Spyridoula Toutoudaki is a Greek singer from Iraklion (Crete). She is one of the very few female vocalists in Crete’s almost exclusively male vocal tradition. Spyridoula Toutoudaki has a very distinct and unique style of singing that has become a benchmark for all Cretan female vocalists.
Spyridoula Toutoudaki was born in Anogia, Crete and spent the first 7 years of her childhood there in the 1960s. Her family then moved to Iraklion, where she lives to this day.
Already as a young girl Spyridoula Toutoudaki gathered her first experiences as a singer. She sang in the children’s choir, at school festivals and other school events. And because of her beautiful voice, she was also regularly asked to sing at private occasions and festivities.
Despite her vocal talents Spyridoula Toutoudaki decided against a career as a professional singer, choosing to first study and then work as a chemist or pharmacist.
During the 1980s Spyridoula Toutoudaki met Ross Daly, the Irish lyre player and multi-instrumentalist living in Crete. A deep personal and musical friendship has linked them ever since. Together with Ross Daly and other musicians, Spyridoula Toutoudaki is one of the founding members of the group “Labyrinth”. The artist collective was formed in 1982 with the aim of exploring various modal music traditions from around the world and promoting the potential for a creative interaction amongst them. Since that time “Labyrinth” has organised numerous music seminars, workshops and concerts, and produced a number of CD projects.
An album by Spyridoula Toutoudaki was released on the Greek label Seistron Music in 2003. It is entitled “Me Ti Fevga Tou Kerou” and contains pieces from Crete and various other Greek islands as well as Turkish pieces. The album was recorded with Ross Daly and is one of the few releases by Spyridoula Toutoudaki.
Text: Robert Lippuner / Global Music Network
Translation: Jamie Davies
