A variety of flavoured vinegars on sale in France (bottom rows)

Vinegar is a liquid substance consisting mainly of acetic acid and water, the acetic acid being produced through the fermentation of ethanol by acetic acid bacteria.^[1] It is today mainly used in the kitchen, but historically, as the most easily available mild acid, it had a great variety of industrial, medical, and domestic uses. Commercial vinegar is produced either by fast or slow fermentation processes. In general, slow methods are used with traditional vinegars, and fermentation proceeds slowly over the course of weeks or months. The longer fermentation period allows for the accumulation of a nontoxic slime composed of acetic acid bacteria. Fast methods add mother of vinegar (i.e., bacterial culture) to the source liquid before adding air using a venturi pump system or a turbine to promote oxygenation to obtain the fastest fermentation. In fast production processes, vinegar may be produced in a period ranging from 20 hours to three days.

Varieties[link]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2011)

White[link]

See Distilled vinegar.

Malt[link]

Malt vinegar, also called Alegar, is made by malting barley, causing the starch in the grain to turn to maltose. Then an ale is brewed from the maltose and allowed to turn into vinegar, which is then aged. It is typically light-brown in color.

In the United Kingdom, salt and malt vinegar is a traditional seasoning for chips and crisps.

Wine[link]

Sherry vinegar

Wine vinegar is made from red or white wine, and is the most commonly used vinegar in Mediterranean countries and Central Europe. As with wine, there is a considerable range in quality. Better-quality wine vinegars are matured in wood for up to two years, and exhibit a complex, mellow flavor. Wine vinegar tends to have a lower acidity than white or cider vinegars. More expensive wine vinegars are made from individual varieties of wine, such as Champagne, sherry, or pinot grigio.

Sherry vinegar[link]

Production of Sherry vinegar is linked to the production of wines of Jerez. The vinegar is made exclusively from the acetic fermentation of Sherry wines; the taste of this vinegar is stronger than that of wine. The resulting color of this vinegar is dark-mahogany; it is concentrated and has generous aromas; the nose will notice the hue of wood. Sherry vinegar is ideal for vinaigrettes and salad dressings and for flavoring various foods.

There is evidence of its existence back in the first century CE, in the writings of Cadiz wiseman Columella. It is currently presented with quality products certified by the government of Andalusia and its production is regulated by the Consejo Regular del Vino y Brandy de Jerez (Council regulating the production of Jerez wine and brandy). Two types are found: Vinagre de Jerez, which is aged for six months or Vinagre de Jerez Reserva, which is aged for a minimum of two years (although the Council allows to specify the age if this is greater, and vinegar 20 or 30 years old can be found).

Apple cider[link]

Apple cider vinegar, otherwise known simply as cider vinegar or ACV, is made from cider or apple must, and has a brownish-yellow color. It often is sold unfiltered and unpasteurized with the mother of vinegar present, as a natural product. Because of its acidity, apple cider vinegar may be very harsh, even burning, to the throat. If taken straight, (as opposed to used in cooking), it can be diluted (e.g., with fruit juice or water) before drinking.^[2] It is also sometimes sweetened with sugar or honey.^[3] There have been reports of acid chemical burns of the throat from apple cider vinegar tablets, but doubt remains as to whether apple cider vinegar was in fact an ingredient in the evaluated products.^[4] The pH of apple cider vinegar is typically between pH 4.25 and 5.00 if undiluted.

Fruit[link]

Persimmon vinegar produced in South Korea

Fruit vinegars are made from fruit wines, usually without any additional flavoring. Common flavors of fruit vinegar include apple, blackcurrant, raspberry, quince, and tomato. Typically, the flavors of the original fruits remain in the final product.

Most fruit vinegars are produced in Europe, where there is a growing market for high-price vinegars made solely from specific fruits (as opposed to nonfruit vinegars that are infused with fruits or fruit flavors).^[5] Several varieties, however, also are produced in Asia. Persimmon vinegar, called gam sikcho (감식초), is popular in South Korea. Jujube vinegar, called zaocu or hongzaocu (simplified Chinese: 枣醋 / 红枣醋; traditional Chinese: 醋紅 / 紅棗醋), and wolfberry vinegar, called gouqicu (Chinese: 枸杞醋), are produced in China.

Jamun sirka (Hindi: जामुन सिरका), a vinegar produced from the jamun (or rose apple) fruit in India, is considered to be medicinally valuable for stomach, spleen and diabetic ailments.^[6]

Balsamic[link]

Balsamic vinegar is an aromatic, aged type of vinegar traditionally crafted in the Modena and Reggio Emilia provinces of Italy from the concentrated juice, or must, of white grapes (typically of the Trebbiano variety). It is very dark brown in color, and its flavor is rich, sweet, and complex, with the finest grades being the product of years of aging in a successive number of casks made of various types of wood (including oak, mulberry, chestnut, cherry, juniper, ash, and acacia). Originally a product available to only the Italian upper classes, a cheaper form of balsamic vinegar became widely known and available around the world in the late 20th century. True balsamic vinegar (which has Protected Designation of Origin status) is aged for 12 to 25 years. Balsamic vinegars that have been aged for up to 100 years are available, though they are usually very expensive. The commercial balsamic sold in supermarkets is typically made with concentrated grape juice mixed with a strong vinegar, which is laced with caramel and sugar. Regardless of how it is produced, balsamic vinegar must be made from a grape product.

Balsamic vinegar has a high acidity level, but the tart flavor is usually hidden by the sweetness of the other ingredients, making it very mellow.

Rice[link]

Rice vinegar （chinese:米醋）is most popular in the cuisines of East and Southeast Asia. It is available in "white" (light yellow), red, and black varieties. The Japanese prefer a light rice vinegar for the preparation of sushi rice and salad dressings. Red rice vinegar traditionally is colored with red yeast rice. Black rice vinegar (made with black glutinous rice) is most popular in China, and it is also widely used in other East Asian countries.

White rice vinegar has a mild acidity with a somewhat "flat" and uncomplex flavor. Some varieties of rice vinegar are sweetened or otherwise seasoned with spices or other added flavorings.

Coconut[link]

Coconut vinegar, made from fermented coconut water, is used extensively in Southeast Asian cuisine (particularly in the Philippines and Sri Lanka, major producers, where it is called suka ng niyog or vinakiri), as well as in some cuisines of India, especially Goan cuisine. A cloudy white liquid, it has a particularly sharp, acidic taste with a slightly yeasty note.

Palm[link]

Palm vinegar, made from the fermented sap from flower clusters of the nipa palm (also called attap palm), is used most often in the Philippines, where it is produced, and where it is called sukang paombong. Its pH is between five and six.

Cane[link]

Cane vinegar, made from sugarcane juice, is most popular in the Philippines, in particular, the Ilocos Region of the northern Philippines (where it is called sukang iloko), although it also is produced in France and the United States. It ranges from dark yellow to golden brown in color, and has a mellow flavor, similar in some respects, to rice vinegar, though with a somewhat "fresher" taste. Contrary to expectation, containing no residual sugar, it is not sweeter than other vinegars. In the Philippines, it often is labeled as sukang maasim (Tagalog for "sour vinegar").

Cane vinegars from Ilocos also varies in two different types: basi (sweet) and suka (sour). The sweet vinegar is used as a wine in Ilokanos, while the other type of vinegar is used as a seasoning and preservative.

A white variation has become quite popular in Brazil in recent years, where it is the cheapest type of vinegar sold. It is now common for other types of vinegar (made from wine, rice and apple cider) to be sold mixed with cane vinegar to lower the costs.

Raisin[link]

Raisin vinegar produced in Turkey

Vinegar made from raisins, called khall ʻinab (Arabic: خل عنب‎ "grape vinegar") is used in cuisines of the Middle East, and is produced there. It is cloudy and medium brown in color, with a mild flavor.

Date[link]

Vinegar made from dates is a traditional product of the Middle East.^[7][8]

Beer[link]

Vinegar made from beer is produced in the United Kingdom London, Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands. Although its flavor depends on the particular type of beer from which it is made, it is often described as having a malty taste. That produced in Bavaria is a light golden color with a very sharp and not-overly-complex flavor.

Honey[link]

Vinegar made from honey is rare, although commercially available honey vinegars are produced in Italy, France, Romania and Spain.

East Asian black[link]

Chinese black vinegar is an aged product made from rice, wheat, millet, sorghum, or a combination thereof. It has an inky black color and a complex, malty flavor. There is no fixed recipe, so some Chinese black vinegars may contain added sugar, spices, or caramel color. The most popular variety, Zhenjiang vinegar (鎮江香醋), originated in the city of Zhenjiang, in the eastern coastal province of Jiangsu, China^[9] and also is produced in Tianjin and Hong Kong.

A somewhat lighter form of black vinegar, made from rice, also is produced in Japan, where it is called kurozu. Since 2004, it has been marketed as a healthful drink; its manufacturers claim it contains high concentrations of amino acids. Recent research on kurozu has revealed its anticancer properties in vivo on rats^[10][11] and in vitro on human cancer cells.^[12]

Flavored vinegars[link]

Cantonese red vinegar

Popular fruit-flavored vinegars include those infused with whole raspberries, blueberries, or figs (or else from flavorings derived from these fruits). Some of the more exotic fruit-flavored vinegars include blood orange and pear.

Herb vinegars are flavored with herbs, most commonly Mediterranean herbs, such as thyme, tarragon or oregano. Such vinegars can be prepared at home by adding sprigs of fresh or dried herbs to vinegar purchased at a grocery store; generally a light-colored, mild tasting vinegar, such as that made from white wine, is used for this purpose.

Vinegar may also be flavoured with spices. Malt vinegar infused with whole chillies in often provided at British seafood stalls.

Sweetened vinegar is of Cantonese origin, and is made from rice wine, sugar and herbs, including ginger, cloves, and other spices.

Job's tears[link]

In Japan, an aged vinegar also is made from Job's tears, a tall, grain-bearing, tropical plant. The vinegar is similar in flavor to rice vinegar.

Kombucha[link]

Kombucha vinegar is made from kombucha, a symbiotic culture of yeast and bacteria. The bacteria produce a complex array of nutrients and populate the vinegar with bacteria that some claim promote a healthy digestive tract, although no scientific studies have confirmed this. Kombucha vinegar primarily is used to make a vinaigrette, and is flavored by adding strawberries, blackberries, mint, or blueberries at the beginning of fermentation.

Kiwifruit[link]

A byproduct of commercial kiwifruit growing is a large amount of waste in the form of, first, misshapen or otherwise-rejected fruit that may constitute up to 30 percent of the crop and, second, kiwifruit pomace, which is the presscake residue left after kiwifruit juice manufacture. One of the uses for this waste is the production of kiwifruit vinegar, produced commercially in New Zealand^[13] since, at least, the early 1990s, and in China in 2008.^[14]

Sinamak[link]

A variation of cane vinegar from the Philippines (sukang maasim) is called sinamak, which is simply a spiced version that mixes the cane vinegar with siling labuyo, onions, and garlic.

Distilled vinegar[link]

Any type of vinegar may be distilled to produce a colorless solution of about 5% to 8% acetic acid in water, with a pH of about 2.4. This is variously known as distilled spirit or "virgin" vinegar,^[15] or white vinegar, and is used for medicinal, laboratory, and cleaning purposes, as well as in cooking, baking, meat preservation, and pickling.^[16] The most common starting material, because of its low cost, is malt vinegar.

Spirit vinegar[link]

The term 'spirit vinegar' is sometimes reserved for the stronger variety (5% to 20% acetic acid) made from sugar cane^[17] or from chemically produced acetic acid.^[16]

Culinary uses[link]

Vinegar is commonly used in food preparation, in particular in pickling processes, vinaigrettes, and other salad dressings. It is an ingredient in sauces such as mustard, ketchup, and mayonnaise. Vinegar is sometimes used while making chutneys. It is often used as a condiment. Marinades often contain vinegar.

• Condiment for beetroot — cold, cooked beetroot is commonly eaten with vinegar
• Condiment for fish and chips — in Britain, Ireland and Canada, salt and malt vinegar (or non-brewed condiment) is sprinkled on chips.
• Flavoring for potato chips — many American, Canadian and British manufacturers of packaged potato chips and crisps feature a variety flavored with vinegar and salt.
• Vinegar pie — a North American variant on the dessert called chess pie. It is flavored with a small amount of cider vinegar and some versions also contain raisins, spices and sour cream.^[18]
• Pickling — any vinegar can be used to pickle foods.
• Cider vinegar and sauces — cider vinegar usually is not suitable for use in delicate sauces.
• Apple cider vinegar - Usually placed on the table in small bowls or cups so that people can dip their crab meat into it. Also mixed with water and used to steam crabs.^[19]
• Substitute for fresh lemon juice — cider vinegar can usually be substituted for fresh lemon juice in recipes and obtain a pleasing effect although it lacks the vitamin C.
• Saucing roast lamb — pouring cider vinegar over the meat when roasting lamb, especially when combined with honey or when sliced onions have been added to the roasting pan, produces a sauce.
• Sweetened vinegar is used in the dish of pork knuckles and ginger stew, which is made among Chinese people of Cantonese backgrounds to celebrate the arrival of a new child.^[20]
• Sushi rice — Japanese use rice vinegar as an essential ingredient for sushi rice.
• Red vinegar — Sometimes used in Chinese soups
• Flavoring — used in the Southern U.S. to flavor collard greens, green beans, black-eyed peas, or cabbage to taste.
• Commonly put into mint sauce, for general palate preference.
• Vinegar — especially the coconut, cane, or palm variety — is one of the principal ingredients of Philippine cuisine.
• White vinegar can be used as flavoring in ham and beans

Medical uses[link]

Many remedies and treatments have been ascribed to vinegar over millennia and in many different cultures; however, few have been verifiable using controlled medical trials and many that are effective to some degree have significant side-effects and carry the possibility of serious health risks.^[21]

Soothing for sunburns[link]

White vinegar applied as a spray to tissue draped over a sunburn helps restore the lost acidic level to the skin, and gives a cooling effect to the skin.^{[citation needed]}

Possible cholesterol and triacylglycerol effects[link]

A 2006 study concluded that a test group of rats fed with acetic acid (the main component of vinegar) had "significantly lower values for serum total cholesterol and triacylglycerol" and other health benefits.^[22] Rats fed vinegar or acetic acid have lower blood pressure than controls, although the effect has not been tested in humans.^[21] Reduced risk of fatal ischemic heart disease was observed among participants in a trial who ate vinegar and oil salad dressings frequently.^[21]

Blood glucose control and diabetic management[link]

Prior to hypoglycemic agents, diabetics used vinegar teas to control their symptoms.^[21] Small amounts of vinegar (approximately 25 g of domestic vinegar) added to food, or taken along with a meal, have been shown by a number of medical trials to reduce the glycemic index of carbohydrate food for people with and without diabetes.^[23][24][25] This also has been expressed as lower glycemic index ratings in the region of 30%.^[26][27]

Diet control[link]

Multiple trials indicate that taking vinegar with food increases satiety (the feeling of fullness) and, so, reduces the amount of food consumed.^[28][29] Daily intake of 15 mL of vinegar (750 mg acetic acid) might be useful in the prevention of metabolic syndrome by reducing obesity.^[30]

Antimicrobial use[link]

Vinegar was thought to be useful for treating infections since the time of Hippocrates (460 -377 BC) who prescribed it for curing persistent coughs.^{[citation needed]}

Researchers at the Food Biotechnology Department, Instituto de la Grasa (CSIC) in Seville, Spain conducted research on the antimicrobial activity of several food products, including vinegar. The following microorganisms were used in the study: S. aureus, L. monocytogenes, S. Enteritidis, E.coli 0157:H7, S. sonnei, and Yersinia sp. Vinegar (5% acetic acid) slowed the bactericidal activity against all strains tested^[31], which was attributed to its acidity.

The phenolic composition analysis of vinegar shows the presence of gallic acid, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, catechin, vanillic acid, caffeic acid, syringic acid, vanillin, syringaldehyde, p-coumaric acid, m-coumaric acid, anisaldehyde, epicatechin, sinapic acid, salicylaldehyde, scopoletin, veratraldehyde and o-coumaric acid.^[32][33]

See cleaning uses for further references regarding antimicrobial use.

Other medicinal uses[link]

Applying vinegar to common jellyfish stings deactivates the nematocysts; however, placing the affected areas in hot water is a more effective treatment because the venom is deactivated by heat. The latter requires immersion in 45 °C (113 °F) water for at least four minutes for the pain to be reduced to less than what would be accomplished using vinegar.^[34] But vinegar should not be applied to Portuguese man o' war stings, however, since they are not actually jellyfish and vinegar can cause their nematocysts to discharge venom, making the pain worse.^[35] Vinegar is often used as a natural deodorant, mainly because of its antibacterial effect.^{[36][unreliable source?]} Diluted vinegar can also be used as a hair conditioner and detangler by pouring over wet hair and rinsing. No vinegar smell remains after hair has been rinsed and dried.^{[citation needed]}

Vinegar has been shown ineffective for use against lice^[37] but (combined with 60% Salicylic acid) significantly more effective than placebo for the treatment of warts.^[38]

Contrary to popular belief, vinegar cannot be used as a detoxification agent to circumvent urinalysis testing for cannabis.^[39][40]

Potential hazards[link]

Esophageal injury by apple cider vinegar tablets has been reported, and, because vinegar products sold for medicinal purposes are neither regulated nor standardized, they vary widely in content, pH, and other respects.^[4] Long-term heavy vinegar ingestion may also cause hypokalemia, hyperreninemia, and osteoporosis.^[41]

Cervical cancer screening tool[link]

Diluted vinegar 3% to 5%, has also been tested as an effective screening tool for cervical cancer. Vinegar changes the color of affected tissue to white, making diagnosis by inspection possible, reducing in 35% the mortality for early detection against control group.^[42]

Vinegar in Islamic medicine[link]

The Islamic prophet Muhammad is reported to have said, "The best of condiments or condiment is vinegar."^[43] Avicenna, in his famous book The Canon of Medicine, mentions several beneficial medicinal uses for vinegar: It is a powerful clotting agent, it heals burns and skin inflammations, and it relieves headaches caused by heat. He also considers vinegar a good digestive supplement.^[44] Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyya also mentions the merits of vinegar in his book, Al Tibb al Nabawi (The Prophetic Medicine). In this book, he mentions that wine vinegar helps against gastric inflammation and bile, and prevents the effects of toxic medications and poisonous mushrooms. He also notes that vinegar quenches thirst, acts as an appetite stimulant, and prevents tumors from occurring. It helps the digestion process.

Cleaning uses[link]

White vinegar is often used as a household cleaning agent. Because it is acidic, it can dissolve mineral deposits from glass, coffee makers, and other smooth surfaces.^{[45][dead link]} For most uses, dilution with water is recommended for safety and to avoid damaging the surfaces being cleaned.

Vinegar is an excellent solvent for cleaning epoxy resin and hardener, even after the epoxy has begun to harden. Malt vinegar sprinkled onto crumpled newspaper is a traditional, and still-popular, method of cleaning grease-smeared windows and mirrors in the UK.^[46] Vinegar can be used for polishing brass or bronze. Vinegar is widely known as an effective cleaner of stainless steel and glass.

Vinegar, throughout history, has been reputed to have strong antibacterial properties. One test by Good Housekeeping's microbiologist found that 5% vinegar is 90% effective against mold and 99.9% effective against bacteria,^[47] while a study showed that vinegar is less effective than Clorox and Lysol - which are excellent - against poliovirus.^[48]

Vinegar has been marketed as an environmentally-friendly solution for many household cleaning problems. For example, vinegar has been cited recently as an eco-friendly urine cleaner for pets and as a weed killer.^[49][50]

Agricultural and horticultural uses[link]

Herbicide use[link]

Vinegar can be used as an herbicide.^[51] Acetic acid is not absorbed into root systems; the vinegar will kill top growth, but perennial plants may reshoot.^[52]

Most commercial vinegar solutions available to consumers for household use do not exceed 5%. Stronger solutions are available from some retailers, but it should be noted that solutions of 10% and above require careful handling, because they are corrosive and damaging to the skin.^[53]

Miscellaneous[link]

When a bottle of vinegar is opened, mother of vinegar may develop. It is considered harmless and can be removed by filtering.

Vinegar eels (Turbatrix aceti), a form of nematode that has cells that are air-borne, may occur in some forms of vinegar unless the vinegar is kept covered. These feed on the mother of vinegar and can occur in naturally fermenting vinegar.^[54]

Some countries prohibit the selling of vinegar over a certain percentage acidity. As an example, the government of Canada limits the acetic acid of vinegars to between 4.1% and 12.3%.^[55]

According to legend, in France during the Black Plague, four thieves were able to rob houses of plague victims without being infected themselves. When finally caught, the Judge offered to grant the men their freedom, on the condition that they revealed how they managed to stay healthy. They claimed that a medicine woman sold them a potion made of garlic soaked in soured red wine (vinegar). Variants of the recipe, called Four Thieves Vinegar, have been passed down for hundreds of years and are a staple of New Orleans hoodoo practices.^[56][57]

Water-Slide Decal Application as used on scale models, musical instruments, etc. One part white distilled vinegar (5% acidity) diluted with two parts of distilled/filtered water creates a suitable solution for the application of water-slide decals to hard surfaces. The solution is very similar to the commercial products, often described as "decal softener", sold by hobby shops. The slight acidity of the solution softens the decal and enhances its flexibility, permitting the decal to cling to contours more efficiently. When using this DIY solution, just follow the directions given for normal water application of the decal.

When baking soda and vinegar are combined, the bicarbonate is broken down by the acetic acid, releasing carbon dioxide.

See also[link]

• Food additive
• Non-brewed condiment

References[link]

External links[link]

• Fernald, Frederik Atherton (January 1887) " Vinegar and its Mother" Popular Science Monthly Volume 30 Wikisource ISSN 0161-7370   [scan]
• Gasoline from Vinegar MIT Technology Review
• Vinegars of the World. Solieri and Giudici, ISBN 978-88-470-0865-6

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Vinegar

Anna Abreu
Background information
Birth name	Anna Eira Margarida Mourão de Melo e Abreu
Born	(1990-02-07) February 7, 1990 (age 22)
Origin	Vantaa, Finland
Genres	Pop, R&B, Dance
Instruments	Vocal
Years active	2006–present
Labels	RCA
Associated acts	Ari Koivunen, Hanna Pakarinen, Redrama
Website	Official website

Anna Abreu (born Anna Eira Margarida Mourão de Melo e Abreu on 7 February 1990 in Vantaa, Finland) is a Finnish-Portuguese singer who rose to fame as the runner-up of the third series of the Finnish singing talent show Idols in 2007. Her music is primarily pop, though her songs also have R&B, dance and Latin rhythms to them. Since her participation in Idols, Abreu has become one of the best-selling Finnish Idols contestants and one of the most successful Finnish female singers, with certified record sales surpassing 180 000 copies, which places her also among the 100 best-selling music artists of all time in Finland.^[1]

Biography[link]

1990-2005: Early life[link]

Abreu's Portuguese father Paulo lives in Sintra, Portugal, while she and her Finnish mother Liisa live in Vantaa. Abreu has a brother Emil, who is four years older than she is. As a young girl she lived in Portugal and outside music, her other hobbies include reggaeton-dance and playing the violin. Abreu became multi-lingual at a young age, being fluent in Finnish, Portuguese, English, Spanish and a little Swedish.

[edit] 2006-2007: Idols Series 3

In the summer of 2006, the sixteen-year-old Abreu auditioned for the third season of the singing competition Finnish Pop Idol in the Finnish capital, Helsinki. She sang the Alicia Keys hit "Fallin'" and "Jumala" by Finnish rock band Apulanta. The contests four judges were all impressed by the power and conviction of her voice, especially as Abreu was only sixteen years old. She passed through to the theatre rounds of the contest and then the live finals. Abreu's performances attracted heavy public support, however, during the top 5 results show, she shockingly landed in the bottom two contestants alongside Panu Larnos. Abreu survived the elimnation and made it through to the live grand finale at Helsinki Ice Hall with fellow contestant Ari Koivunen, who sang exclusively in the heavy-metal genre. On April 5, 2007, Koivunen won the crown as the third Finnish Idol with 57% of the public vote, with Abreu declared as runner-up.

[edit] Idols Performances

[edit] 2007–2008: Anna Abreu

Following her participation in Idols, Abreu was signed to Sony BMG Finland and her Latino-inspired, debut single "End of Love" was released in July 2007. The song debuted and peaked at number eight on the singles chart^[2] and was accompanied by Abreu's first music video. Her self-titled debut album, Anna Abreu was released a month later on August 22 and was certified platinum within its first week after going straight into the chart at number one and selling 30,000 copies.^[3] To date, its first week sales are among the highest in Finnish music history. The album's second single "Ivory Tower" was released in October 2007, and after initially debuting at number seventeen, the song peaked at number five in its seventh week.^[4] A third single "Are You Ready" was released for promotional purposes only. In March 2008, the debut album Anna Abreu was released and it has sold double-platinum with over 86,000 copies to date.^[1] In the same month at the MTV Europe Music Awards, Abreu was nominated for Best Finnish Act.

[edit] 2008–2009: Now

After a sell-out tour across Finland to promote her debut album, Abreu returned to the recording studio to work on her second album. On July 31, 2008 the lead single "Vinegar" was released. Produced by Patric Sarin and Rauli Eskolin, the dance-orientated song marked a creative step away from the pop and RnB roots of Abreu's debut album. The song hit the number one spot on the Finnish charts and stayed there, not only becoming Abreu's first number one single but also one of the highest-selling singles of 2008. Second single, "Silent Despair" was released in early October, followed by the album Now on 22 October. The album became Abreu's second number one album and was certified platinum, selling over 50,000 copies. It was the highest selling album of 2008 in Finland and spawned two further singles with "Something About U" and "Come Undone", though the songs were used only for promotional purposes. In early 2009, Abreu supported Now with a cross-country tour, which like her first tour, played to sold-out venues.

It was reported that Abreu earned over 145,000 euros in 2008 through a combination of album sales, touring and public appearances, making her one of Finland's highest-earning singers.

[edit] 2009–2010: Just A Pretty Face?

In August 2009, less than a year after the release of Abreu's second album, her record label Sony BMG announced that Abreu would release her third studio album later that year. The lead single "Music Everywhere" received its radio premiere on 5 August and was released five days later. After initially debuting at number four, the single rose to its peak of number two after Abreu's televised performance on the Finnish Children In Need, narrowing missing out on becoming Abrue's second number one single. Like "Vinegar" from her previous album, the single was dance-orientated, with Abreu stating that her new album would be almost completely dance and club based.

In September 2009 it was announced that Abreu and fellow Idols contestant Antti Tuisku would be embarking on a joint tour across Finland named the Pop Royalty Tour in 2010 to support their new albums. Tickets for the dates sold out within a matter of minutes and further tour dates had to be added to accommodate the huge public demand. At the same time, Abreu's record label announced that a remixed version of "Vinegar", the lead single from Abreu's second album, would be released as her debut single in the UK on 22 November. It went on to peak at number 7 on the UK Club Chart. On October 21, almost exactly one year after the release of her second album, Abreu released her third, Just A Pretty Face? in Finland. After only one day, the album was certified gold, having sold 23,000 copies in its first day of release alone. It peaked at number two on the Finnish albums chart and has since become Abreu's third consecutive platinum album. It was the sixth highest-selling album of 2009, despite only being released in October.

On April 11, 2010, Abreu performed her new promotional single "Slam" on the first series of the Finnish X Factor, which had replaced Idols, the show that had given Abreu the platform from which to launch her music career in 2007.

[edit] 2010–present: Rush

In late August 2010, Abreu announced via her official Facebook page that she had begun work on her fourth, Rush. Abreu stated that she hoped to include a collaboration on the new album, and asked fans who they would like to hear her duet with.^[5] The first single, Hysteria, was released 10 January 2011.^[6] Her fourth studio album was released on the 30th March 2011 and debuted at number 1, becoming Abreu's third chart-topping album. The album's second single has been announced to be "Worst Part Is Over", featuring Finnish-Swedish rapper Redrama. They will perform the song on the April 17 results show of the fifth series of Idols.

2012-present: "Greatest Hits" and break from music[link]

In 2011, Abreu announced that she will release a Greatest Hits album ^[7] before taking a break from music. ^[8]

Discography[link]

• Anna Abreu (2007)
• Now (2008)
• Just A Pretty Face? (2009)
• Rush (2011)
• Greatest Hits (2012)

Tours[link]

• Anna Abreu Live Tour (2007)
• Now Tour (2008–2009)
• Just A Pretty Face? Tour (2009–2010)
• Pop Royalty Tour (co-headlining with Antti Tuisku) (2010)
• Walking on Water Tour (2011)

Awards and nominations[link]

Emma Awards[link]

MTV Europe Music Awards[link]

See also[link]

• List of best-selling music artists in Finland

References[link]

External links[link]

• Anna Abreu's Official Website
• Anna Abreu – MySpace.com