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About Sotiria Leonardou
Early Life
Sotiria Leonardou (1951–2019) was born on June 28, 1951, in Athens. She studied music, theater, dance, and martial arts, training under Polish theater director Jerzy Grotowski in Southern Italy, attending a Kathakali theater seminar in India, and studying African ritual magic in theater during four years living in South Africa.
Musical Style & Sound
Leonardou wasn't primarily a rebetiko singer, but became closely identified with the genre after her breakthrough role, having said she genuinely loved rebetiko and kept a few songs in her repertoire, while rejecting the theatrical misery some performers brought to the style. She participated in numerous concerts with the Mikis Theodorakis Orchestra.
Career Rise
Leonardou first became widely known for starring in and co-writing the 1983 film "Rembetiko," directed by Costas Ferris, in which she played legendary Greek-Armenian rebetiko singer Marika Ninou, performing the film's signature song "Kaigomai Kaigomai." The role, and her performance of that song, made her a cult figure in Greek popular culture despite not being a professional rebetiko singer. She won Best Actress at the 1983 Thessaloniki Film Festival for the role, along with three additional awards, including honors for music. She later starred in Pantelis Voulgaris's film "Acropol," for which she also won a prize, and wrote the screenplay for "An African Tale," in addition to founding the theater stage Cyber Scene. In 1997, she performed at the Rockwave Festival in Athens alongside Pyx Lax and other prominent Greek acts. She spent her final years battling a rare illness that left her bedridden, and died on November 9 or 10, 2019, in Athens.
Diaspora Impact
Leonardou's role as Marika Ninou in "Rembetiko" gave global and diaspora audiences one of the most enduring cinematic portraits of rebetiko's history and its ties to the Asia Minor refugee experience. Her performance remains a foundational reference point for diaspora communities connecting to that chapter of Greek musical and cultural history.
FAQ
What is Sotiria Leonardou known for in Greek music?
Sotiria Leonardou wasn't primarily a rebetiko singer, but became closely identified with the genre after starring in and co-writing the 1983 film "Rembetiko."
What role made Sotiria Leonardou famous?
She played legendary Greek-Armenian rebetiko singer Marika Ninou in "Rembetiko," performing the film's signature song "Kaigomai Kaigomai," a role that made her a cult figure in Greek popular culture.
What awards did Sotiria Leonardou win for "Rembetiko"?
She won Best Actress at the 1983 Thessaloniki Film Festival for the role, along with three additional awards, including honors for music.
Did Sotiria Leonardou have other notable roles?
Yes. She later starred in Pantelis Voulgaris's film "Acropol," for which she also won a prize, and wrote the screenplay for "An African Tale."
What was Sotiria Leonardou's connection to Mikis Theodorakis?
She participated in numerous concerts with the Mikis Theodorakis Orchestra, having studied music, theater, dance, and martial arts extensively before her acting career.
When did Sotiria Leonardou die?
She died on November 9 or 10, 2019, in Athens, following a battle with a rare illness that left her bedridden in her final years.
About
Sotiria Leonardou gained legendary status as the lead in the iconic film Rembetiko (1983). Her raw, gravelly, and deeply emotional voice captured the pain and resilience of the refugee experience. In 2025, her performances were re-released in a 4K restoration of the film. By 2026, she is revered as the "soul" of the modern Rembetiko revival, a singer who prioritized raw truth over polished production.
Diaspora Impact
A cult icon for the artistic diaspora; her performance in Rembetiko is a mandatory watch for Greeks abroad connecting to their roots.
