Eurovision 2023: An X-ray of the 7 Greek candidates – Decision out at the end of January!

With the arrival of the new year, the preparations of the 37 countries participating in Eurovision 2023 are intensifying! Among the participating countries is of course Greece, and ERT has come up with 7 candidate songs for this year’s competition.

The songs have already been scored by a Public Committee consisting of 70 members, drawn by age category, that listened to the songs on December 28th at ERT’s Radio Hall, under strict confidentiality. The Public Committee, after scoring the 7 nominated songs according to the Eurovision system, determined 50.6% of the final score. The remaining 49.4% will be determined by the scores given by the 7-member ERT Special Committee, following meetings with each candidate artist and their team to evaluate their proposals. The Commission, like last year, will evaluate not only the song but also the idea and concept behind its presentation on the Eurovision stage.

According to ogaegreece.com sources, the process of the Special Committee’s meetings with the artists has not yet started. However, it is expected that the meetings will take place in the near future and there will be no further delay in the set timetable. Thus, the official announcement of the representative of Greece in Eurovision 2023 is expected in the last ten days of January, so that in February the shooting of the official video clip of our participation will take place and its release will follow.

Which are the 7 candidates that are competing to represent Greece in Eurovision 2023? What do we know about the style of the songs and their performers? Let’s get to know them!

1st entry: Konstantina Iosifidou with the song “We are Young”.

Konstantina Iosifidou is 22 years old and comes from Kavala. She has been involved in music since she was a child, having so far completed three years of studies on guitar and one year of vocal studies. At the age of 18 she participated in The Voice Of Greece, in the team of Panos Mouzourakis. In 2019, she collaborated with Panos Mouzourakis in the song “Ti foni mou na vro (to find my voice)” with lyrics by him and music by Kostis Maraveyas, where Konstantina was one of the four voices that performed it. In 2022 the young singer made her recording debut with the album “Let you go”. With her velvety voice she won the impressions and her song was heard both in Greece and Cyprus.

“We are Young” is an English pop-rock ballad with her own lyrics and music. It is an anthem for the joy of life, love and freedom of youth.

2nd entry: Melissa Mantzoukis with the song “Liar”.

The 18-year-old Melissa Mantzoukis from Ingolstadt, Bavaria, of Greek origin (Igoumenitsa) was early on considered as a possibility to be one of the 7 candidates for Eurovision with Greece. The extremely talented Melissa captivated audiences in Germany with unique performances and came 3rd in the German TV talent show “Deutschland sucht den Superstar” last May.

Her song is a pop-dance track, very uplifting, exclusively in English lyrics, with the collaboration of Greek and Dutch artists. The song is about female empowerment.

3rd entry: Victor Vernicos with the song “What they say”.

As we had informed you with exclusive information from ogaegreece.com, 16-year-old Victor Vernicos is the “youngest” proposal that Panik Records has submitted for Eurovision, and the youngest amongst the 7 candidates! Victor is a particularly gifted, innate talent who has been involved in music since the very young age of 4 years old. At the age of 8 he took vocal lessons and at 10 he took guitar lessons, and when he was 13 he attended music technology seminars. His ability is special as he writes his own songs. In 2021 he released his first song titled “Fake Club”, in which he wrote music, lyrics and also produced the song himself. He is currently taking vocal lessons with vocal coach Chryssanthemis and performance lessons with the one and only Nina Lotsari.

Victor’s proposal for Eurovision 2023 is a very personal and emotional ballad that he has written himself, in English lyrics, and has stress and anxiety as its central theme.

4th entry: Monika with the song “I’m Proud”.

The 37-year-old Monika (or Monika Christodoulou) started working with music in the late 90’s by joining her brother Thanasis Christodoulou’s band Serpentine, where she played guitar and saxophone. She impressed from her first track “Over the hill” in 2007, which was included in her first album “Avatar” (2008), which she created herself. “Avatar” as well as her second album “Exit” (2010) went platinum, while “Over The Hill” was nominated for Best Alternative Video Clip at the 2010 Mad Video Music Awards. In 2019, her song “Bloody Sth” becomes the theme song of the Greek series “Erotas Meta (Love After)”.

“I’m Proud” is an English-language, melodic song, which has been a hallmark of Monika’s songs over the years.

5th entry: Leon of Athens with the song “Somewhere to go”.

Another male amongst the 7 candidates is Timoleon Veremis, as his real name is, who was born 28 years ago in London to Greek parents. He grew up in Greece but left again to study in England, where he is based. He started playing music from a very young age and at the age of 15 he joined his first band, “Mimosa’s Dream”. In 2011 he released his first solo album “Future” and his talent in the art of songwriting emerged from the very first moment.

Two years later, with the album “Global” and having gone through a period of maturation and redefinition of his sound, Leon received excellent reviews from major international media such as the Guardian, the New York Times and the BBC, and toured several European cities. Other creations followed, including the album “Xenos”, produced by David Kosten (Bat for Lashes).

He has a number of important collaborations to his credit, including with Giorgos Lanthimos, who directed the video clip for Baby Asteroid, and has participated in some of the biggest international festivals (South by Southwest, Firefly Music Festival, Okeechobee and Summerfest). He even managed to stand out with his song “Aeroplane” among 6,000 entries from 95 countries. In the last year he has been part of the Cobalt Music label and now also does Greek-language tracks.

As ogaegreece.com had exclusively revealed to you, Leon of Athens’ song is a very strong pop song, with 80’s influences, and is not a ballad. It is a mainstream pop song written by Scottish David Sneedon, a well-known music creator who has worked with big names in the international music scene, such as Lana Del Rey, Hurts, One Direction, etc.

6th entry: Klavdia with the song “Holy Water”.

Another one of the 7 candidates is the just 20-year-old Klavdia. She has a very special voice, which we first got to know through the The Voice of Greece in 2018. There she reached the final, with mentor Helena Paparizou. She has collaborated with the ARCADE songwriting team, and her first album with them was recently released, entitled “Lonely Heart”. It is a proposal of Panik Records.

“Holy Water” is an English-language ballad, with a social message, emotional, which states many truths. The song is signed by ARCADE with whom Klavdia has been collaborating for the last few years.

7th entry: Maria Maragou – Antonia Kaouri with the song “Shout Out”.

Antonia Kaouri is the proposal of MINOS-EMI for this year. We got to know Antonia through the music reality show “The Voice of Greece” where she managed to reach the final. Immediately after, she signed a contract with her company and she has released her first works such as the re-release of “Etsi Ine I Shesis (That’s how relationships are)” and “Gia Fantasou (Just Imagine)” with music by Dimitris Kontopoulos. Also, Antonia Kaouri was an alternative member of last year’s Greek jury in Eurovision in Turin. Joining her in a nominated entry – a duet for Eurovision is actress Maria Maragou, who has participated in well-known TV series, most recently “I Pagidevmenoi (The Trapped Ones)”.

The song “Shout Out” is a rock alternative song, with English lyrics.

This is the official X-ray of the 7 candidates and their songs! Which one is your favorite? Write in the comments below!

Stay tuned to ogaegreece.com for all the news from the Greek participation in Eurovision 2023!

LATEST NEWS

TOP NEWS