Some lives are written in music, love and memories that time can never erase. Annoula Vassiliou’s story is one of a remarkable journey that began with a little girl’s passion for singing and evolved into a life closely intertwined with the legendary Manolis Angelopoulos. From her first steps in the music industry and the magic of their unexpected encounter to the joys of motherhood and the challenges of raising three children, she opens her heart and revisits the defining moments of her life. In this heartfelt interview, Annoula speaks candidly about love, fame, family, sacrifice and the difficulties she endured. Above all, her words reveal a woman whose greatest achievement was choosing love and family, and who, given another chance, would choose Manolis all over again.

How did your journey in music begin, and when did you first realise singing would become your life’s path?

I always had a talent for singing. I started singing when I was around nine or ten years old, performing for my mother’s friends and my aunts. I simply loved music. As I grew older, I became a great admirer of Giota Lydia. When I was twelve, I auditioned for Oikonomidis’s talent shows, where I sang a song by Marianna Hatzopoulou called “Fyntanaki, Fyntanaki Drossero”. Oikonomidis told me that I was still a little girl and a fresh young talent, as I was only twelve years old.

I continued pursuing my dream and eventually attended the Derveniotis music school. When I was thirteen or fourteen, he was so impressed by my voice that he took me under his wing. He gave me my first record and later my second, despite my young age.

How did you meet Manolis Angelopoulos, and what captivated you most about him, both as a person and as an artist?

He arranged for me to work at a music hall on Acharnon Avenue when I was fifteen. Although I was young, I was tall and physically developed, and I felt quite shy when I first stepped onto the stage. I was performing next to Giota Lydia.

One day, Manolis Angelopoulos walked into the music hall. At that time, people called him the gypsy. I was immediately captivated by his beauty. I remember thinking how handsome, elegant and well-groomed he was. He had such a noble presence. I admired him from the very first moment. He spoke briefly with the cashier and then left. At the time, I was completely inexperienced and knew nothing about the nightlife scene.

The second time I went to the music hall for rehearsals, he was there again. Coincidence? I don’t think so! I believe it was fate. He was talking to some people while I was waiting for the musicians, who had not arrived. He told me I could leave and return another day. I eventually went on to work at that same music hall.

However, my greatest ambition was to audition for Columbia Records, hoping they would hear my voice and offer me a music contract. I went there with my cousin and explained why we had come. They asked us to wait because another singer was recording inside. Do you know who that singer was? Manolis Angelopoulos! It was destiny. Something extraordinary, almost like a fairy tale.

I was captivated by him as a person, by his wonderful voice, his songs and the many hits he had at the time. I admired his personality, his elegance, his beauty and, above all, his kindness. When I spoke with him, I discovered what a genuinely good and innocent person he was. Manolis was a wonderful man. Eventually, he took me under his wing, and as time went by, we fell in love.

During that period, you became a much-loved artistic and personal couple. What was it like sharing the stage with the man you loved?

It was wonderful. We were both very happy and we completed each other beautifully. Of course, like every couple, we had our little arguments, but singing alongside the person you love is something special. We shared a wonderful connection and moved forward together in harmony.

Which collaboration or moment in your artistic journey do you feel had the greatest impact on your career?

Many things left their mark on me. Generally, I feel disappointed because I had numerous hit songs and enjoyed tremendous success, yet I was sabotaged. People made things very difficult for me. Nevertheless, the audience continued to show its love and the flowers and the custom of plate smashing kept coming onto the stage.

Eventually, I chose to focus on my family. I was happy with my husband, and after meeting Manolis, building a life together and getting married, my priorities changed. I was also faced with many difficulties, particularly with his mother. At that stage, pursuing a career was no longer my greatest concern. My family and my happiness mattered more.

You have spoken on several occasions about the difficulties you faced with Manolis’s family. How challenging was it for a young woman to deal with those reactions while trying to build a career and a family?

The difficulties were mainly with his mother. However, I chose to ignore them because I had Manolis’s support. He was my defence lever and having him beside me made everything easier for me.

You and Manolis had three children together. What was motherhood like for you, particularly when you had to raise them through the difficulties that followed your separation?

It was extremely difficult and that is the truth. Raising three children on my own while working was a tremendous challenge, especially because they were still very young when we separated.

Initially, my mother and sisters helped me. Later, I found myself alone with the children. When they grew a little older, I sometimes had to leave them sleeping at home while I went to work. I would return in the morning to feed them and take them to school, then sleep for just two or three hours. At midday, I would get up and prepare their meals.

It was an incredibly difficult period, BUT I DID IT. I NEVER ABANDONED MY CHILDREN TO PURSUE A CAREER. Never. My family always came first.

Today, I am blessed with four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, whom I adore. I am especially crazy about my great-grandchildren! Both my daughter and my granddaughter also married at a young age.

What relationship do your children, Ilias, Stathis and Maria, have today with their father’s memory and artistic legacy?

They remember their father with immense love. They appreciate and respect his artistic journey and everything he accomplished. They have never forgotten him.

When Manolis passed away, the children were still very young and they were deeply saddened, especially my daughter, who was the youngest.

WE MISS MANOLIS.

Stathis followed his father’s musical path for a while and performed alongside you. What does it feel like to share the stage with your own child and see your children continue part of the family’s artistic tradition?

Stathis is well known, and my other son is also a musician, singer and composer. It makes me incredibly happy. This is who we are: we are singers, an artistic family with music running through our veins, roots and generations.

Sharing the stage with Stathis was an extraordinary experience. It was deeply emotional, especially hearing my own child standing on stage and saying, “Hello, Mum!” It was a wonderful feeling that I will never forget.

We also travelled to Cyprus together, where Stathis and I performed. Those moments are precious memories for me.

You said the real reason for your separation from Manolis remains a secret you don’t wish to reveal. Today, so many years later, what does that separation mean to you, and how did it change your life?

My life changed dramatically after the separation, and unfortunately, for the worse. It is extremely difficult to have three children and go through a divorce. Life was not easy after we separated.

People saw me as a happy young woman, but deep inside, I was not happy. Although I may have appeared cheerful on the outside, my reality was very different.

If you could travel back in time and meet the young Annoula who first encountered Manolis Angelopoulos, what would you tell her about love, career, children and everything she would experience throughout her life?

I would tell her one thing: I WOULD DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN. I WOULD CHOOSE MANOLIS AGAIN.