ELENI FOUREIRA TO REPRESENT CYPRUS IN EUROVISION 2018 WITH SONG ‘FUEGO’
Cyprus has confirmed that Greek star Eleni Foureira will be the Cypriot representative for this year’s Eurovision Song Contest held in Portugal.
Cypriot broadcaster CyBC made the official announcement and the title of her entry ‘Fuego’ (Spanish for “It’s Fire”), is written by Alex Papaconstantinou, or Alex P, a Greek-Swedish producer, well-known in Eurovision circles.
The up-tempo Eurovision track has a distinctive, maybe even innovative, ethnic feel with it sometimes being referred to as “ethno upbeat”.
It is a modern pop song that embellishes the instrument of the clarinet or ‘klarino’ as a familiar ethnicity trait in Greek, as well as Mediterranean music.
CyBC chiefs felt that the Albanian-born singer was right for this year’s contest as the upbeat song compliments Eleni as a singer and dancer.
Eleni, who will be 31 by the time of the contest in May, began her music career in 2007 as a member of the Greek girl group Mystique, before pursuing a solo career after the group disbanded in 2009. She is charismatic, who’s stage-skills are expected to “attack” the Cypriot entry effectively which will no doubt, help this upbeat song.
The staging of the entry has been assigned to the internationally acclaimed artistic director and choreographer Sacha Jean-Baptiste, who has extensive experience at the Eurovision Song Contest.
Cypriot bosses had ditched ideas of a Cypriot sing-off to find their entry’s hopeful and instead made the offer to Eleni’s Panik Records, therefore, internally selecting her for it.
In a statement, the singer said she felt incredibly honoured to sing for Cyprus and is hoping to set the leader board on fire, with her catchy track.
”I would like to say a big thank you to CyBC and all the Cypriot people, for giving me this opportunity. It is a great honour for me to represent this wonderful country which has supported me that much for all of these years.
She added, “My Eurovision song is called Fuego. It is written in English; only its title is Spanish. I am very glad that Alex has composed such a great song. This has actually been the reason for my positive answer to this Eurovision invitation. My promise is that I will do my best.”
Eleni was born in Fier, Albania and is a Greek artist of Albanian origin. She has lived in Greece from a very young age when her family settled in Kallithea, Athens.
Her back-catalogue of successful London Greek Radio hits have included her current hit ‘Vasilissa’, along with ‘To Kati’, ‘Ase Me’, ‘Chica Bomb’, ‘Reggaeton’, ‘To Party De Stamata’, ‘Ston Erota Tin Trela’, ‘Fotia ft. Nevma’, ‘Pio Erota Pethaineis’, ‘Rantevou Stin Paralia’, ‘Anemos Agapis’, ‘Pio Dinata’, ‘Ti Koitas’, and ‘2018 S’agapo’.
Eleni has always desired to be at Eurovision, revealing that it has always been a childhood dream of hers.
In 2016 she proposed ‘Ti Koitas (Come Tiki Tam)’ to the Greek national broadcaster ERT, but they refused it. Greece failed to qualify for the final for the first time that year with Argo.
Eleni almost made it to Eurovision in 2010, when she competed in the 2010 ‘Ethniko Teliko’ with ‘Kivotos Tou Noe’. While she missed out by coming second place, it did not diminish her Eurovision goal, which is lucky for Cyprus as she’s tipped to have a “killer track.”
In the last few years, Eleni has released four successful studio albums and multiple singles. One of those hits was ‘Sto Theo Me Paei’, a Greek cover of the 2015 Eurovision entry of Israel ‘Golden Boy’ by Nadar Guedj.
More recently she has released singles in both Greek and English and in 2017 scored a new international hit with the song ‘Send For Me’, a collaboration with successful producer and rapper A.M. SNiPE.
‘Fuego’ will be released in the coming weeks, with no official date set yet.
The LGR website will have the song on its release date in the weeks leading up to the competition.
The Cypriot delegation will be quietly optimistic about their qualifying chances for a fourth year, following the recent successes by Minus One, John Karayiannis and Hovig.
Cyprus competes in the First Eurovision Semi-Final which airs on Tuesday 8th May, on BBC Four. The Top 10 countries to qualify are assured a place in the final on Saturday 12th May, on BBC One.
London Greek Radio wish Eleni Foureira and the Cypriot delegation the very best of luck in the competition.
Article written by Tony Neophytou
