoria make for the future, for the years to come?
    I wish Greece go well, be happy, because we live in a misery and we have a wonderful country and we fade away, and I feel shame because this situation has an impact on music, and generally in all artistic areas because you cannot produce music and joy with all this misery. I hope this entire situation calm down and finally I wish to be a good mom!

    We feel proud and honoured to host the one and only Victoria Chalkiti! She is a beautiful musical creature that knows better than everyone the true meaning of Eurovision Song Contest.
    We wish her the BEST in her life and me personally I would like to wish her to become the very best mom in the world because her new role in her life is the most important!!!