1. Since 2010s, Sakis Rouvas expanded his career to film, television, theatre and fashion.
107 Facts About Sakis Rouvas
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Sakis Rouvas has won six Arion Music Awards, 15 Pop Corn Music Awards, 26 MAD Video Music Awards, four Status Man of the Year Awards, a Karolos Koun Award from the Union of Greek Theatre and Music Critics, an MTV Europe Music Award and two World Music Awards.
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Since 2003, Sakis Rouvas has been in a relationship with Katia Zygouli, they married in 2017, having four children together.
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Sakis Rouvas has been involved in several charitable activities throughout his career, using his fame and resources to support various causes.
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Sakis Rouvas was born on 5 January 1972 in Mantouki, a suburb of Corfu City on the island of Corfu, the eldest of four sons of Konstantinos "Kostas" Sakis Rouvas and Anna-Maria Panaretou.
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The family was poor, and Sakis Rouvas began taking care of his brothers at age five.
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Sakis Rouvas's parents had a theatrical background, and at age ten Rouvas starred in his first theatrical production.
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Sakis Rouvas taught himself guitar, inspired by international artists such as Elvis Presley.
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The young Sakis Rouvas held a variety of jobs to support his family, including work in an automobile repair shop, and as a construction worker and bartender.
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At age 15, Sakis Rouvas joined the Greek national track and field team as an admirer of Ukrainian pole-vaulter Sergey Bubka.
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Sakis Rouvas continued in athletics until age 18, but believing he had a future in music, he joined the Corfu Band.
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At one point, one of the band members who was singing at a hotel fell ill and asked Sakis Rouvas to replace him.
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Sakis Rouvas began performing at local clubs and hotels; at To Ekati, he was seen by future manager Ilias Psinakis.
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Sakis Rouvas then left Corfu, in search of a better future.
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Sakis Rouvas initially tried to pass some auditions for a play wrote by Anna Vissi and Nikos Karvelas, but he didn't even get the chance to be seen.
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Sakis Rouvas moved to Athens, and made his first professional appearance in 1990 at the Show Centre.
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The day after the festival in 1991, Sakis Rouvas released his eponymous debut album, which topped the Greek Albums Chart.
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In September 1992 Sakis Rouvas released his second album, Min Andistekese, composed by Nikos Terzis.
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In October 1993 Sakis Rouvas released his third album, Gia Sena, with music by Alexis Papadimitriou and lyrics by Eleni Giannatsoulia and Evi Droutsa.
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In 1996 Sakis Rouvas released his fifth studio album, Tora Arhizoun Ta Dyskola, again collaborating with Nikos Karvelas and lyricist Natalia Germanou.
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In December 1998 Sakis Rouvas released his sixth album : Kati Apo Mena, written by Giorgos Theofanous.
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In March 2000 Sakis Rouvas released his seventh album, 21os Akatallilos, for which he was credited as the sole composer of the title track.
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Alongside the album's release, Sakis Rouvas performed with singer Katy Garbi at the Pili Axiou venue in Thessaloniki.
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In 2001, Sakis Rouvas signed with Universal Licensing Music of Universal Music France after he was recommended by singer Nana Mouskouri.
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Sakis Rouvas collaborated with American songwriter-producer Desmond Child and Phoebus on "Disco Girl"; it was a hit in Greece and certified platinum, winning Rouvas the Pop Singer of the Year award at the inaugural Arion Music Awards.
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Sakis Rouvas played 20 shows across France in support of "Disco Girl", which received ample airplay, and was compared to Latin pop star Ricky Martin.
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Songs from the album received radio airplay, and that month Sakis Rouvas began appearing at Fever with Giorgos Tsalikis and ONE for the winter season.
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In March 2004, Hellenic Radio and Television announced that Sakis Rouvas would represent Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004 after the selection process on the reality show EuroStar proved unsatisfactory.
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Sakis Rouvas had two female dancers and three backing vocalists: the EuroStar winner and runners-up.
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Sakis Rouvas' appearance in Eurovision was a turning point in his career; his public perception changed from media-produced celebrity to notable pop artist, and he became more accessible to the media.
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In fall 2004, Sakis Rouvas recorded a duet version of "Se thelo san trelos" with Russian pop singer Philip Kirkorov.
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That year, Sakis Rouvas won the World Music Award as Best-Selling Greek Artist of 2004.
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On 14 February 2006, Sakis Rouvas gave a Valentine's Day concert where he sang his popular ballads and cover versions of ballads by other Greek and foreign artists.
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In May the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 was held in Athens, since Greece won the contest the previous year and Sakis Rouvas was asked by ERT to host the semi-final and final with Maria Menounos.
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At the semi-finals, Sakis Rouvas opened the show by singing the Katrina and the Waves song "Love Shine a Light" with Menounos.
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On 13 November he began filming his feature-film debut, in Alter Ego and on 6 December 2006 Sakis Rouvas released his eleventh studio album, Iparhi Agapi Edo.
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The film received mixed reviews Its 200,000 tickets made Alter Ego an average success for Greek cinema, although Sakis Rouvas was disappointed in its media coverage.
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In July 2008 Sakis Rouvas was announced as host for the first season of the Greek version of The X Factor, which premiered on 24 October.
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The song debuted at number one on the Greek Digital Singles chart, while Sakis Rouvas embarked on a promotional tour of Europe.
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Sakis Rouvas said publicly that he hoped to return the contest to Greece the following year.
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Sakis Rouvas received universal support from the public and the media, a first for a Greek Eurovision entrant regardless of result.
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On 1 July 2009, Sakis Rouvas performed a sold-out concert in support of environmental issues at Panathenaic Stadium before an audience of 40,000.
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Sakis Rouvas was one of the few musicians permitted to perform at the venue; it was the largest attendance ever at the stadium for a non-sporting event, and the largest attendance for a single musical artist in Greek history.
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Sakis Rouvas made his American film debut in the psychological thriller Duress, with Martin Donovan.
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Sakis Rouvas appeared on Tamta's single "Tharros I Alitheia" for her album of the same name.
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At the 2012 Johnnie Walker Men of the Year Awards in Cyprus Sakis Rouvas was presented with the Greek of the Year award for his philanthropic contributions, particularly to the Elpida Foundation.
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In May 2012, Sakis Rouvas released the single, "Tora" which he performed at the 2012 MAD Video Music Awards.
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Sakis Rouvas was nominated for four Mad Video Music Awards, winning Male Artist of the Year and Artist of the Year for "I Dyo Mas".
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Sakis Rouvas returned to television as a presenter for ANT1's Iroes Anamesa Mas, a ten-part documentary series focusing on stories of people who have been commended for heroic deeds which premiered on 24 May 2013.
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On 13 January 2014, it was announced that Sakis Rouvas would be part of Athina Rachel Tsaggari's new feature film named Chevalier.
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Sakis Rouvas received the Best Actor prize as part of the all-male ensemble cast at the Sarajevo International Film Festival.
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Sakis Rouvas collaborated with Rokkos on the single "Ta zorikia vradia" in 2018 and released his single "Ela sto horo" in 2019.
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Additionally, in August 2020, Sakis Rouvas performed classic songs by composers such as Mikis Theodorakis, Lucio Dalla, and Ennio Morricone at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, alongside soprano Sonia Theodoridou.
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In spring 2021 Sakis Rouvas released his fourteenth studio album Sta Kalitera Mou, which was produced by Phoebus.
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That same year, Sakis Rouvas participated in the collaborative tribute album O Prigkipas tis Dytikis Ochthis, dedicated to the late Manos Xydous of Pyx Lax.
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Sakis Rouvas joined the Eleftheros Tour alongside Konstantinos Argyros and extended their collaboration into the winter season at Teatro Athens.
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In 2023, Sakis Rouvas released two singles, "Ela kai tha deis" and "Ta kaka paidia".
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Sakis Rouvas was honored with an award at the 2023 Mad Video Music Awards for his contributions to the Greek music industry.
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Sakis Rouvas's early hit "Ego S'agapo", was rearranged for the Greek drama series To Navagio, and he participated in the song "Thema" with the female pop group 3SUM.
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In early 2024, Sakis Rouvas released the single "Ti Matia" and returned to perform with Nikos Makropoulos at Pyli Axiou.
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Sakis Rouvas has expressed admiration for Jackson's "Earth Song" due to its environmental themes.
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Sakis Rouvas has described Haris Alexiou and Anna Vissi as the two greatest Greek female vocalists.
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Sakis Rouvas identifies primarily as a pop-rock artist, though he believes his music leans more toward rock than he is typically credited for.
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Sakis Rouvas did not receive formal vocal training as a child.
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Sakis Rouvas has a tenor vocal range; although he is capable of singing lower notes within the F-clef range.
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Sakis Rouvas is praised for his dynamic control, able to shift from soft, intimate delivery to powerful belting.
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Sakis Rouvas won the Pop Corn Music Award for Best Male Vocal Performance in two consecutive years: in 1999 for "Den Ehei Sidera I Kardia Sou" and in 2000 for "Se Thelo San Trelos".
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Sakis Rouvas has presented, performed and recorded in Greek, English, and French, including hosting the Eurovision Song Contest 2006.
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Sakis Rouvas plays the guitar, bass, piano, cello, and various percussion instruments.
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Billboard observed that while Sakis Rouvas possesses strong international appeal, further refinement of his English-language vocal delivery could enhance his global crossover potential.
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Sakis Rouvas has performed in crooner style and in classical tenor repertoire.
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Sakis Rouvas follows an organic diet, avoids smoking and alcohol, and enforces no-smoking policies backstage.
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Sakis Rouvas's parents were involved in amateur theatre, with his father being one of the founding members of the Kerkyraiki Skini, a local theatre group.
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Sakis Rouvas himself participated in amateur theatrical productions in Corfu as a kid.
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Sakis Rouvas later worked as a voice actor, dubbing English-language animated films into Greek.
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In 2013, Sakis Rouvas took on the role of Dionysus in The Bacchae by Euripides.
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Korina Farmakori of Lifo praised his performance, describing it as "radiant and godlike," particularly highlighting Sakis Rouvas' commanding stage presence.
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Sakis Rouvas later appeared in Athina Rachel Tsangari's 2015 film Chevalier, where Poly Lykourgou of flix.
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Sakis Rouvas went on to host several seasons of The X Factor Greece.
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Sakis Rouvas operates biogas units in Sofades, Thessaly and Amfilochia, Western Greece.
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Sakis Rouvas has been described in Greek media as one of the country's most marketable entertainers.
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In 2009 and 2010, Sakis Rouvas collaborated with Kre Kre ice cream and, in 2011, participated in advertising for FAGE yogurt.
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Between 2019 and 2023, Sakis Rouvas was the brand ambassador for McDonald's in Greece and Cyprus.
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Sakis Rouvas has been actively involved in a range of philanthropic efforts, particularly in support of children, environment, public health, and humanitarian aid.
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In March 2009, Sakis Rouvas was appointed a "messenger" of the ELPIDA Charity Foundation, which supports children with cancer, by its president and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Marianna Vardinoyannis.
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In 2012, Sakis Rouvas was named an honorary member of the St Stylianos Foundation in recognition of his contributions, in a ceremony attended by the foundation's president and then-Mayor of Thessaloniki, Yiannis Boutaris.
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In January 2014, Sakis Rouvas became the first volunteer bone marrow donor at the Orama Elpidas marrow bank, and appeared in a foundation campaign to raise awareness about marrow donation.
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In 2016, Sakis Rouvas visited the Port of Piraeus, where over 2,000 refugees had sought shelter, as part of the We Care initiative, which provides medical assistance to refugee children.
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That same year, Sakis Rouvas took part in the 10th Joy Games, an inclusive event organized by the nonprofit association "Hara" for children with special needs and disabilities, in collaboration with Campion School and local educational institutions.
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In 2018, Sakis Rouvas was named "Ambassador of Rewarding Recycling" at the first Pan-European Park of Environmental Education and Recycling.
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From 2019 to 2022, Sakis Rouvas participated in reforestation efforts in Penteli, an area heavily affected by the 2018 wildfires in Greece, as part of the We Can All Together environmental campaign.
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In 2023, Sakis Rouvas performed at a charity concert in Cyprus, with proceeds directed toward children with disabilities and their social integration.
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In 2024, Sakis Rouvas collaborated with Technogym to donate wellness equipment to the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department of Sismanogleio Hospital.
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Sakis Rouvas visited members of the Greek Paralympic delegation to offer support prior to their participation in the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games.
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In 2012, Sakis Rouvas publicly expressed his support for the LGBTQ community, advocating for equal rights and greater social acceptance.
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In 2020, during a parliamentary speech, Syriza MP Pavlos Polakis implied that Sakis Rouvas had previously expressed support for the far-right political party Golden Dawn.
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Sakis Rouvas issued a cease and desist letter against Polakis, demanding a retraction and threatening legal action.
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In 1994, at the age of 22, Sakis Rouvas was called to complete mandatory military service.
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Sakis Rouvas cited agoraphobia as the reason for his reluctance to serve, a claim that was met with media skepticism and public criticism.
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Sakis Rouvas was evaluated at the Penteli Psychiatric Hospital and later transferred to the 9th Infantry Regiment in Kalamata, where he spent ten days in isolation.
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Sakis Rouvas ultimately completed his military service at the 501st Mechanized Infantry Battalion in Giannitsa.
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On 19 May 1997, Sakis Rouvas performed with Turkish singer Burak Kut at a bicommunal reconciliation concert on the Green Line in Cyprus, which aimed to promote peace between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, before an audience of over 4,000.
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Sakis Rouvas subsequently relocated to the United States for six months following the controversy.
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Sakis Rouvas had traveled to the island for a photoshoot, and the physician had offered to transport him in order to help him avoid media attention.
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In 2001, Sakis Rouvas appeared in a controversial Pepsi advertisement, which featured him semi-nude, holding a bottle of Pepsi in front of his genitals.
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In 2003, Sakis Rouvas entered into a public relationship with London-based Taiwanese producer Rebecca Wang, but their relationship lasted only a few months.
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Sakis Rouvas has been in a relationship with model Katia Zygouli since they first met during a commercial shoot in 2003.