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Anita Sárközi. Singer. 7, May, l965. Budapest
A choir member in elementary school, and studying with Győző Hadai – who is the vocal trainer of Theater Thalia – during her high school years. Upon graduating from high school she continues to train her voice, she is amongst the most successful students in her group. She later describes these years: „As a child I instinctly felt comfortable on stage, during my teenage years I knowingly started to prepare myself to be able to put my feelings, emotions into my songs.” She becomes the student of Olga Sík who trained many famous singers, and achieves a grade A diploma at the Centre for National Pop Music. She is still a student when asked to work as a background vocalist for the group Express and spends six weeks on tour with the band in the Soviet Union. Although at the time not yet known in Hungary, she keeps getting invitations for foreign performances as a solo artist. Her first appearance is in Bukarest (Romania), then Belgrad (Serbia), Lahti (Finnland), Rostock (Germany) and Sopot (Poland) follows – where she meets the group Curiosity Killed the Cat. At home the most famous discotheque called Csillagfény (Starlight) invites her to perform, and she sings her favourites from Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross and Whitney Houston. This is where her talent is spotted and receives offers by V’Moto Rock and Z’zi Labor. /Two hungarian well-known, successful rock-bands/ It is actually V’Moto Rock to write her first own single called „Várj rám” (Wait for me), which is included in the highly acclaimed movie called „Moziclip” by Péter Tímár. Her debut single becomes a huge success. This is her first successful collaboration with Ferenc Demjén, which is later followed by an unforgettable comeback. „Várj rám” is the song which wins her the Best Foreign Women Award in the spring of 1988 at the „Lyra” Festival in Bratislava. In July of that year she wins the biggest Hungarian Pop Festival called „Interpop” with a song written for her by Z’Zi Labor, the title of the song is Maradj meg nekem (Keep yourself for me). István Janicsák, leader of Z’zi Labor said: „Our group had found a raw diamond which will shine through years and musical styles, and will bring joy to so many. It is impossible to notice that we had found the best voice of the turn of the century – she did prove it by winning this award.” She also received a two year contract with the record company Hungaroton, and released two albums over a three year period. Her debut album sold 40.000 copies. The video made for the song Életem a tánc (Dance is my life) was played by Super Chanel as well, she also performed on numerous concerts and appeared regulary on televison and radio. Completed a tour of Hungary with the song featured on her albums, but the very last song of each concert was her favourite gospel „Amazing Grace”, which drew acclaim both from critics and the audience. During this period she also features on compilation albums, e.g with Sting – during his Save the Rainforest campaign-, also with famous hungarian performers.
During the early nineties she is asked to sing a cover version of „I will always love you” originally sung by Whitney Houston in the OST for the movie Bodyguard. With this song she wins the highly acclaimed Emerton Award in 1993. At the same time she was working on her maxi album titled 3X, which features three songs. The song called „Ki bánja meg” (Who’s gonna regret it?) will feature on a later album as well. For the Hungarian qualifier of the Eurovision Song Contest she sings „Szerelmes dal” (Love song) by István Szűts-István Janicsák which also features a young talented folk singer Ágnes Szalóki. The video made for the song becames the video of the year in 1998. She withdraws from the media after the closure of MSat Television, but does not give up singing, continues to lend her voice to cartoon soundtracks, and is preparing for her big comeback which happens in 2000 with the album „Csak a vágy” (Only the desire). This album sees her working together with Ferenc Demjén again, the songs are all cover versions of old Demjén songs, and their duett also features on the album. After more then five years away from the spotlight, she achives huge success with the album which becomes a golden one. The biggest success is „Elképzelt szerelem” (Imaginary love) which tops the charts, „Szerelemördög” (Love devil) and „Miért” (Why) also achieve huge chart success. Her CD „Vallomások” (Confessions) is released in 2002, „Van másik út” (There is another way) released in 2004 continue the success achieved earlier.
She is the one singing the National Anthem before the „Formula 1” race in Hungary in 2008. „It was fantastic to feel the amazing strength coming from the cars behind me and from the tens of thousands of people watching, and singing the anthem with me. I have never experienced anything like this before, I become a Formula One supporter that moment” she later talked about her experience in a newspaper. She is planning a uniqe tour later this year titled „Karácsonyi lélek” (Christmas Soul), where she would like to enchant her audience with beautiful Christmas songs, also returning to her much beloved gospels. Her concerts will feature the choir „Négy Akkord” (Four Accords), and she will sing one of her biggest cover, the song „Legyen ünnep” (Let there be celebration), music by Szabolcs Harmath and Péter Szolnoki. “My love of music, my aim, my never ending desire to entertain keeps me going. I want to tell my thoughts, views of the world we live in – with the undying hope that this will help create a better, most caring world for those who are less fortunate and to protect vulnerable wildlife as well. Also to get closer the those who listen to my songs, attend my concerts, hoping to reach their souls. I do not consider myself to be a celebrity, I serve people. Music, singing is a wonderful mission – this is my whole life.” (Anita)
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