Kati Kovács

Kati Kovács
Background information
Birth name	Katalin Kovács
Born	(1944-10-25) 25 October 1944 Verpelét, Hungary
Origin	Hungary
Genres	Jazz, Rock, Pop
Occupation(s)	Singer
Years active	1962 - present
Labels	Hungaroton, Amiga, Eurovoice
Website	http://www.kovacskati.hu

Kati Kovács (born 25 October 1944), is a Ferenc Liszt and Kossuth Award-winning Hungarian pop-rock singer, performer, lyricist and actress.

Probably the most famous singer of Hungary, with dozens of recorded albums, awards and presentations indoor/abroad, international recognition and a very active career until today.

Kovacs is known for her raspy and very strong mezzo-soprano singing voice which received wide praise from Hungarian music critics who have called her: "The Best Female Voice of Hungary".^[1] She can sing opera, rock, jazz, pop, dance, blues and rock and roll.

Career

Kati Kovács - 1960s

She appeared first time on stage in 1962. She became the first famous nationally in 1965 when she won the seminal TV talent show in Hungary "Ki mit tud?". A year later, she achieved some even greater successes with her performance of the song I Won’t Be Your Plaything (Nem leszek a játékszered) which won the TV Dance Song Festivals in Hungary in 1966.

In 1968 she played the leading roles in some films, for example The Girl.

The psychedelic spiritual Lord Send Us Rain (Add már, uram, az esőt!) won the Hungarian Dance Song Festival and the German Song Contest in 1972.

She worked with the Hungarian rock band Locomotiv GT on three albums (Kovács Kati & Locomotiv GT, Közel a naphoz and Kati) and a compilation (Rock and Roller).

Kati Kovács - 1970s

In 1974 she won the Castlebar Song Contest in Ireland with the song Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue^[2] (Nálad lenni újra jó lenne).

Since 1979 she sang the covers of several disco and hit songs in Hungary originally performed by Donna Summer, Barbra Streisand, Laura Branigan, Madonna, Tanita Tikaram, Sam Brown, Anastacia etc.

Besides singing, Kati Kovács also writes lyrics. One of her best known works which she also performed is the lyrics to Vangelis’ composition 1492: The Conquest of Paradise.

Since 23 October 2009 she works with the psychedelic soul-beat band The Qualitons. They had a very successful concert in Budapest with the singer's rare beat and funk songs. It is said to be Kati's big comeback. In 2010 they are on tour around the country. They were planning a new album together but their connection is lost.

Christina Aguilera's 2010 single "Woohoo" contains a sample from the song Add már, uram, az esőt!.

She remains popular in Hungary.

Sziget Festival (2012)

Awards

• Music Week Star of the Year Award (England) in 1974
• Liszt Prize in 1986
• Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary – Knight's Cross in 1994
• Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary – Officer's Cross in 2011
• Kossuth Prize in 2014

Albums

See also

• Hungarian pop

References

• http://www.muveszetekpalotaja.hu/programreszletes.jsp?id=K_13580&&backUrl=/programok.jsp?

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kati Kovács.

• Kati Kovács at the Internet Movie Database