She can do folk, jazz and rock. Now 90 years old, it doesn’t bother her at all to be considered a pop singer. A look back at the beginnings.
Nana Mouskouri, your career began without an audience.
In a cinema hall, to be precise. My father was a film projectionist, and in the 1930s we had an orchestra that played live when we were filming. There were all the instruments standing around in the projector room, which really fascinated me. Whenever I could, I would sneak into the empty hall, sing on that little stage at the front, and make announcements in between. I just thought that was great. It gave me the opportunity to express myself very early on.
Did you already have a favorite film back then?
“The Wizard of Oz” with Judy Garland. I felt for her, a girl who goes her way despite all obstacles. At some point I realized that was the only way I could handle it. I had to follow my heart and dedicate myself to music. My parents may not have been very educated, but they firmly believed that with ambition and hard work you can achieve something. I adopted this attitude from them, and in turn they always supported me.
They studied classical singing, but later left the conservatory because their heart beat more for jazz than classical music.
I sang all sorts of things, including a lot of folk music, until Elvis Presley became popular and I thought he was great. I then started singing in jazz groups. That was the time when I realized that music would be my path in life. My parents only set one condition: I had to stay true to myself.
At the beginning of the 60s you landed your first hit in a detour. How did this come about?
Wolfgang Müller-Sehn, a German director traveled to Greece to make a documentary about the country. The music was to be provided by Manos Hadjidakis, a very successful composer, with whom I had already worked. I recorded five songs with lyrics by the Greek poet Nikos Gatsos. “Dreamland of Longing,” that was the name of the film, ultimately won the Silver Bear at the Berlinale in 1961. So they came up with the idea of whether I should record two songs from this film in German. One of them was “White Roses from Athens”. Two months later it was at number 1 in the German charts.
Her parents were committed anti-fascists, and their breakthrough came in, of all places, post-war Germany.
Despite all of my commitment, my parents always made one thing clear to me: it’s not against people, it’s about political things that are going wrong. Nevertheless, Berlin was initially a shock. We recorded in the Hansa studio near Potsdamer Platz. When I stepped outside the door, there was the wall. The sight shocked me deeply. On the other side, I saw people at the windows crying and waving tissues. This had a huge impact on me; it made me realize once again how much pain war causes and how much people suffer. When the wall came down, it was a dream come true for me too. Peace is the highest good, that is irrefutable.
Musically, things went quickly for you after that.
I gave concerts in Great Britain, in Scandinavia, and for Luxembourg I took part in the Eurovision Song Contest and took eighth place. I met people like the composer Michel Legrand, who wanted to work with me. And Quincy Jones, who said to me very dryly: “Come with me to the USA. If you can make it in Europe, why not here?” So I went to the US and recorded some great records there.
They didn’t stay there.
Quincy said to me at some point, baby – in the US they always say “baby” – so he said, baby, you should stay here, it would be best for your career. I said to him, Quincy, you can’t do that. I am a European at heart. I love America, I like coming here, but as a European. Well, Quincy Jones couldn’t do anything about that either. So I went back to Europe, then later back to the USA and recorded records with Harry Belafonte, among others.
They also became friends with Bob Dylan.
Oh yes, we met and hit it off straight away. He introduced me to Leonard Cohen and we also became friends. Dylan and Cohen are my absolute favorite artists. In the States I sang a lot of classical music, Gershwin and stuff like that, but also Dylan. Back then he was in a way a bit of a punk and a folkie at the same time. I liked that.
Do you sometimes think that people sometimes misunderstand you in Germany? Do you like Dylan and Cohen, it’s always about the “White Roses from Athens”?
I have no problem with people calling me a pop singer with the song. We all have our different styles, one of which is “White Roses of Athens”. The Germans took it to their hearts back then, that’s great. I sang folk songs, I sang German hits, worked with choirs, everything from children’s songs to rock’n’roll…
A good keyword. On the inside cover of their 1986 album “Tu M’Oublies” they are pictured in leather gear on a fat motorcycle. You look like a rocker.
I’m a rocker. (laughs) When you’re successful for such a long time, you just try something more unusual. That was such a moment back then. Why not?
Do you have a tattoo?
Even without a tattoo, I’m a rocker (laughs).
On the back of the cover there is another unusual motif: Nana Mouskouri without glasses.
Oh yes, I remember. (laughs) Every now and then people came up with the idea of talking me out of wearing glasses. Harry Belafonte was a particularly high-profile case. We toured together in the mid-60s. At some point he spoke to me and asked if I didn’t want to wear the glasses. I said to him, Harry, this isn’t some quirk, I’m wearing this thing to see better. If you don’t like that, then I’ll leave, but if you want me to stay, then only with the glasses. In the evening after the show he came to me and said I was probably right, it only works with glasses. Funnily enough, we later recorded a record together. During the cover shoot, the photographer said I should take off my glasses. It was Belafonte who insisted that I keep them.
A new album is being released for her 90th birthday – “Happy Birthday, Nana”, recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra London, among others. They went on a farewell tour 20 years ago.
It was just too early, I had to come back. At the same time, today as then, I have one thought: I want to decide for myself when I go. But as long as things are going well, as long as I’m fit, it doesn’t matter whether I’m 90 or older. Music and everything to do with it, the songs, the people, helped me to realize myself, but of course you have to give it your all. I have a big weakness for the Olympic Games, the way the athletes get involved. I can identify with that well. You know, I’m a hard worker.
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
