| VASSY | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Darwin, Australia |
| Genres | R&B, Acid Jazz, Neo Soul,Dance |
| Occupations | Singer, Songwriter |
| Years active | 2003–present |
| Labels | ABC Music, Ultra Records |
| Website | www.kissmyvassy.com |
Vasiliki Karagiorgos (born in Darwin, Australia), known mononymously as VASSY, is an Australian singer-songwriter.[Vassy, whose parents are both Greek immigrants, was discovered in 2003 after winning an Australian (Triple J) Unearthed radio contest[3][4] and quickly began to receive recognition in Australia for her vocal talent and style, heavily influenced by Billie Holiday.
[edit]
You probably know Greek-Australian indie-pop dynamo Vassy’s soulful and exotic voice from TV campaigns such as Chevy, Target,Victoria's Secret, Skechers, Google, Nike and Hilton Hotels or shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Ugly Betty and Human Target. That’s if it isn’t from catching her music in feature films such as The Cabin in the Woods or games like FIFA, The Sims; Dr. Pepper and YouTube have even featured her music in webformercials! If that wasn’t enough, the Australian singer/songwriter recently teamed up with Grammy-nominated Dave Audé for her new Billboard Chart release, "We Are Young". The pop-tastic tune features big room floor filling remixes from Dave Audé, Sultan & Ned Shepard, Dirty Freqs, Ivan Gomez & Reidiculous.
Life and career
Vassy, whose Greek-Australian background is as unique as voice, is deftly talented at penning strong lyrics that convey her own upbeat, hand-clapping and foot-stomping attitude towards life; Positive and uplifting, they whisk the listener the listener away to a happier place.
Vassy was born in a remote area of Australia to Greek immigrants, fell in love with the rhythmic, smoky voice of Billie Holiday at a young age, and developed a lasting passion for boundary-pushing musical creation after getting kicked out of her school’s choir because she was told that she "couldn’t sing". After fulfilling her promise to her late father by obtaining an honors degree in Interior Architecture, Vassy’s perseverance and determination to share her unique brand of music led her to win an Australian radio contest and subsequently sign with Warner Brothers in Australia in 2003, where her infectious and quirky productions dominated the Australian pop music scene. In 2008, Vassy signed with Ultra records and made the decision to move too the United States to work with producers such as Darkchild,Afrojack and Richard Vission.
[edit]Early life
Vassy was always a natural born leader having been kicked out of her school choir as a kid instinctively at a young age she knew she had something different to the rest of the kids something special and rare. A gift that only she could use at the right time. Vassy put music to the back burner for several years after that and continued to get her degree in first class honors Bachelor of Design, Interior Architecture. In honor of her late father she promised him she would get a degree before pursuing music and that she did. Vassy graduated from UTS in Sydney and had a scholarship with Ryerson in Toronto. It was only after she graduated that she started to pursue her dream in being a recording artist, singer song writer.
[edit]2003-06: Triple J & My Affection
Vassy was first Unearthed by Triple J radio in Sydney. Her music was instantly embraced putting her on the map with Australian audiences and offers started to flow in. She signed to Universal Australia and release an EP called "COVER YOU IN KISSES" which she recorded in Frech and Greek in addition to her english single. The single did very well in Australia and had high rotation on radio and all Music Video TV platforms like Rage, MTV and video hits. Vassy featured on all the morning TV talk shows like Good Morning Australia. She later signed to Warner Music Australia and released her debut album MY AFFECTION which she wrote and co produced her self. She performed the singles off her album at a Channel 10 concert for Australia Day in front of 2 million viewers and a live audience of 80,000 people in Canberra. She was quickly recognised for her talent winning the Australian performing rights Association (APRA) award in 2004 and being named "The Face to Watch in 2006" by The Sydney Morning Herald.
[edit]2007-09: Wanna Fly & recognition
It wasn't too long until Vassy's unique voice was heard all around the world on ABC’s Hit TV series "Grey’s Anatomy" and "Ugly Betty" with her release of her hookaliscious anthem ‘’WANNA FLY’. A vibrant sound that graced TV screens all across the US as part of the 2007 Hilton Hotels Global Multimedia Campaign after a successful run in 2006 with a launch in Los Angeles at the Grammy’s that ran till 2009. You can also hear "Wanna Fly" on the popular video games FIFA 08 and The SIMS.
[edit]2010–11: Ultra Records and HISTORY
Vassy signed to Ultra Records in 2010 releasing her 1st official dance single, "History"[7] Produced by Richard Vission & Chico Bennettwhich got a lot of air-play on KIIS FM, Power 106, MTV and other radio stations & networks worldwide. She’s been featured by AOL’s PopEater.com, Clear Channel, iHeartRadio.com and more. After her 1st buzz in the club scene, Vassy soon toured internationally as a headlining act for NOKIA and other venues across the country followed by more of her music being placed on many national commercials as well as hit television and film projects.
[edit]2012–present: Beautiful Day, We Are Young and upcoming projects
in 2012, Vassy’s passion for breaking musical boundaries and "just being me- being Vassy" has allowed her to create the wonderfully fizzy dance-pop music that she always envisioned. The 13 songs on her latest full-length independent album, Beautiful Day, featuring producers such as Tim Myers (OneRepublic), Jacques Brautbar (Phantom Planet), John Ernst & Skylar "EXC" Mones, Charlie Midnight(James Brown, Christina Aguilera, Hilary Duff), Richard Vission (Madonna, Black Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga) and Denny Western (The Kooks) embody the effervescent, passionate and generous spirit that is Vassy.
Within the album release, Vassy released her single "Desire" (the sexy, slow tempo catchy pop song) which was featured on Victoria's Secret, Human Target, Last Resort & the latest film The Cabin in the Woods.
In the fall, "We Are Young", Vassy's stirring celebration of youth and star of promo campaigns from Chevrolet and Skechers gets a rocket-fuelled boost thanks to a rich new array of mixes from the school of Audé. The Australian artist’s handclapping, foot-stomping vocals are colored electronic by Dave Audé’s upfront, peak-time beats and Reidiculous’s equally jumping, jerky workout, while Dirty Freqs keep the noise ratio amped but shade it darker and deeper. Canadian super-duo Sultan and Ned Shepherd add another angle of electronica with their trademark big drum fills and driving rhythms, leaving it to Ivan Gomez to take a housier turn with a funky rub for the cool back rooms. the release of the Remixes is out now and available at all major digital retailers and iTunes while chart topping the Billboard Dance Charts currently in the top 10.
Vassy is currently on a club tour alongside Dave Audé as she joins him on stage to perform "We Are Young" as well with going back in the studio and working on some more newer upbeat dance projects.
[edit]Artistry
[edit]Influences
Vassy discovered Billie Holiday at the age of 15. No one exposed her to this marvelous singer. Vassy accidentally found her. She was listening to a community radio station and came across this vulnerable voice that she said feels familiar to her. She then became intrigued to learn more about this woman but living in a remote part of Australia Darwin at the time she could not find any material on her at all until one day she came across an old 12 inch of her LoverMan song and only had to pay 2 bucks at the time to get it. The store owner she says was happy to get rid of it. Well one mans trash is another mans treasure, Vassy became obsessed with Billie, Jazz music and American Culture. She says "Autumn In New York" is the song that made her want to move to New York one day and that she did 10 years later.
Crystal Waters is another artist that inspired Vassy. She speaks about her a lot in interviews. Vassy shares how much respect she has for Crystal Waters. Says its her unique jazzy soulful voice and her very cool song writing style that Vassy loves. Vassy thinks Crystal is a pioneer in the pop dance market. She has heard "Gypsy Woman" more than anyone on this planet as its her favorite song as she too did her own take on it in her song titled "Her Name Is".
[edit]"The Stripe"
Vassy wears a white stripe now and then still to this day. No one really knows, but she is an artist and says she is her canvas so she feels free to express herself in creative ways. The stripe some say is perhaps a representation of the indigenous culture of her country Australia. Till this day it still remains a mystery.
[edit]Personal Inspiration
Vassy says she is able to do this all because of her amazing Mum and Granma two women who have been huge inspiring factors for Vassy and a result of the woman that she is today Her grandmother was a window all her life and had to raise her kids on her own she fought wars, saved lives and protected many and raised the entire family. Her Grandmother is a true soldier. Her mother is a very unique, special woman who Vassy adores and her sister too she is a golden lady. Vassy says " I am very blessed to have been surrounded by such courages brave, intelligent graceful women that it has shaped me to be the credible woman I am today."
[edit]Philanthropy
Vassy is a true humanitarian at heart. She has always worked with the youth, its something that comes naturally for Vassy. Her philanthropy work started at a very young age. Having grown up in a remote part of Australia at the age of 17, Vassy would apply for grants from the Australian Arts Council and put together music workshops for other kids so that they had a platform to express themselves.
She said there was not many outlets for the youth to express themselves up north in the tropics of Darwin. From there it started and her humanitarian work developed and progressed. She ran music hip-hop workshops in the detention centers of the Northern Territory. Working with teenage boys. She went out to indigenous communities and even traveled to remote indigenous communities of New Caledonia, where she ran music work shops and performed for the local people in their villages.
Vassy's work with AUSTRALIA & NT CAREERS made an impact on the youth. Her role as an Ambassador was to work with kids/teens who have a family member with a terminal illness or a severe disability. Having lost her own father to cancer and having to care for him & growing up in an isolated part of Australia, She felt the need to share this experience with the other kids and to encourage them through their hard times.
Vassy now lives in Los Angeles but her philanthropy work continues. She volunteers weekly at a teenage safe house an orphanage called AVIVA. She runs music work shops for the girls.
Vassy is also the Ambassador for NOH8 Campaign an anti discrimination association that supports equal rights for all human kind. She is a true voice in the community and has a big gay following so natural she this is a subject matter very dear to her heart.
Vassy ran an Anti Bullying viral campaign to help raise awareness. She also is the spokesperson for GREEN IT and environmental campaign to help educate people on how to protect the environment in many ways on a daily basis.
Vassy is also the Spokeperson for the Studio Samuel foundation which is an organization that helps Girls in Ethiopia and believes in Empowerment Without Pity.
She is also an Ambassador for POD, Play Ground Of Dreams. Her role is to inspire the kids to dream big and to reach their goals and feel uninhibited.
Vassy is a perfect example of that as she beat all the odds and is successfully living in the US pursuing her dreams. She loves to encourage the youth to be that voice that perhaps she longed for when she was a child.
Having been kicked out of school choir told she could not sing to years later being heard on national radio as a recording artist, Vassy knows what its like to be laughed at for having a dream and not having someone believe in her nor help her.
[edit]Discography
[edit]Albums
- My Affection (2005)[8]
- The Acoustics EP (2011)
- Beautiful Day (2012)
[edit]Singles
- "I Can See Clearly Now" (w/ Jazibel)
- "Cover You In Kisses"
- "Get Busy" (w/ Katalyst)
- "Wanna Fly" (f/ Mozim)
- "Loverman"
- "Kick My Ass"
- "History"
- "Desire"
- "Could This Be Love"
- "We Are Young"