It was expected and confirmed from the very first moment. Popular singer Giannis Ploutarchos, one of the the community’s most beloved singers, once again lived up to his fans’ expectations.
On Friday night at Kinisi at Trak in Melbourne, together with Katerina, he lifted the audience and offered an unforgettable musical experience. The applause was matched by a mountain of flowers thrown onto the stage.
His performances continue on Saturday at the same venue, part of his Australian tour, which is already proving a huge success.
With a career spanning almost three decades and countless hits that have marked the Greek music scene, Giannis Ploutarchos remains an artist who knows how to move and captivate his audience.
“It’s no exaggeration—what we are experiencing is overwhelming,” he said during a previous trip to Neos Kosmos. “I have come to Australia many times, and every time the expatriates pleasantly surprise me with their love,” he added, moved.
It is a love he returns not only through his songs but also through his attitude toward the audience, who feel he is one of their own.
Ploutarchos has a repertoire filled with major hits—songs that have become classics and loved across generations, such as Afieromeno (“Dedicated”), Ah Koritsi Mou (“Ah, My Girl”), Ola Se Sena Ta Vríka (“I Found Everything in You”), To Kalýtero Paidi (“The Best Kid”), Kamia Den Moiazei Me Sena, Matia Mou (“No One Looks Like You, My Eyes”), and many more. Each of his performances is a celebration, with fans journeying through music and lyrics that stir personal memories and emotions.
Katerina, Ploutarchos’ daughter on stage. Photo: Con Deves
His path, however, was not easy. Born in the village of Mavrogeia, near Orchomenos, he grew up in a family that struggled daily for life’s necessities. From an early age he showed his inclination for music, singing from the age of six. At sixteen, with the dream of becoming a singer, he moved to Athens under the pretext of studying hairdressing. Mornings were spent working in a salon, while evenings saw him performing in music clubs, looking for a way into the industry.
The difficulties and harsh conditions briefly made him abandon his dream. Yet his love for singing proved stronger. Two years later he returned determined, and since then his career has been steadily rising.
Φωτογραφίες: Κώστας Ντεβές
Today, Giannis Ploutarchos is regarded not only as a successful artist but also as a man who has maintained the simplicity and sincerity that defined him from the beginning. Each of his appearances in Australia is a celebration for the Greek diaspora, who welcome him with open arms.
His concerts are always a point of reference for the community, reminding everyone that music has the power to unite, to move, and to keep language and tradition alive. And Giannis Ploutarchos proves it again—through every song, every night, and every smile.
