Marina Satti Μαρίνα Σάττι
Satti in 2019
Background information
Born	(1986-12-26) 26 December 1986 Athens, Greece
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter
Labels	Minos EMI

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 is set to represent Greece at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024.

Early life and studies

Satti was born in Athens to a Sudanese Arab^[1] father and a Greek mother from Heraklion, Crete. Her parents met at the Faculty of Medicine in Athens where they were studying. She was raised in Heraklion, and as a child she used to go 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, whereby he 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.^[2][3]

She began classical piano training at an early age and classical vocal training in high school. She enrolled at the National Technical University of Athens to study architecture without graduating.

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.^[4] 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.^[4] Among her teachers at Berkelee were Jamie Haddad and Danilo Pérez.^[5]

Career

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. Along with Bobby McFerrin, she formed the a cappella vocal group The Singing Tribe.^[5] In 2016, Satti founded Fonés ("Voices"), a female a cappella group performing traditional polyphonic songs. They have performed at venues such as the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the Athens Concert Hall, and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center.

In 2016, Satti released her single "Koupes" ("Cups"), which reached more than 24 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.^[6] Global Citizen named it "song of the summer."^[7] Joanna Kakissis, Athens-based correspondent for NPR, described it as "the summer hit that fills a generation with hope".^[8]

In 2017, Satti curated a series of cultural events that led to the formation of the choir Chόres (pronounced [ˈkɔɾɛs];^[5] 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.^[9]

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.^[10] In May 2022, she released her debut album YENNA ("BIRTH") to great commercial and critical reception. The release of the album was followed by a European tour that lasted over 4 months.^[5]

On 24 October 2023, she was announced as the Greek representative at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024.^[5][11]

Theater

She has worked as actress or music score composer with the National Theater of Greece, the Greek National Opera, the Athens Festival, and others.^[12]

Discography

References