London Greek Radio

We feel it’s time to comprise a list of all the tunes of summer of 2016 that you have absolutely loved listening to on LGR.

Taking into consideration the tracks that have been requested on our live shows and the reactions of our listeners through comments sent to our in-box, emails, Facebook, tweets, telephone calls all adding to our LGR Hits list.

This is purely a fun and interesting exercise whilst at the same time giving you the chance to check out our most definitive list of song titles and artists.

So … What do you think…? Have your favourites got through here?

Panos Kalidis – Kou Pepe (Valentino Remix)
Master Tempo – Sexy Selfie 
Stan – Se Zilevo Pou S Exei 
Nikos Ganos – Ti Na Leme
Eleni Foureira feat. Mike – Ti Koitas
Kings – Pagoto
Kostas Doxas – Vilono Thavmastis Sou
Konstantinos Christoforou feat Giannis Parios – Vazo Ena Pario
Stella Kalli – I Agapi Ta ‘Hei Ola
Elli Kokkinou – To Xamogelo Sou
Petros Iakovidis – Vale
Kyriacos Georgio feat. Jackpot – Sto Poto Mou Rixte Staxti
Giorgos Liatis – Rantevou
Kostas Doxas – To Tragoudi Tou Kairou (Happy Day)

Elena Paparizou – Fiesta
Pantelis Pantelidis – Thimamai
Kostas Glavas – Mperdemata DJ Pantelis & Vasilis Koutonias RMX
Konstantinos Argiros – Athina – Thessaloniki
Konstantinos Koufos – Metro Antistrofa (5, 4, 3, 2, 1)
Valantis Feat Droulias Brothers – Asanser (Official Remix 2016)
Demy – Isovia Mazi
Malou – Mia Fora Sto Toso (DJ Pantelis & Panos Haritidis Official Remix)
Dimitris Kokotas – Giata Me Tyrannas (Lainas & Brakoulias 2016 RMX)
Hrispa feat. Nikos Souliotis – Perasmena Ne, Xehasmena Ohi
Giannis Apostolidis – Tragikos
Konstantinos Argiros – Ta Kataferes
Kostas Orfanidis – Ola Kala (Moro Mou)
Nikos Apergis – Spase Ta Frena (Dj Kambi Official Remix)

Iordanis Agapitos – Panta Proti (feat. Ioanna Zervolea)
Konstantinos Koufos feat. Katerina Stikoudi – I Pio Oraia Stin Ellada
Mira & John Bozidis – Monadiki
Sasa feat Giannis Sofillas – Stin Paraligia
ARVA feat. Lefteris Pantazis & Alina Ly – Synergy
Konstantinos Pantzis & Nikos Souliotis feat. Giannis Panopoulos – Vale Sti Nyxta Fotia
Stavento feat. Eleni Vitali – To Mantili
Stavento feat. Melina Aslanidou – Nero Ke Xoma
Amaryllis – Afto Na Meine Metaxi Mas
Fani Drakopoulou – Se Zilevo S ‘Agapo
Stella Kalatzi – Se Goustaro
Andreas Leontas – Protos Rolos
Petros Imvrios – Xeria Psila
Konstantinos Pantzis & Nikos Souliotis feat. Giannis Panopoulos – Vale Sti Nyxta Fotia

Zan Baptist – Pes Tou (Dj Pantelis & Vasilis Koutounias RMX Clean version)
Konstantinos Pantzis & Nikos Souliotis feat. Antypas – Allos
Giorgos Tsalikis – Haidemeno
Prodromos – Ela Apopse
Nikoforos – Volta (Official Giannis Zissis Remix)
Melina Aslanidou – Mes Sto Spiti De Menei Kaneis
Xristina Koletsa – Agapame Opos S ‘Agapo
Giorgos Papadopoulos – Den To Antexo (Teo Tzimas & Nikos Markoglou Offical RMX)
Konstantinos Kandiros – Sto Limani Ton Chanion
Konstantinos Nazis – Se Ola Nai
Eleni Hatzidou – Vale Mou Fotia
Rec – Kai Se Thimamai Livin-R Remix
Dionysis Schinas – Apomimisi Agapis
Giorgos Tsalikis 2 Play – Den Eimai Kala
Christos Cholidis – Mi Mou Zitas

London Cypriot singer Kyriacos Georgiou was in Sofia filming his music video of his new hit song, collaborating with Jackpot and Bulgarian singer Maria on the track ‘Sto Poto Mou Rixse Staxti‘. In Bulgarian it’s called ‘Ayde Chao’, and since it was released has notched up a pretty huge number of YouTube hits.

On August 6th he was there for the shooting of his video and worked with Maria to convey the desert-like backdrop to his song. The video has the stamp of the famous Bulgarian director and producer Luydmil Illarionov-Liusu who has been working with Nikos Vertis for the last 5 years.

The project came about by Kyriaco himself after being approached straight after a concert with Despina Vandi in Sofia, in January. He was asked about the possibility of releasing his music in Bulgaria and co-working with one of the country’s big producers and artists. They were asked to make a half Greek-half Bulgarian version of his song, which was already a big hit there, with one of their top singers Maria, who has previously done two duets with the well known Azis and Stan!

The 23 year-old singer previously worked with Jackpot in Posidonio two years ago, striking up a really good friendship; and they liked the idea of doing a song together.

Kyriacos told lgr.co.uk ‘My manager Vaggelis Papadopulos has been beside me for the last two years and we have managed to do some great projects together and he has opened up a huge market for me in Bulgaria as well as in Greece. I thank him loads for that as you always need a good team and co-ordinator by your side!’

Kyriacos revealed exclusively to us that he is currently in the studio recording a new single that will be released at the end of September by Spin Records.

He is in talks at the moment about the likely venue and place he will be performing this winter.

If you have yet to check out the music video for ‘Sto Poto Mou Rixse Staxti (Ayde Chao)’ then stop everything and watch this:

Andreas Leontas a Cypriot finalist walked away as the winner at this year’s X Factor Greek Final which aired on July 8^th on Skai channel, which after some years rebooted the franchise for the talent format airing to the Greek public.

In the final which went on for 5-hours third place went to Stereo Soul and then we were left with the last two acts.

Giorgos Theofanous, the X Factor judge, was very buoyant with his two male acts being left in the competition.

The sing-off gave us our finalists Ian Stratis and Andreas Leontas, who gave us their song performances on the night.

Leontas, a Cypriot singer/song-writer born in Nicosia, who eventually piped his rival to the title, performed the song ‘Theos An Einai’. He beat off fellow finalist and subsequent runner-up Stratis who gave us his live version of the song ‘Gorilla’.

He won a record contract which resulted in him signing up to FeelGood Records and was given a car to drive away.

#XFactorGR has been a big part of the Greek television schedule every Friday night since the re-boot series was re-launched in February.

The host Sakis Rouvas again was a returnee, to the franchise.

The long-time judge, Cypriot song-writer Theofanous along with Peggy Zina, Tamta and Onirama lead-vocalist Thodoris Marantinis completed the judging panel line-up.

Backstage hosting was by Evaggelia Aravani.

We all at LGR wish him well and can’t wait to get our hands on his first single! A little teaser reveals his debut song, a definitely up-tempo Pop Laiko, called ‘Protos Rolos’.

Once we have it you’ll be certainly amongst the first to hear it on the LGR air-waves.

This year’s Cypriot song ‘Alter Ego’ by the band Minus One has qualified in the first semi-final to this month’s Eurovision Song Contest, in Stockholm. This year’s entry, our favourite Cypriot rockers have certainly made Cypriots very proud with qualifying outright, very well deserved victory this was.

Surely it was nerve-wracking until we learnt their fate…

Just at the point when host Måns Zelmerlöw gave us the last couple of qualifiers ‘And the ninth finalist is Cyprus!’ The boy’s alongside the lovely Evi Papamichael Head of the Cypriot Delegation reacting with absolute euphoria, waving our flag.

”They called us second-last so we almost got a heart attack. I think if we really win this, they will probably name an airport after us in Cyprus”, Minus One jokingly reacted to the post-Semi-Final press conference, which found out their second-half draw to this Saturday’s live final night. You will see our Cyprus song, jostling with 14^th position in the running order of things…

The impressive group Minus One and the up-tempo track ‘Alter Ego’ went through the first semi-final Top 10 qualifiers (out of 18 countries competing). They will be joined by Russia’s Sergey Lezarev (his song ‘Your the Only One’ being penned by Greek Dimitris Kontopoulos) Armenia, Hungary, Netherlands, Austria, Malta, Czech Republic, Croatia, Azerbaijan).

The Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades reacting on twitter to Cyprus qualifying, congratulates group on their huge result in the competition. His tweet read as follows ‘#CYP @MinusCy you rock! Congratulations and Good Luck in the Final @Eurovision’.

The track was co-written by Minus One and Thomas G:son (he composed ‘Euphoria’ which was Swedish winning entry in 2012). The involvement of the Swedish producer highlights the Cypriot ambition to impress at this competition.

If you have yet to listen to our song… it’s a strong rocky-pop tune with a light-edgy feel to your Eurovision song but still radio-friendly appealing. With a quite good melody, really catchy chorus at first listening, it’s pretty effective, and incredibly solid type of Cypriot entry flying our flag, for our country’s performance…

The pop-rock band, which is made up of five members will be looking to lead Cyprus to their best ever finish in Eurovision history.

Vocalist, Francois Micheletto, will be assisted by fellow band members Harrys Pari, Costantinos Amerikanos, Antonis Loizides and Chris J, who will be collectively playing the drums and guitar.

The consummate professionals sold the song really very well with very slick staging, special effects and pyro fireworks adding to the song’s visually good performance. The staging, complete with cages, strobe lighting, ‘black & white’ screen shots, sharp camera angles and cuts, and digital wolfs appearing, during the song’s climatic finish… which forced you bluntly and very nicely to have this down as a very memorable song and act, at voting time.

Lead-vocalist Francois at one point is literally ‘howling’, emphasising the ‘howling in the moonlight’ parts of the song’s chorus, gave it really fun value. This performance by the band gave us a really epic and captivating feel, surely one of the most effective and exciting by far Cypriot stages in this competition for years.

The Artistic Director, Sacha Jean-Baptiste (she formerly staged Eurovision victorious winning entry ‘Euphoria’) was the very creativity behind helping to visualise the song’s concept on the stage of the Ericsson Globe Arena.

The CyBc internally selected the group last November, to be this year’s representative, clearly, impressed by the pop-rock outfit at last year’s Cypriot national stages.

These likeable Cypriot boys had taken time to visit our LGR studios before the workload of Eurovision week, telling us they felt proud to fly our flag, privileged and extremely honoured to be given the chance this year.

You can give your support to our Cyprus entry, by catching the Eurovision Song Contest Final on Saturday 14^th May, which airs on BBC 1, at 8pm. We hope to see our Cypriot flag, flying rightfully to the top parts of the scoreboard.

LGR want to wish Minus One and our Cyprus song the best of luck in the competition.

It’s the time of year again the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm with this year’s Cypriot entry Minus One, flying our Cypriot flag, with the up-tempo track ‘Alter Ego‘.

The pop-rock band, which is made up of five members will be looking to lead Cyprus to their best ever finish in Eurovision history.

Vocalist, Francois Micheletto, will be assisted by fellow band members Harrys Pari, Costantinos Amerikanos, Antonis Loizides and Chris J, who will be collectively playing the drums and guitar.

Minus One have produced their song with the help of Swedish producer Thomas G:son who helped Sweden to a Eurovision triumph in 2012 with their song ‘Euphoria’. The involvement of the Swedish producer highlights the Cypriot ambition to impress at this competition.

The band’s mini-tour taken them to London and to our LGR studios, we found out that the band was definitely enthusiastic about their entry. Our likeable and really approachable lot of band-mates, felt proud to fly the Cypriot flag, extremely privileged, to be representing our island this year.

The group directly sent over to us the mp3 master straightaway, sharing it with our listeners on LGR.

The boys thanking our listeners & fans for the support they have been receiving, since the release of the song.

Jokingly, the boy’s responded to potentially Cyprus hosting next year’s Eurovision in Nicosia, if they actually won it, saying this is likely to concentrate their time, straight after Eurovision finishes.

The radio friendly song is a ‘competitive well-made song’, surely helping qualifying chances in the song’s semi-final performance of our Cypriot tune. If you have yet to fully listen to our song, well it’s a solid modern pop-rock up-tempo track.

The really good melody to the track and chorus which is catchy at first listening, that’s incredibly useful improving the band’s qualifying goal to the Eurovision final… and looking to secure one of the Top 10 qualifying spaces from the first semi-heat.

It’s professional and very slick, in terms of the staging performance and concept, makes use of cages (!) and the hi-tech digital wolf (!), definitely referencing the ‘howling in the moonlight’ chorus part of the song. This review believes this could be shaping up to be the epic performance, with the tune #AlterEgo giving us one of the more effective Cypriot entries in years.

It’s all looking alright; it’s a loud up-beat song, very fast, the quick camera cuts, is adding to the faster, lively track’s feel. There you have lead-vocalist Francois ‘howling’ just like in the song’s audio file, giving it really fun value, as the song is progressing.

They have indeed safe pair of hands, Artistic Director, Sacha Jean-Baptiste (she’s previously put her hand to Eurovision’s  victorious winning entry ‘Euphoria’) in terms of staging concept.

The official video to the track has 917,106+ hits on the band site surpassed in weeks of its release; this represents a good start to the group’s campaign already.

The video is pretty slick and well-directed by Cypriot Emilios Avram. There is a proper wolf, he’s called ‘Ares’ (we are reliably informed), and this fits really well, with the song’s concept, ‘howling’ (like-a-Wolf!). You have this video entirely being filmed on the outskirts of Nicosia, you have an intriguing, twisted reality, or living space, with sofa, doors, luggage, 1980’s iconic phone hand-set, stair-ways. Also the mysterious lady, with her ‘gothic’ black outfit, is adding a little rocky edgy atmosphere.

The CyBc internally selected the group last November, to be this year’s representative, clearly, impressed by the pop-rock outfit at last year’s Cypriot national stages.

The UK won’t be tele-voting at the first qualifying, instead are voting in the second semi-heat.

But you can vote if you are watching, in the countries which make-up semi-final including Greece, which competes with Argo, and the song ‘Utopian Land‘.

You can give your support to our Cyprus tune, by catching the Eurovision first Semi-Final on Tuesday 10th May, which airs on BBC 4, at 8pm. The final is on Saturday 14th May, we all hope to see the Cypriot flag, flying rightfully high, on the scoreboard.

LGR want to wish Minus One and our Cyprus song the best of luck in the competition.

Argo fly the Greek flag at the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 in Stockholm with this year’s entry ‘Utopian Land‘, which has a very positive message to the song’s concept, which represents Hellas, at the annual music competition.

The new group from Thessaloniki is made up of six members with vocalists Cristina Lachana, Maria Elbrus, Hip-Hop artist/song-writer Vladimiros Sofianides, Kostas Topouzis, Elias Kesides and Alekos Papadopoulos, who collectively are playing Pontic Lyra, percussion and tabor. Argo was quickly assembled by a few members of another group ‘Europond’, to specifically write and perform this entry.

Dancer Vasilis Roxenos will step in for Elias, and beefs up the songs live staging concept, this full quota of six people therefore, will give us the Greek feel and identity and style, to our song.

Maria Lyrakaki, will choreograph the song’s staging concept, with lots dancing and movement, which fuses Pontiaka elements and modern dance, it’s quite effective and very Greek obviously, that’s something which this ‘LGR jury’ review, approves.

The up-tempo track fusing Modern and traditional Pontiaka music elements, definitely stands out as a very Greek, Eurovision song. The instrumental intro of the song, sounds really, really good and sort of mysterious, introduces Christina to give us a solo ‘amane’. There’s also the bridge part 2:01 to 2:20 which gives us the very loud beating of the drum, its intensity only works to emphasis the raw ethnicity of the track’s feel.

It feels very brave as an effort and entry, mostly, because it tries to fuse a lot of things, rap, hip-hop, ethnic, linguistic switches, with the meaty hip-hop parts sung in Greek and Pontiac dialect, to English chorus changes…

The song’s positive message fights for an optimistic future or, ‘utopia’, and calls on our collective will really, to battle amongst other things, the refugee crisis.

Those Hip-Hop verses are sung entirely in Greek & Pontiac dialect, they have a purpose, to give us that message and the rapper certainly, believes in his song. The English chorus feeds the optimistic line of the song’s ‘fight for a utopian land’ and asks you to go with them on the ‘fun’ adventure.

Interestingly, the band’s members are refugee descendents of Pontus, Sukhumi, Abkhazia, and Georgia.

The official video which accompanies our song embodies the full ethnic Pontiac costume and dance, helping to emphasise music roots to our ‘Elliniki simmetoxi’.

We are the rise of the rising sun, dance with us and have some fun.

We are the rise of the rising sun, fight with us for a utopian land (Chorus)

The video’s positive message is of looking only to the future with optimism, and constantly moving forward. This concept, sees, athlete type aka Apostolos Lazaridis running, he gives his glance back and continues his forward movement, to the ‘rising sun’, which is the groups’ ultimate route with this song’s theme.

The powers that be ERT Greek Television and the channel President Dionysis Tsaknis internally picked Argo, which favoured local produced Greek song, to represent the nation this year.

The UK will not be voting in the first semi-final but instead will be voting, in the second of the semi-finals. Only the host Sweden, France, Spain and other first semi-final nations will get to vote including Cyprus, which also competes alongside the Greek song for those qualifying spaces.

Argo competes at the Eurovision First Semi-Final which airs on Tuesday 10th May, performing early in the 2nd slot at the incredible Ericcson Globe Arena.

Το συγκρότημα που εκπροσωπεί την Κύπρο φέτος στη Eurovision, είχαν την χαρά να υποδεχτούν στο Ελληνικό Ραδιόφωνο του Λονδίνου LGR 103.3 FM και να τους γνωρίσουμε όλοι απο κοντά.

Οι Minus One, βρέθηκαν ζωντανά στο στούντιο και μίλησαν για τις προετοιμασίες, τα στοιχήματα που τους παίζουν ψηλά, αλλά και γενικά το τι ετοιμάζουν για την Στοκχόλμη και πως θα παρουσιαστεί το τραγούδι ‘Alter Ego‘, ζωντανά.

Το συγκρότημα αποτελείται από τους Francois Micheletto (τραγούδι), Χάρη Πάρη (κιθάρα), Κωνσταντίνο Αμερικάνο (κιθάρα), Αντώνη Λοϊζίδη (μπάσο) και Χριστόφορο Ιωαννίδη (Chris J) στα ντραμς.

Κεφάτοι, ευγενικοί και με πολύ ενέργεια και χιούμορ έδωσαν στην παρόικια μια γεύση, για ποιο λόγο επέλεξαν αυτο το up-tempo κομμάτι και για ποιο λόγο ελπίζουνε η επόμενη Γιουροβίζιον να γίνει στη Λευκωσία.

“Έχουμε όρεξη και χαρά και αυτό θα βγάλουμε προς τα έξω.

Το τραγούδι αρεσει πολυ στη νεολαία και εμείς εισπράτουμε πολυ ενέργεια.”

Το τραγούδι διαγωνίζεται μαζί με το Ελληνικό στον πρώτο ημιτελικό στις 10 Μαΐου.

Ο τελικός που είμαστε πολυ θετική οτι θα εχει την Κύπρο μεσα γίνεται το Σαββατο 14 Μαΐου.

Καλη επιτύχια στους Minus One και στην Κύπρο μας.

It has been confirmed that this year’s Eurovision Song Contest will see Greece and Cyprus facing the Eurovision’s first Semi-Final, which airs on Tuesday 10th May 2016.

The countries found out their fate at Eurovision’s Live Allocation Draw, on the 25th January at City Hall in Stockholm.

The way the semis are set-up, will mean only 10 qualifiers will make it out of each semi final and progress to the 14th of May Final, a few days later. 43 countries will be participating at this year’s Eurovision, of these 20 semi final qualifiers will make it to the final night. Hoping to clinch their place will be our Greek and Cypriot entry, competing among 18 countries, in the first sing-off.

The five direct finalists will be again, UK, Spain, Italy, Germany, France and Sweden who won the right to host after Måns Zelmerlöw winning entry, ‘Heroes’.

Minus One will sing ‘Alter Ego’ for Cyprus

This is what we know so far: Cyprus entry have Minus One represent the nation with a song called ‘Alter Ego‘, which the boys co-write, with Swede composer Thomas G:son. The tune only recently recorded in Stockholm, amidst temperatures of only, in fact -1 °C, will be officially premiered for the first time on 22nd February, really soon it appears. The five piece band made up of vocalist, Francois Micheletto, will be assisted by fellow band members Harrys Pari, Costantinos Amerikanos, Antonis Loizides and Chris J, who will be collectively playing the drums and guitar.

The Greek entry is almost certain to be selected internally by the Greek State Television, or ERT. Sources have also suggested; the song will be of a Greek feel, or ethnic style, illustrating the nation’s incredible music to the rest of the fellow Eurovision nations.

At the Ceremony of drawing the semi-finalists, this year’s official Eurovision Slogan was revealed, ‘Come Together’, Martin Österdahl, Executive Producer of the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest said: “The Eurovision Song Contest is never about borders, politics or ideologies. It is about reaching across all the boundaries that separates us human beings from each other”.

The show producers will allocate definite running order of the songs of each semi, likely by the final week of March.

Kyriacos releases new hit Single…

Since Cypriot singer Kyriacos Georgiou performed at our “End of Summer Party” in September 2015, he has not taken his foot off the accelerator. After visiting London, Kyri spent the intervening few weeks, and months, in Thessaloniki recording and releasing his latest hit.

The E-Single ‘Den Pao Apopse Spiti‘ is an up-beat and catchy Modern Laiko number, co-written by Giannis Iremias and Grigoris Vaxevanelis.

The 22-year-old singer then flew back to London to film the music video to his song featuring Athena Efstathiou, with London as their backdrop and Salih Karakis as the video director.

Fans of Kyriacos Georgiou are expecting exciting things in 2016; Kyri will be performing alongside Despina Vandi, Pantelis Pantelidis and Kostas Martakis, at the Pyli Axiou which is in Thessaloniki, until 9th January.

Kyri will then be travelling to America on the 18th January, going from Miami, to Orlando Florida for a Greek Party on the 31st January. He finally returns to Athens in February, initiating what will be Easter Season at Teatro.

If you have yet to check out the music video for ‘Den Pao Apopse Spiti‘ then stop everything and watch this:

Minus One have been named as the Cypriot representatives for the up-coming Eurovision Song Contest in 2016, which will be held in Stockholm.

The pop-rock band, which is made up of five members will be looking to lead Cyprus to their best ever finish in Eurovision history.

Vocalist, Francois Micheletto, will be assisted by fellow band members Harrys Pari, Costantinos Amerikanos, Antonis Loizides and Chris J, who will be collectively playing the drums and guitar.

The date for the release of the song has not yet been specified for listeners, which leaves Cypriot fans in eager anticipation. The LGR website will have the song on its release date in the months leading up to the competition.

Minus One have already started producing their song with the help of Swedish producer Thomas G:son who helped Sweden to a Eurovision triumph in 2012 with their song ‘Euphoria’. The involvement of the Swedish producer highlights the Cypriot ambition to impress at this competition.

In terms of performances at previous Eurovision song contests, Cyprus have never won and tend to finish in the wrong end of the leader board.

Head of Delegation Evi Papamichael helped decide who would be representing Cyprus for next summer’s contest and believes the combination can produce a winning formula. She said: ”Minus One and Thomas G:son are, I believe, a winning combination and will hopefully leave our Cypriot flag waving until the very end in Stockholm”.

The band narrowly missed out on this year’s competition with their entry ‘Shine’ and will be hoping for a vast improvement. They have since been performing at stages such as Downtown live in Nicosia and Savino in Larnaca.

The tournament Semi-Finals will span from the 10th May to the 12th May, where they will be hoping to stamp their authority on the rest of Europe.