Xanthoula Dakovanou will unveil Rizituals, her third album, on its release, February 21, 2025,
on MOUSA / UVM. This opus will be presented on Thursday, March 20, 2025, on the stage of Le
Triton (Paris) during an exceptional launch concert.

Xanthoula Dakovanou is a special singer-composer, whose work is inspired by musical traditions
of Greece and the wider Mediterranean and creates music that concerns modern societies.
Her musical works have been distinguished in the World Music Charts and have been presented
to important international festivals such as the Avignon Festival, the Athens-Epidaurus Festival,
Théâtre du Châtelet, Théâtre de la Villette, les Suds à Arles, All of Greece one Culture Festival etc. Her works have received the Auspices of the Greek Ministry of Culture three times until today.

Album line-up :

– Xanthoula Dakovanou: artistic direction, arrangements, vocals
– Eugenia Toli Damavoliti: vocals
– Dimitris Sideris: Cretan lute, arrangements, vocals
– Sophia Efkleidou: cello, vocals
– Giorgos Zacharioudakis: flutes, Cretan bagpipes
– Solis Barki: percussion
– Christina Kouki: santur
– Argiro Reppa: vocals
– Anemi Vocal Ensemble: vocals

Rizituals is inspired by cretan vocal traditions, particularly by the cretan songs of Rizitika, creating
an ecstatic, female musical ceremony.

Rizitiko is an ancient vocal tradition of Western Crete, which begins in the byzantine era. A jewel
of the greek immaterial cultural patrimony, this tradition is mainly unknown to the rest of the world
up to date. Traditionally, it is sung by men, a cappella.

In this album we listen to rizitika songs about women in their different traditional roles: mother,
daughter, sister, wife, mistress – but also an active search of the modern woman who seeks for her
own identity, combining elements of the tradition with urban modernity, creating new patterns
into the globalized world that surrounds her.

The dramaturgy of the album captures this search, using traditional Rizitika melodies which are
combined with modern orchestrations, incorporating female polyphonies with byzantine and
medieval elements, traditional and western instruments but also experimental elements and
improvisations.

Renown greek musicians participate in the album Rizituals, starting with the beautiful cretan
voice of the singer Eugenia Toli Damavoliti, who sings with Xanthoula. Dimitris Sideris participates in the creative orchestrations and plays skillfully the cretan lute and e-bow, in a traditional but also experimental style. The talented violoncellist Sofia Eleidou interprets the oriental traditions with a unique style and improvises on her instrument. Giorgos Zacharioudakis plays multiple wind instruments and Solis Barki colors the ensemble with his percussive soundscapes. Finally, in the album we also listen to the following guest musicians: Argiro Reppa (voice), Christina Kouki (santouri) and the feminine vocal ensemble Anemi.

Xanthoula Dakovanou assures the conception, artistic direction and orchestrations of the project
and sings, as well.