Marina Satti (Greek: Μαρίνα Σάττι, pronounced [maˈrina ˈsati]; born 26 December 1986) is a Greek singer, songwriter, actress, and music producer. Her music combines traditional Greek, Arab, and Balkan sounds with urban elements, rhythm, and production. She represented Greece at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 with the song "Zari".
Marina Satti Μαρίνα Σάττι | |
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Background information | |
Born | Athens, Greece | 26 December 1986
Occupation(s) |
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Labels | Minos EMI |
Satti was born in Athens to Ali Osman Satti (an anesthesiologist and former deputy professor of the National and Kapodistrian University) and Chariklia Filoxenidi (a chemical engineer).[1][2] Her father is Sudanese[3] and her mother is Greek from Heraklion, Crete. They met at the Faculty of Medicine in Athens where they studied. She was raised in Heraklion, and as a child, she went to Sudan during the summers. She has a brother who lives in England and a half-sister from her father's subsequent marriage to another woman. He had had returned to Sudan, and later moved to Egypt; Satti and her sister first met when her sister was 8 years old, as she had not seen her father for 13 years.[4][5]
Satti grew up influenced by Björk and Moderat and the Berlin electronic scene.[6] In 2008, after studying with the baritone Panos Dimas, Satti earned a first degree in lyrical monody with honors and a first prize. One year later, she earned a second degree in advanced classical studies, while also studying jazz at the Nakas Conservatory.[7] In 2010, she completed two semesters in jazz composition and also in contemporary writing and production at the Berklee College of Music through a scholarship.[7] Among her teachers at Berklee were Jamie Haddad and Danilo Pérez.[8]
Satti formed part of the EBU's European Jazz Orchestra. She also performed as a singer of the World Jazz Nonet at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. In 2011 she performed along with Bobby McFerrin and the a cappella vocal group The Singing Tribe at Berklee Performance Center.[8] In 2016, Satti founded Fonés ("Voices"), a female cappella group performing traditional polyphonic songs.
In 2016, Satti released her single "Koupes" ("Cups"), which reached more than 27 million views on YouTube, and was included in Ravin & Bob Sinclar's Buddha Bar 20 Years Anniversary album. In 2017, her next single, "Mantissa" ("Seeress"), charted in the European Union's Official Top 100 and Bulgaria's Top 40.[9] Global Citizen named it "song of the summer."[10] Joanna Kakissis, an Athens-based correspondent for NPR, described it as "the summer hit that fills a generation with hope".[6]
In 2017, Satti curated a series of cultural events that led to the formation of the choir Chόres (pronounced [ˈkɔɾɛs];[8] a portmanteau of the Greek words for "countries" and "choruses"), consisting of 150 women aged 13–55. In 2020, Chόres presented traditional songs in archeological locations.[11]
In June 2018, Satti and Fonés presented YALLA!, a repertoire of world music and pop compositions, as well as renditions of Eastern Mediterranean traditional music, which was first performed at the Melina Merkouri Theater and then toured abroad to France, England, Switzerland, as well as to Tampere, Finland, for the 2019 World Music Expo.[12] In May 2022, she released her debut album YENNA ("BIRTH").[citation needed] The release of the album was followed by a European tour that lasted over 4 months.[8]
On 24 October 2023, she was announced as the Greek representative at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024.[8][13] Her entry, titled "Zari", was released on 7 March 2024.[14]
Title | Details |
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Yenna |
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Title | Details |
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P.O.P. |
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Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album or EP |
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GRE [17] | ||||
"Ygro fili" | 2008 | — | — | Kyriakodromio |
"Mia fora" | 2012 | — | Non-album singles | |
"Ena kalokairi" | — | |||
"Argosvineis moni" (featuring Tareq) |
2013 | — | ||
"Under the Stars" | 2015 | — | To Paidi | |
"Koúpes" | 2016 | — | Non-album singles | |
"Nifada" | 2017 | — | ||
"Mantissa" | 43 | |||
"Pali" | 2021 | 18 | — | Yenna |
"Ponos krifos" | — | |||
"Yiati pouli m' (Den kelaidis)" | 2022 | — | ||
"Zeimbekiko II" (with Dionysis Savvopoulos, Mikros Kleftis, and Sotiria Bellou) |
2023 | — | Non-album single | |
"Tucutum" | 6 |
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P.O.P. | |
"Zari" | 2024 | 1 |
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"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
Single | Year | Album or EP |
---|---|---|
"To mikro magazi tou tromou" (Antigoni Psychrami featuring Artemis Zannou and Marina Satti) |
2007 | To magazaki tou tromou |
"Ola allazoun magika" (Antigoni Psychrami featuring Artemis Zannou, Marina Satti, and Hristos Valavanidis) | ||
"Galazia rapsodia" (Philippos Peristeris featuring Marina Satti) |
2008 | Epyllia |
"Ordinary People" (Jorge Perez featuring Martin Nessi, Daniel Garcia, and Marina Satti) |
2011 | From the Boiler Room |
"Your Star" (Tareq featuring Marina Satti) |
2013 | Fish |
"Thelo na se xeperaso" (Phoebus Delivorias featuring Marina Satti and Fones) |
2018 | I taratsa tou fivou |
"Edo (Tropical Remix)" (Monsieur Minimal featuring Marina Satti) |
Non-album singles | |
"Chichovite konye (Remix)" (Boombastiko featuring Marina Satti) |
2021 | |
"Neraida methismeni (Hromata)" (Eleonora Zouganeli featuring Marina Satti) |
Parto allios | |
"To aroma" (Onirama featuring Marina Satti) |
Anthologio gia mikrous ke megalous |
Single | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album or EP |
---|---|---|---|---|
GRE [20] | ||||
"Spirto ke venzini" | 2022 | 10 | Yenna |
Satti has worked as an actress and a music score composer with the National Theatre of Greece, the Greek National Opera, the Athens Festival, and others.[21]
Theater | ||||
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Year | Title | Role | Notes | Refs. |
2013 | Trachiniae | Chorus | [22][23] | |
2013 | Daimones | [22] | ||
2014 | Shrek, the Musical | [22] | ||
2014 | Hippolytus | Chorus | [24] | |
2015 | Jason and the Golden Fleece | Siren | [25] | |
2015 | Ecclesiazusae | Chorus | [26] | |
2016 | West Side Story | Maria | [27] | |
2016 | Gulliver's Travels | Music Teaching | [22] | |
2019 | Whispers | Music Direction | [22] |
Television | ||||
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Year | Title | Role | Notes | Refs. |
2008-2009 | Γ4 | Marina | 9 episodes | [28] |
2011-2012 | Steps | Eva | 20 episodes | [29] |
2021 | The Voice of Greece | Battle Advisor | Advisor to Sakis Rouvas team | [30] |