‘End of an era’: Composer withdraws live-performance licensing authority from Self-Management as dispute with Anna Vissi escalates
Nikos Karvelas has taken a major new step in his escalating public dispute with Anna Vissi, reclaiming personal control over the licensing of his songs for live performances.
The decision means the composer will now personally decide whether, when and under what conditions third parties can receive permission to perform his musical works live.
The move includes songs that have become closely associated with Vissi throughout their decades-long musical partnership.
Karvelas has withdrawn the authority previously held by the collective management organisation Self-Management (OSD) to license the live public performance of his works, including concerts and live appearances at entertainment venues.
According to an official announcement issued by his lawyer, Archontoula Papapanagiotou, the withdrawal took effect on September 30, 2026, under Article 12, paragraph 2 of Greek Law 4481/2017.
Karvelas will personally decide who can perform his songs
The legal announcement states that Self-Management can no longer grant third parties licences for the live performance of the works covered by the withdrawal.
Those rights will instead be exercised directly by Karvelas.
That gives the composer control over whether a performer can use his songs in a concert, live appearance or other form of live performance.
The announcement makes clear that Karvelas will decide whether, when, under what conditions and to whom such permissions are granted.
It also states that he will have the final say over the circumstances under which his works are presented.
The decision does not, by itself, amount to an automatic ban on Anna Vissi performing his songs.
Instead, it changes who controls the licensing process for live performances.
What about Anna Vissi?
The development is particularly significant because Vissi has performed some of Karvelas’ biggest compositions throughout a hugely successful career.
The two artists have been closely linked professionally and personally for decades, with Karvelas writing many of the songs that helped define Vissi’s career.
But their relationship has now entered a very different phase.
In an earlier statement, Karvelas accused Vissi of effectively removing herself from the possibility of future professional collaboration.
He wrote that she had “consciously, and perhaps deliberately” placed herself outside the framework of any future collaboration between them.
He also ended that statement with a pointed warning about the future of her musical repertoire.
The latest legal move gives that dispute a practical dimension, placing control over live performances of his catalogue directly in Karvelas’ hands.
Karvelas retains other rights with Self-Management
The announcement also makes clear that Karvelas has not completely withdrawn from Self-Management.
He remains a member of the organisation for the management of other economic rights relating to his copyrighted works.
These include areas such as radio and television broadcasting and public performance of mechanically reproduced recordings in commercial establishments.
The change specifically concerns live public performances of his music.
That distinction is important because it means the latest move is not a blanket withdrawal of his entire catalogue from collective management.
Instead, Karvelas has chosen to personally exercise control over one particularly important category of rights.
A major turning point in the Vissi-Karvelas dispute
The decision marks a significant escalation in the highly publicised dispute between two figures whose creative partnership has played a major role in Greek popular music.
For years, Karvelas’ compositions and Vissi’s performances were closely intertwined.
Now, the composer has taken direct control of the mechanism governing live performances of his songs.
Whether the decision will affect Vissi’s future concerts or other live appearances remains to be seen.
What is clear is that any future request involving the live performance of Karvelas’ works will now be subject to a new licensing arrangement, with the composer himself holding the decision-making authority.
