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Greece: Marina Satti’s performance will feature something unprecedented in Eurovision history!

Greece’s representative for Eurovision 2024 is Marina Satti. The release of her entry “Zari” approximately a week ago has already excited fans due to the ethnic sound it brings to the Eurovision contest.

Many fans are concerned about how “Zari” will be performed live on television because, despite its commercial success thus far, a Eurovision entry’s success is solely attributed to the Eurovision stage.

We have had very little information up to this point about what the Greek delegation has been getting ready for us.

The “finding” of Fokas Evangelinos

Exclusive information gathered by the Greek morning television show “Geia sou” claims that Fokas Evangelinos, the artistic director of Greece’s Eurovision 2024 entry, has a “finding” that will make “Zari” stand out.

Thus, and for the first time in the competition, Marina Satti’s performance on the Eurovision stage will be filmed in a single shot.

This means that Marina Satti will be the centre of her performance and all the elements of her performance will be included in Marina’s single shot. Therefore, there will be no changes in cameras and shots as usual.

Mads Enggaard in charge of Greece’s TV direction for Eurovision 2024

According to EurovisionFun’s exclusive information, Mads Enggaard is going to be the director of the TV coverage for the Greek entry in Eurovision 2024. 

Mads Enggaard brings his extensive experience to help Marina Satti make her performance more effective.

Fokas Evangelinos has taken over the artistic direction, while Mecnun Giasar (Majnoon) created the choreography that we will see on stage. NMR are also a part of this year’s Eurovision team.

Greece with Marina Satti and “Zari will perform in the first half of the second semi-final on May 9.

You can also watch EurovisionFun’s reaction video on “Zari“, below:

Stay tuned to EurovisionFun for all the news! 

Source: skai.gr

Greece: Marina Satti’s “ZARI” Released for Eurovision 2024!

The moment all Greek fans have been waiting for has arrived! “ZARI,” Greece’s entry for Eurovision 2024, performed by the multi-talented Marina Satti, has just been unveiled to the public.

The music video for “ZARI” made its official premiere on the show “Eurovision in Sight.” Immediately after airing, the video clip will be exclusively available on ERTflix. Shortly after, the song will become available on all music platforms, while the video clip will be accessible on the ERT channel on YouTube.

The video clip will be uploaded to the Eurovision channel the following day, on Friday, March 8th.

Check out the music video for “ZARI” at the link below:

Who is Marina Satti?

A graduate of classical piano, with advanced studies in music theory, a diploma in classical singing and acting, and a scholarship recipient of the internationally renowned Berklee College of Music, where she studied orchestration, production, and jazz music alongside Danilo Perez and Jamie Haddad, among others, Marina Satti has developed a personal sound that combines the different musical traditions she grew up with, such as Greek, Arabic, and Balkan. Representing Greece at the European Jazz Orchestra (EBU) with works by Peter Herbolzheimer, performing at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington with the World Jazz Nonet, and participating in the a cappella vocal group The Singing Tribe in collaboration with Bobby McFerrin, she is a creator and performer who is difficult to classify artistically.

From the Megaron Concert Hall and the Lyric Stage to festivals in the highlands of Crete, she can simultaneously be pop, ethnic, and mainstream, just as she can be lyrical, urban, and traditional with equal ease. European media present her as an ambassador of the Greek and Balkan scene, a unique path that blends traditional music with pop, both classical and contemporary. In 2017, she topped the charts with the single “Mantissa,” while shortly after, the audience embraced “Hidden Pain,” which premiered on the German COLORS (a first for a Greek artist with Greek lyrics), garnering another milestone on the NOWNESS platform, which first presented her exceptional music video for the traditional piece “Why My Bird.”

In 2017, she also founded CHÓRES [ˈkɔɾɛs], a purely female choral ensemble consisting of over 150 women aged 15-60, of which she is the artistic director—a creative hub aimed at rescuing, processing, and promoting the richness of Greek tradition, as well as creating original musical repertoire and performance activities in collaboration with contemporary artists, while uniquely reviving traditional songs of yesterday with today’s sound and aesthetics. In May 2022, she released her first full-length solo album, YENNA, while in 2023, she experimented by delivering the short documentary FLABOURO and TUCUTUM, a song-commentary on Balkan trap, which became the summer’s viral hit.

What do we know about Marina Satti’s song?

The title of the song, as we previously informed you, is “Zari.”

The song, along with Marina Satti, is co-written by eight acclaimed Greek and non-Greek composers who have significant successes and collaborations in their resumes.

The music of “ZARI” was composed by Marina Satti, OGE, Kay Be, Nick Kodonas, Jay Stolar, Gino The Ghost, and Jordan Palmer, while the lyrics were penned by VLOSPA, OGE, Marina Satti, and Solmeister. The music video was directed by Australian filmmaker Zac Wiesel.

You can find the lyrics of “Zari” in our related article.

Fokas Evangelinos will be in charge of the artistic direction of “Dice” in Malmo

As we revealed earlier, Fokas Evangelinos will be the artistic director of this year’s Greek entry and will be responsible for staging “Dice” at the competition in Malmo.

Of course, he will collaborate with the choreographer of this year’s entry, Mecnun Giasar, while the dancers who will accompany Marina Satti during her performance at the Malmö Arena stage are Eirini Damianidou, Yasin AO, Hüso Çetintaş, and Vasilis Karagiannis.

Greece in the Eurovision Contest

This marks Greece’s 44th participation in the contest. The debut was in 1974 with “Krassi, thalassa ke t’ agori mou,” securing an eleventh place. Until the end of the 90s, Greece often managed to be in the top fifteen of the final scoreboard.

Greece’s rise in the contest and the development of the institution in our country came in 2001 with Antique and “Die for You,” where the country achieved third place, its best result up to that time.

From 2004 to 2011, the country has eight consecutive placements in the final top ten, with the peak being our victory in 2005 with Elena Paparizou and “My Number One.”

Greece has three eliminations from the final in 2016, 2018, and 2023.

Last year, the country was represented by Victor Vernicos with the song “What They Say,” bringing the country outside the Grand Final for the third time.

Good luck Greece! Good luck Marina!

What did you think of “Zari“? Will Greece manage to return to the path of success?

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the developments regarding the Greek participation in Eurovision 2024!

Exclusive: Fokas Evangelinos appointed as Artistic Director for Marina Satti’s Eurovision 2024 Entry!

Just a few days ago, during the morning show “Super Katerina” on Alpha TV, journalist Giannis Poulopoulos revealed that Fokas Evangelinos had been offered the role of overseeing Marina Satti’s participation in Eurovision 2024. Now, we can exclusively disclose that the two parties have reached an agreement, with the esteemed and experienced director taking on the artistic direction of Greece’s entry in Eurovision 2024!

Below you can see the report from the Greek TV show:

According to our sources, the renowned director and choreographer responded positively to the proposal from ERT and Marina Satti. He will be responsible for shaping Marina Satti’s stage performance at the competition in Malmö. The remaining question is whether Fokas will solely handle Marina Satti’s stage presentation or if there will be other collaborators on the team.

Fokas Evangelinos has overseen the following Eurovision entries:

  • 2022: 8th place for Greece with Amanda Georgiadis Tenfjord and the song “Die Together.”
  • 2021: 13th place for Moldova with Natalia Gordienko and the song “Sugar.”
  • 2021: 10th place for Greece with Stefania Liberakakis and the song “Last Dance.”
  • 2019: 22nd place for Spain with Miki Nunez and the song “La Venda.”
  • 2019: 3rd place for Russia with Sergey Lazarev and the song “Scream.”
  • 2018: 11th place in the first semifinal for Azerbaijan with Aisel Mammadova and the song “X My Heart.”
  • 2017: 19th place for Greece with Demy and the song “This Is Love.”
  • 2016: 3rd place for Russia with Sergey Lazarev and the song “You’re the Only One.”
  • 2014: 7th place for Russia with Tolmachevy Sisters and the song “Shine.”
  • 2013: 2nd place for Azerbaijan with Farid Mammadov and the song “Hold Me.”
  • 2009: 7th place for Greece with Sakis Rouvas and the song “This Is Our Night.”
  • 2008: 1st place for Russia with Dima Bilan and the song “Believe.”
  • 2008: 2nd place for Ukraine with Ani Lorak and the song “Shady Lady.”
  • 2007: 6th place for Belarus with Dmitry Koldun and the song “Work Your Magic.”
  • 2006: 2nd place for Russia with Dima Bilan and the song “Never Let You Go.”
  • 2006: Creative Director of Eurovision Song Contest held in Greece.
  • 2005: 1st place for Greece with Helena Paparizou and the song “My Number One.”
  • 2004: 3rd place for Greece with Sakis Rouvas and the song “Shake It.”

He has directed a total of 17 entries, with 13 of them reaching the top 10, a record unmatched by any other director in the contest.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the latest updates on Eurovision!

Greece: ERT’s proposal to Fokas Evangelinos to take on the artistic direction of Marina Satti’s entry!

On “Super Katerina“, a greek morning TV show, it was revealed that Fokas Evangelinos has received an offer to take on the artistic direction of Marina Satti’s participation in Eurovision 2024.

According to Yiannis Poulopoulos’ information, the renowned choreographer has not yet responded to ERT’s proposal, as he is awaiting to listen to Marina Satti’s song first. Furthermore, he stated that Marina Satti’s song is not yet complete, and it has yet to be determined whether the singer will be accompanied by her own team of dancers.

Fokas Evangelinos, a Eurovision expert, has not yet taken on any entry this year. Evangelinos is a part of the Greek “Dream Team“, consisted of him, Dimitris Kontopoulos and Ilias Kokotos. The afore-mentioned tend to take over Eurovision projects together, as a team. This year, Dimitris Kontopoulos and Ilias Kokotos are behind Cyprus’ entry, “Liar”. However, Fokas Evangelinos is not a part of this certain project, as the artistic direction was taken over by Los Angeles based choreographers. Nevertheless and as mentioned exclusively to EurovisionFun, Dimitris Kontopoulos stated that he would be very happy if Evangelinos takes over for Greece and Marina Satti’s entry.

Fokas Evangelinos in Eurovision

Fokas Evangelinos has served as the choreographer and artistic director for many and successful Eurovision entries throughout the years. His expertise is really appreciated among participating delegations, which ask for his guidance. In detail, the following Eurovision entries were edited by Fokas Evangelinos:

2022: 8th place for Greece and Amanda Georgiadis Tenfjord with the song “Die Together”.

2021: 13th place for Moldova and Natalia Gordienko with the song “Sugar”.

2021: 10th place for Greece and Stefania with the song “Last dance”.

2019: 22nd place for Spain and Mickey Nunez with the song “La venda”.

2019: 3rd place for Russia and Sergey Lazarev with the song “Scream”.

2018: 10th place for Moldova and DoReDos with the song “My Lucky Day”.

2018: 11th place in the first semi-final for Azerbaijan and Aysel Mammadova with the song “X my heart”.

2017: 19th place for Greece and Demy with the song “This is love”.

2016: 3rd place for Russia and Sergey Lazarev with the song “You’re the only one”.

2014: 7th place for Russia and the Tolmachevy sisters with the song “Shine”.

2013: 2nd place for Azerbaijan and Farid Mammadov with the song “Hold me”.

2009: 7th place for Greece and Sakis Rouvas with the song “This is our night”.

2008: 1st place for Russia and Dima Bilan with the song “Believe”.

2008: 2nd place for Ukraine and Ani Lorak with the song “Shady Lady”.

2007: 6th place for Belarus and Dmitry Klodun with the song “Work your magic”.

2006: 2nd place for Russia and Dima Bilan with the song “Never let you go”.

2006: creative director of the Eurovision Song Contest held in Greece.

2005: 1st place for Greece and Helena Paparizou with the song “My Number One”.

2004: 3rd place for Greece and Sakis Rouvas with the song “Shake it”.

He has directed 17 entries in total of which 13 finished in top ten, a record that no other artistic director in the competition has ever achieved.

Stay tuned to EurovisionFun for all the news!

Greece: Fokas Evangelinos will not direct the Greek entry for Eurovision 2023!

The Greek public broadcaster ERT announced on Monday evening that 16 years old Victor Vernicos will represent Greece in Eurovision 2023 with the song “What They Say”.

Today more information are being revealed regarding his entry and stage performance. For the first time since 2019, Fokas Evangelinos will not direct the Greek entry in the Eurovision stage. He is the director behind countless successful Eurovision entries and winners like Greece 2005, Russia 2008 & 2016, Azerbaijan 2013 etc. It is now known yet who will be the stage director of Greece’s entry for Eurovision 2023.

Victor Vernicos is signed with Panik records, the record company that works closely with Cyprus over the last years in choosing Eurovision entries while Yianna Terzi was part of the roster when she represented Greece in Eurovision 2018.

Below you can watch last year’s Greek entry “Die Together” by Amanda Georgiadi Tenfjord that was directed by Fokas Evangelinos and got the 8th place in the Grand Final

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWeT0nJpB3Y

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the latest news on the Greek entry and more!

Greece: “Everything on stage will be captured though Amanda’s eyes”

Fokas Evangelinos, the Greek stage director for this year’s delegation, has spoken to “Στουντιο 4“, a greek show in ERT, about Amanda and her perfomance in Turin.

Just a day before the Greek delegation leaves for Turin, the Greek choreographer and director, talked about his cooperation with Amanda and her show in the stage of PalaOlimpico.

The last rehearsals were done today:

Today was our last rehearsal at ERT. It was the final one, with sound and everything and we are ready.

What are your feeling about Amanda and “Die Together”:

I have fell in love with this song. I got crazy both with “Die Together” and Amanda herself. I love the pauses and the empty sound of the song. It is a very powerfull element in the track. Amanda is exotic, she may look very serious but she has a great sense of humor. We had a wonderful cooperation.

How will “Die Together” come to life on stage?

It will be a simple perfomance. Amanda will be alone on stage. Everything will be captured though her eyes. There are three things that I want to highlight in the perfomance: Absence, Wear and the Sadness of a breakup. It is a very beautiful and lovely staging. There is of course an artistic intervention in the perfomance. We will se everything that’s going on though her eyes. The backdrop is designed in a way that it won’t overcome Amanda or the emotion of the song. Everything is connected in a way that the viewer will focus on her and not on the props or the lightning etc

How is the outfit that Celia Kritharioti designed for Amanda?

The outfit is wonderful. It’s made by a doric material. It’s beautiful and airy.

He has also mentioned his favorites perfomances he has directed and he has mentioned: Greece 2005, Azerbaijan 2013 and Russia 2016 and 2019.

Greece will perform 15th in the first semifinal with the song “Die Together”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv7PcRKXZDg

Will Greece manage to get a good result in Turin? Write your prediction on the comments below!

The hosts test the lights and LEDs on the stage for the Greek entry ! (video)

A small video was released on social media, where the organizers are testing the lights and LEDs that will be used in the Greek entry.

As it seems the scene is complete and the hosts are now doing the first rehearsals. Next week the stand in rehearsals will take place, which will be sent to the participating broadcasters, in order to have a first idea how it will show on TV, everything they have prepared for the Eurovision stage.

Although you can not understand much, about the importance of being essentially the first video where Die Together is heard inside the Pala Olimpico, watch the video below:

The video was uploaded to his personal Instagram account by Nicola Orciuoli, RAI cameraman, who will be apparently one of the cameramen of the contest.

We remind you, as we have already mentioned in Eurovisionfun, that the Greek delegation is ready for the competition. Everything that will be needed for their stage appearance is in Turin for days now, while the LEDs created by a foreign company have been delivered to the hosts.

You can see more information about Amanda’s stage appearance in our previous article.

Follow Eurovisionfun on YouTube for more videos and exclusive footage.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the updates regarding the Cypriot participation in Eurovision 2022!

EXCLUSIVE: The Greek delegation is ready for Turin | All the latest information!

The Greek delegation for Eurovision 2022 is all set. All pending issues have been resolved and now the team is ready to present what they have been preparing for months on the stage of Pala Olimpico.

Fokas Evagelinos and Celia Kritharioti full of surprises

According to our exclusive information, the rehearsals with Fokas Evagelinos have been completed. The experienced director has prepared for this year’s competition something completely different from his previous works, something he is really proud of. Fokas Evagelinos has built the three-minute stage version of Die Together second by second. Amanda, as we were informed, cooperated very well and responded perfectly to the role that Fokas Evagelinos created for her.

The leds that we will see in the Greek performance, were completed the previous days by a foreign company and impressed the Greek artistic team, since they 100% “match” with the song, but also with the idea of the stage presentation.

What Fokas Evagelinos has prepared this year for the stage of the competition, does not aim to impress the viewer at any point during the three minutes of the performance, but to keep everyone’s eyes fixed on the whole duration of the performance of Die Together. To make sure the viewer is left with a feeling of being impressed by the whole thing and not by an estanée.

What we can also reveal you is that what Amanda will be called upon to accomplish, especially in the first part of the song, is something that is not easy at all. But Fokas Evagelinos, having proven that he can bring out the strong side of any artist (experienced or inexperienced), has built with Amanda a special performance that will move and impress the viewers. Amanda herself will play a central role in the presentation, but so will also the leds, camera-work and various surprises on stage.

The outfit chosen by Fokas Evagelinos together with Celia Khritharioti, is a shade of white, but with a fabric that makes it special and is used for the first time in the competition. It is Amanda’s style, of course, but it is also perfectly suited for Eurovision and the idea of the Greek stage presentation.

Optimism for the final result from ERT and the Dream Team

The production team and ERT are completely satisfied with the whole preparation. They are confident both for Amanda’s vocal prowess (this was also proven in the live on tape), but also for what Fokas has prepared for the stage of the competition. For the first time since 2009, Greece arrives at the rehearsals being 7th in the odds, which makes all those involved in the participation happy, believing that they will be in the top 10 of the scoreboard for the second consecutive year. The goal of course always remains the best possible outcome – and as they say, “the higher the better”!

Having avoided all the promo parties, the Greek delegation hopes to impress on the stage of the competition and steal the show. It is also known that the Dream Team keeps its cards close to its chest until the end. This is exactly the same tactics they are following this year.

With a different approach from Fokas Evagelinos, but also with Amanda as we have probably never seen before, the Greek delegation is now packing its bags for Turin, and the first rehearsal on Sunday 1 May!

Stay tuned to EurovisionFun for all the latest news regarding the Greek participation in Eurovision 2022!

Greece: Amanda’s staging performance is inspired by Erechtheion! | EXCLUSIVE

In exactly one month the rehearsals for the 66th Eurovision Song Contest will begin and Eurovisionfun brings you once again news that will literally shake the whole bubble! Fokas’ idea for the staging of Greece’s entry will definitely impress more than ever. So according to our exclusive information, Amanda will be accompanied on stage in Turin by five more women. Both Amanda and the women who will accompany her will be dressed in white tunics and the whole staging will refer to the Erechtheion and the Caryatids. The six people on stage will be in the same order as the Caryatids in the Erechtheion of the Acropolis! As it has already been announced, these tunics will be specially designed by Celia Kritharioti.

It is known that Fokas Evangelinos always tries to put a special touch on the staging performances he is responsible for. This year, while Greece’s song does not feature a Greek element, the Greek element will be given with the stage performance, as happened with the video clip,

However, this is not the only message that the Greek mission wants to send this year. It is known that one of the six Caryatids, which is in the British Museum, has been stolen in the 19th century by Elgin. A permanent request of all Greek governments is the return of all stolen antiquities, something that to this day the British Museum stubbornly refuses.

With simplicity, but with messages to many recipients, always under the creative supervision of Fokas Evangelinos, the staging performance of Greece’s entry this year is expected to stand out and be discussed!

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the news regarding Greece’s participation at Eurovision 2022!

Don’t forget to vote in our poll! For the First Semi-final you vote HERE and for the Second Semi-final you vote HERE.

Greece: The first information about Amanda’s stage presentation in Turin!

The first information about the stage appearance prepared by Fokas Evangelinos, for the entry of Greece in Eurovision 2022, saw the light of day.

Amanda’s appearance in Turin with an artistic look

According to what Amanda Georgiadi said in the interview she gave to OK magazine, the approach they have chosen for the Turin scene is something more artistic.

From the first moment I saw Fokas Evangelinos I loved him! He is such a warm person. All I can say is that what you will see is something very beautiful. We have taken a more artistic approach!

Amanda Georgiadis for Fokas Evangelinos and stage presentation

The above is also confirmed by our information. What Fokas Evangelinos and the Greek artistic team plan very carefully and in every detail, is something very classy and elegant, which will match the atmosphere of the song.

Amanda will return to Greece the next week for the shooting of the live on tape video.

Stay tuned at Eurovisionfun for all the updates regarding the Greek entry!