In a revealing interview, one of Greece's most popular artists, Nikos Vertis stated that he has "lived a life as a book, like a novel."
Vertis was Nikos Chatzinikolaou's first guest for the year on his weekly talk-show 'Enopios-Enopio' (face-to-face), where he spoke about his life as a child of immigrants in the Netherlands, the financial difficulties his family faced, the jobs he has done, his studies, and his singing career.
"I'm very lucky because I've lived a life like a book, like a novel," he said initially.
"There is a difference from living abroad as a financial migrant and taking vacations. My father found it very difficult in Greece," he said, noting that when he was 6 his family moved to Greece but returned to the Netherlands when he was 14-years-old.
The popular singer also mentioned his father's health problems was another reason they returned to the Netherlands.
Vertis went on to reveal that he worked from a young age, not in the music industry. At 11-years-old, he worked very hard at a gas station where he "got to work at 6:30 in the morning, neither my mother nor my father had woken up and I was back at 12 at night."
The Greek performer also talked about how music came into his life, referring to his studies in Thessaloniki. "The big decisions are the sudden ones... In 1998 I took my bouzouki and went to Greece. I lost the earth beneath my feet,” he recalled about his first appearance on stage.
He also stated that he has a lot of songs in the drawer which he writes, continuing that he "thought it was unfair for some people to give me their songs and I would promote them as my own... I've written half a disc songs in one hour."
Vertis also admitted he was not thinking of becoming a singer. “I liked the design, the construction, the architecture. I would never do anything I wouldn't do well in. In the family we had the choice to do what we love," and luckily for followers around the world, Greeks and non-Greeks, this was following his passion for music. This wouldn't have been possible without his father who was his "hero" and Apostles (Tolis) Voskopoulos, one of the legends of modern Greek music, who is his "role model singer".
During the interview, he also spoke about his relationship with religion. “I love Christ so much, I have him in my life. We are going through a time when youth is afraid to say 'I believe in Christ '. I don't like this thing. I want everyone to be able to have the freedom to express what they believe...Why do I believe in Christ? Not for the miracles he has done. I believe in Christ because he has what represents me in my life. The beginning and the end. Love. With love you solve everything in life,” he stated.
On the prospect of creating his own family, Vertis stressed that it's a "life goal. But I need to have the power to do my job. I want to have a family and kids and be there. I want to live their childhood years...Time is running out, you're right. I see my brother and his wife raising their children and I admire them. I love my nieces. I'm in love with them... I'll try to be a good dad. I'll be a little rigorous!"
You can watch Vertis perform every Saturday and Sunday night at YTON (Petrou Ralli 38, Egaleo 122 41, Greece). For reservations, please call +30 210 3453139.
*Watch the interview here-