London Greek Radio

Greece has confirmed that Stefania will be the nation’s representative at the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam taking place later this year.

The 17-year-old Greek-Dutch singer Stefania Liberakakis will perform in the Eurovision Second Semi-Final at Rotterdam’s Ahoy Arena, this May. She was born in Utrecht in the Netherlands to Greek parents from Sofiko Evrou in Greece.

The Greek broadcaster ERT announced the artist and song-title ‘Superg!rl’ in an official statement this month. The ethnic up-tempo song, where Stefania sings about the adolescent youth, a self-empowerment song which draws on the innate strength each person possesses against which battling challenging situations, or issues.

Stefania had taken to Instagram thanked the Greek delegation and responded she was “proud” to be flying the Greek colours at the Eurovision, told music fans.

The Eurovision veteran Dimitris Kontopoulos and music production ARCADE, composed and produced the tune, co-written the lyrics with Sharon Vaughn. The Creative Director Fokas Evangelinos will be responsible for the stage show, well-known in Eurovision circles, for numerous impressive stage acts in the contest.

The songwriters confirmed a modern ethnic up-tempo dance-pop track for Greece, with Greek instruments. The producers describe a “radio-friendly current hit song” with immense potential, standing out amongst the competitors in the Eurovision’s line-up.

The Eurovision tune and the official video-clip whose filming was shot in Athens, will be released in March. We at London Greek Radio are super-excited to be premiering our Greek entry very soon…

The Greek Eurovision delegation which included head Dimitri Papadimitriou and spokesperson Maria Koufopoulou chosen the so-called ‘Dream Team’ earlier this year.

In 2016, Stefania represented The Netherlands at Junior Eurovision in Malta, as part of the three-piece girl group Kisses. Their upbeat song ‘Kisses and Dancin’ placed eighth in the contest.

Stefania came to fame in 2014, when she participated on The Voice Kids. After wowing judges with her audition performance of Alicia Keys’ ‘No One’, Stefania made it as far as the Battle round before being eliminated. She also sang as part of the Dutch children’s choir Kinderen voor Kinderen.

More recently, Stefania has worked on her solo pop career. Late last year, Stefania released ‘Turn Around’, a sophisticated contemporary pop track. Her debut single in 2018, ‘Stupid Reasons’ reached No1 in the Kids Top 20, a hit single, composed and written by J Joachim Vermeulen Windsant and Maarten ten Hove. In March last year she released the single ‘Wonder’ which was the soundtrack to the animation film ‘Wonder Park’.

Stefania has also been working on her pop career in Greece. Last summer, she performed at the Mad VMA music awards, as part of an all-girl cover of Daddy Yankee’s ‘Con calma’ along with Ilenia Williams and Konnie Metaxa.

As well as singing, Stefania also has an acting career. She has starred in the Dutch high school mockumentary Brugklas, the recent dystopian action film De club van lelijke kinderen (The club of ugly children) and made an appearance in the teen comedy 100% Coco New York.

The Eurovision Song Contest Semi-Finals are on 12th and 14th May, with the Grand Final on Saturday 16th May 2020.

Stefania will perform ‘Superg!rl’ in the Second Semi-Final on Thursday 14th May.

London Greek Radio wishes Stefania and Greece the best of luck in the Eurovision.

Cypriot leukaemia sufferers have 20% chance of a donor match help improve the odds for Stella.

Before Christmas, an urgent bone marrow appeal was launched for Stella Charalambous, a 45-year-old mother of one who has leukaemia. Among those spearheading the campaign to find her a blood donor match is her friend of 34 years, Naz Hassan.

The two, pictured above with another close friend Tina Agsti, are originally from North London, and while Stella and her family now live in Cyprus, the ladies have remained in close contact.

Stella’s appeal for a donor was initiated by Tina, who teamed up with Androulla Stylianou, head of the UK-based Leukaemia Cancer Society (020 8374 4821), a vital support organisation for numerous Greek and Turkish Cypriots seeking blood donors.

Stella’s friends quickly rallied round, sharing details of the appeal online and with ethnic community media. They have also distributed flyers and posters in North London, where there is a large Cypriot community, in a bid to drive up registration numbers and help find a donor for their seriously ill friend.

Their appeal is supported by British blood charity DKMS, which can arrange a mass swab testing session for groups, or they can send a special kit home for people to do their own swab test.

Currently, the odds of finding a match for Cypriots, whether Greek or Turkish, is very low due to the small number of people from both communities being registered on the global blood register. The two communities share similar genetic codes, making them highly suitable for blood donor matches.

“As a community, we need to pull together. People shouldn’t just read and ignore this appeal. We really have to help each other, as this illness can strike any of us at any age. So please take the (swab) test – your blood could potentially save a life,” urged Ms Hassan.

To help improve the odds of survival for blood cancer patients of Cypriot, Turkish, and Middle Eastern heritage, simply register online at dkms.org.uk for a cheek swab kit. It’s open to all UK residents who are healthy and aged between 17- 55 years of age.

The swab test itself is a painless, 30-second procedure. You use a cotton bud to rub on the inside of your cheek, which is returned to DKMS in a sealed bag. Its labs will do the necessary tests and add your details to the UK blood register, which is accessible to other blood charities worldwide. You only need to do the test once and it will cover you until you reach 55.

Where a match is generated, the process for donating stem cells is far easier and less invasive than previously, and there are no known health risks. You simply give blood, which is used for stem cell treatment of the patient with blood cancer.

The Leukaemia Cancer Society, Tel: 020 8374 4821.

Top 40 London Greek Radio ‘Airplay Chart’

January 04 to January 31, 2020

The LGR Airplay Chart this month. 

The biggest, most in demand hit songs in the Chart.

The rankings are based on radio airplay detection as measured by the official ‘UK Airplay Chart’.

LGR with the latest and greatest Greek hits and best new music…

Listen to your favourite music choices tune in to LGR!

1 Christina Salti, Ilias Vrettos – Taxidi Magiko
2 Ilias Kampakakis – Se Synantisa
3 Josephine – Den Echo Sima
4 Christos Mastoras, Dimitris Basis – Ena Lepto
5 Nikiforos – Ta Leme To Vradi
6 Ivi Adamou feat. Konnie Metaxa – Pao
7 Nikos Oikonomopoulos – Val’to Terma
8 Giorgos Livanis, Areti Ketime – Ela Apopse
9 Anastasios Rammos – Se Dyo Mono Matia
10 Melina Aslanidou – I Efchi

11 Michalis Hatzigiannis – Vale Ena Kafe
12 Nikos Kourkoulis – Eline Kai Edene
13 Peggy Zina – Mesa Mou Kati Egine
14 Nikos Oikonomopoulos – Kathimerina
15 Christos Cholidis – Pali Sto Spiti Mou Charamata
16 Nikos Vertis – Allaxa
17 Apostolia Zoi, Nino – Esy
18 Panos Kiamos – Mou Stoichizei
19 Despina Vandi – Esto Ligo Akoma
20 Themis Adamantidis – Stin Kardia

21 Elli Kokkinou – Taxe Mou
22 Onirama – Pou Isoun Chtes
23 Natasa Theodoridou – Chartopolemos
24 Paola – Katastrofi
25 Andromachi – Na ‘soun Psema
26 Christos Menidiatis – Paratise Ta Ola
27 Stelios Rokkos – Makari
28 Eirini Papadopoulou – Koita Min Aggizeis
29 Giannis Vardis, Giorgos Lianos – Emeis I Dio
30 Thodoris Ferris – Zise Ti Stigm

31 Petros Iakovidis – Fovamai
32 Giorgos Sabanis – Allaxe Ta Ola
33 Amaryllis – Matado
34 Konstantinos Argiros – Poso
35 Christos Menidiatis – Stin Avli Tis
36 Nikos Oikonomopoulos – De S’ agapao
37 Kelly Kelekidou – Gia Hari Sou
38 SNIK x Tamta – Senorita
39 Konstantinos Argiros – Ta Matia Sou Eroteftika
40 Thanos Petrelis – Pao Diakopes, Ta Leme

Celebrating Greek music and creativity on the air-waves

Source: London Greek Radio, Official UK Airplay Chart
January 4th to 31st 2020 inclusive

Cyprus has confirmed that Sandro Nicholas will be the island’s representative at the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam taking place later this year.

The Cypriot broadcaster, CyBC, announced the news to excited Eurovision fans in an official statement towards the end of last year.

The 23-year-old German-Greek is an up-and-coming artist and a star of “The Voice Germany” from 2018. He managed to turn all four chairs with Shawn Mendes’ ‘In my blood’ where he reached the semi-finals.

Sandro Nicholas’ real name is Alessandro Rütten and he was born and bred in Germany, with an American father and a Greek mother from Zakynthos. He speaks Greek and travels to Greece frequently. He plays the drums and guitar and at the age of 15, started to write songs and formed his own rock-band.

Sandro has a soulful, pop and rocky-edged vocal and exudes a confident manner on stage.

As well as ‘The Voice’, Sandro was the American entrant at the New Wave Festival in Russia last summer. One of the judges was the Greek Eurovision hit-maker veteran, Dimitris Kontopoulos, who was said to have put in a word with the decision-makers in Cyprus for Eurovision.

Cypriot bosses have stuck to the format that has served them well in previous years by internal selection of the artist and song.

The formula has yielded fairly good results for Cyprus with Eleni Foureira’s spectacular 2nd place and Tamta scoring 13th in Tel Aviv last year.

Mr Nicholas will face the task to uphold Cyprus’ impressive qualification run, with five qualified entries in a row from 2015 to 2019.

Cyprus received 120 songs, all vying to compete as the island’s act for 2020 and have shortlisted the options to three songs. The exact details about the song will be released at a later date.

CyBC chose Mr Nicholas out of several artists, trusting the young and talented potential to resonate with the Eurovision voter.

Sandro is playing a constructive role in the creative song-writing to the entry, in order to find the killer-tune for this contest. Mr Nicholas has told media, he wants “an emotional song”, one that is a genuine, honest song.

In his interview to Cypriot media, Sandro said, “[I am] absolutely captivated. This country is probably one of the most beautiful countries I have ever been to. I’ve been to Zakynthos, Greece. I am Greek, but this place is magical and I’m so honoured and so pleased to be able to represent such an amazing country.”

He added, “It’s an honour for me, [to represent] for the Cypriot flag, and I want to do my very best. It’s fantastic, it’s a dream for me.”

The Eurovision Song Contest Semi-Finals are on 12th and 14th May, with the Grand Final on Saturday 16th May 2020.

London Greek Radio wishes Sandro and Cyprus the best of luck in Eurovision.

Former LGR Presenter and Producer Costas Vorias sadly died on Monday 30th December 2019 in Larnaca, Cyprus.  He was 60 years old.

Mr Vorias was a presenter during the 1980s and 1990s and started at London Greek Radio in 1986 before the station obtained its FM licence.

He coined the phrase on LGR, “Me tou Voria ta kimata sas stelnw xairetismata”.

Costas left LGR in 2002 and re-settled in Larnaca with his family.

He had served as Rentals Manager at Demorilo Holdings in Larnaca and studied “Radio and Media” at Enfield College in North London, graduating in 1989. He was schooled at ‘Pagkiprio Likio’ in his hometown of Larnaca.

The Vorias family have set-up a crowd-funding page called “We’re raising £1,000 to Give Costa the send-off he deserves”.   

The page states, “As an alternative to sending flowers as a mark of respect, the family would welcome a donation to help give Costas the send-off and goodbye he deserves.”

Find out more here: justgiving.com/crowdfunding/in-memory-of-costas

Tony Psilou, Managing Director of LGR said, “It’s always sad to hear news like this and there’s some comfort in knowing that Costas’ time at LGR was popular and his programmes were enjoyed by thousands.”

Costas leaves behind his wife, Katie, two children, Stamatis and Katerina, his brother, three sisters and extended family and friends, as well as his loyal dog, ‘Brando’. 

Funeral details were confirmed for Saturday 4th January 2019 at Apostolos Varnavas Church in Kameres, Larnaca, Cyprus. The service will take place at 12.30pm.

London Greek Radio expresses their deep sorrow at Costas’ sad passing, and we express our sincere condolences to family and friends.

Photo credit: Costas Vorias Facebook, LGR Haringey studios, Radiomarathon

Top 40 London Greek Radio ‘Airplay Chart’

December 01 to December 28, 2019

This month’s popular Greek song’s on LGR culminating in the final month, December of 2019.

LGR is celebrating Greek music and creativity on the air-waves.

This year, was no doubt brilliant for Greek music, our chart shows a few of our timeless festive favourites, to current choices, and new releases this winter.

The rankings are based on radio airplay detection as measured by the official ‘UK Airplay Chart’.

The best new music, latest and greatest Greek hits… tune in to LGR!

1 Despina Vandi – Xristougenna
2 Josephine – Den Echo Sima
3 Christos Mastoras, Dimitris Basis – Ena Lepto
4 Helena Paparizou – Christougenna Xana
5 Christos Menidiatis – Paratise Ta Ola
6 Eleni Foureira – 2020 S’ Agapo
7 Antzi Samiou – Ta Pio Glyka Xristougenna
8 Christina Salti, Ilias Vrettos – Taxidi Magiko
9 Anastasios Rammos – Se Dyo Mono Matia
10 Eirini Papadopoulou feat. Stamatis Houcholis – Halali

11 Nikos Oikonomopoulos – Val’to Terma
12 Petros Iakovidis – Fovamai
13 Ivi Adamou feat. Konnie Metaxa – Pao
14 Christos Cholidis – Pali Sto Spiti Mou Charamata
15 Konstantinos Argyros – Ta Matia Sou Eroteftika
16 Kelly Kelekidou – Gia Hari Sou
17 Antonis Remos – Edo Kai Tora
18 Kostas Doxas – Seri
19 Wham! – Last Christmas
20 Notis Sfakianakis – H Mpalanta Ton Xristougennon

21 Nikos Kourkoulis – Eline Kai Edene
22 Kostas Martakis – Os Ta Xristougenna
23 Giorgos Livanis, Areti Ketime – Ela Apopse
24 Natasa Theodoridou – Den Me Afora
25 Andromachi – Na ‘soun Psema
26 Natasa Theodoridou – Hartopolemos
27 Mariah Carey – All I Want For Christmas Is You
28 Konstantinos Tsachouridis feat. Melina Aslanidou – Mesa Stin Agkalia Sou
29 Nikos Oikonomopoulos – Kathimerina
30 Nikiforos – Ta Leme To Vradi

31 Onirama – Pou Isoun Chtes
32 Stan – De Me Xereis
33 Panos Kiamos – Sto Ftero
34 Stelios Rokkos – Makari
35 Nikos Oikonomopoulos – De S’Agapao
36 Thanos Petrelis – Pao Diakopes, Ta Leme
37 Peggy Zina – Mesa Mou Kati Egine
38 Lena Zevgara – Ela Ela
39 Themis Adamantidis – Stin Kardia
40 Konstantinos Christoforou & Vasiliki Ntanta – Ki Iha Pou Les

Source: London Greek Radio, Official UK Airplay Chart
December 1st to 28th 2019 inclusive

Acclaimed Greek composer and former politician Thanos Mikroutsikos has died at the age of 72.

He was considered one of the most important composers of the recent Greek musical scene.

Mikroutsikos died at the Athens’ Metropolitan Hospital where he was treated for cancer. The hospital announced his death on Saturday evening.

He was born in Patra, on 13th April 1947.

He is the older brother of Andreas Mikroutsikos, who is also a musician/composer and a television show host. His wife is children’s author Maria Papagianni, whom he married in 1996.

He studied piano in the Philharmonic Society of Patras and in the Hellenic Conservatory. In addition, he studied Mathematics in the University of Athens.

He began composing at the end of the 1960s but only officially debuted in 1975, with the release of his album Politika Tragoudia (‘Political Songs’). He continued on this compositional path, setting to music the poems of Giannis Ritsos, Vladimir Mayakovsky, Manos Eleftheriou and Bertold Brecht, among others.

His album, Stavros tou Notou (Southern Cross), set to the poetry of Nikos Kavvadias, has been one of the musical landmarks of modern Greece.

He has worked with many renowned singers such as Maria Dimitriadi, Haris Alexiou, Manolis Mitsias, Dimitris Mitropanos, Vasilis Papakonstantinou, Christos Thibaios and Giannis Koutras, among others.

Hits including ‘Roza’,  ‘Erotiko’, ‘O Amlet Tis Selinis’, ‘Mia Pista Apo Fosforo’, ‘I Agapi Einai Zali’, ‘Mpoum’, famous songs that have captivated listeners on the London Greek Radio air-waves for years.

His music has been particularly well received and recognised in Western Europe. During his career, he has managed to liberate the form of Greek song, adding together elements from the modernist and classical western tradition. He also experimented with the combination of tonal and atonal sounds and with morphological variation.

He has been involved in Greece’s political life since the 1960s. During the turbulent years of the military junta (1967–1974), he was persecuted by the regime for his anti-dictatorial activities and ideas.

After the elections of October 1993, he was appointed as Deputy Minister of Culture by the new Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) government, serving alongside the late Melina Merkouri who was Minister of Culture. He was appointed to Merkouri’s position when she died in 1994, a position he kept until 1996.

Mikroutsikos’ funeral will take place at 2:30 pm (local time) on Monday at Athens’ First Cemetery, in a civilian ceremony, per his wishes.

British-Cypriot Bambos Charalambous wins Enfield Southgate constituency.

Labour’s Bambos Charalambous has been re-elected with 48.5 per cent of the vote and a majority of 4,450.

Labour took this seat from the Conservatives in 2015. Before that the Tories held the seat since 1950 with (the exception, 1997 and 2001 elections, with Stephen Twigg wins for the Labour party and elected-government).

In 2017 Charalambous won 51.7 per cent of the vote with a majority of 4,355 so results this year are very similar to before.

Running against Mr Charalambous and the closest competitor is David Burrowes, who was MP for the constituency for 12 years until 2017.

Burrowes got 39.1 per cent of the vote which accounted for 18,473 votes.

In the 2016 EU Referendum the constituency was fiercely Remain with 62.1 per cent of the electorate voting to remain in the European Union.

The constituency has an interesting make up with the southern parts being fairly urban and the northern parts semi-rural.

Enfield Southgate results:

2017 result: Bambos Charalambous, Labour

Luke Balnave, Green, 1,042
David Burrowes, Conservative, 18,473
Bambos Charalambous, Labour, 22,923
Parag Shah, The Brexit Party, 494
Rob Wilson, Liberal Democrat, 4,344

Photo: Bambos Charalambous Twitter

London-born Cypriot Erika Soteri is through to the live semi-final on The Voice franchise in Greece.

The show which aired its first live episode last Friday showed Erika advancing to the semi-finals, after her performance of the song “Ain’t Nobody”.   

Erika was supported by her mum and dad in the studio audience with a huge Erika Soteri banner.

Erika is one of the ace picks in Helena Paparizou’s Team and her parents are from Larnaca, Cyprus.

She advanced to the live shows after wowing her coach Helena Paparizou with a spectacular rendition of ‘Daddy Lessons’ during the ‘Battles’ round.  This was the third phase of the contest where the four mentors Eleonora Zouganelli, Panos Mouzourakis, Helena Paparizou and Sakis Rouvas, put two of their own team members against each other.  They then sing the same song at the same time in front of a studio audience before they each select one to advance.

During the blind auditions, Erika, who graduated with a First-Class Honours in the “ACM Guildford’s Musician Route Vocals Degree”, sang ‘Crazy’, making all four judges spin their chairs almost immediately.

On last month’s debut show, she only required one judge to “turn around” in order to make it through to the next stage of the competition, but Panos Mouzourakis, Sakis Rouvas, Eleonora Zouganelli, and Helena Paparizou all turned around!

Mr Rouvas ‘blocked’ Mr Mouzourakis during the voting process, which favoured the other judges’ odds. 

The mentors pulled out all the stops. Helena with, ‘I Believe I Can Fly’ and Sakis, with ‘Amazing Grace’ sang acapella covers to woo Erika.

Helena in her reaction to Erika’s performance said, [Translated] “You stand on the stage like a star, you’re sparkling. You have an exceptional voice. I admire that female interpretation of ‘Crazy’ which I’ve never heard been done like that before. I need to answer with a heart, it’s not a simple heart, its fast-moving; it’s explosive!”

Helena was also quite emphatic to Erika, continuing, [Translated] “If you join my team, not only will you reach the final, we will win the final!”

Sakis Rouvas added, [Translated] “When I first heard you, your voice was impressive. Now that I’ve seen, I don’t want to lose you. It shows that you have a background of studied music, a calm maturity that exceeds your young age, and this shows in your personality. This will help you as you move forward. You can decide to choose the right team, which I hope will be mine.”

Eleonora Zouganelli said to Erika, [Translated] “You are very good, the truth is that your positive calmness was followed by your voice. You have a long journey whichever team you ultimately choose. I would like you to join my team.”

Writing on her Facebook page, Erika said, [Translated] “The words cannot express the feelings I have in that moment when I stood on the stage. I experienced a lot of nervousness and the opponent was very strong. I’d like to say a very big thank you from the bottom of my heart and soul for your support and love that you have shown me. I used to have a dream that I’d find myself in the place where I am now, in my career and in my life, and I wouldn’t be able to achieve it without the love of Helena Paparizou and her team. Thank you for voting!”

Tune in and vote for Erika every Friday at 8pm on Greek channel SKAI.

London Greek Radio wishes Erika the best of luck in the show.

Top 30 London Greek Radio ‘UK Airplay Chart’, November 03 to 30, 2019

This month’s popular Greek song’s artists on LGR… 

These rankings are based on radio airplay detections as measured by ‘UK Airplay Chart’.

Tune in to LGR to hear the latest and greatest Greek hits and the best new music.

1 Josephine – Den Exo Sima
2 Christos Mastoras, Dimitris Basis – Ena Lepto
3 Antonis Remos – Edo Kai Tora
4 Christos Menidiatis – Paratise Ta Ola
5 Elena Tsagkrinou – Logia
6 Peggy Zina – Mesa Mou Kati Egine
7 Christina Salti, Ilias Vrettos – Taxidi Magiko
8 Natasa Theodoridou – Hartopolemos
9 Eirini Papadopoulou feat. Stamatis Houhoulis – Halali
10 Andromachi – Na ‘Soun Psema

11 Nikos Oikonomopoulos – Kathimerina
12 Ivi Adamou feat. Konnie Metaxa – Pao
13 Dimitris Karadimos – Einaste Ena
14 Nikos Kourkoulis – Eline Kai Edene
15 Nikos Oikonomopoulos – Val’To Terma
16 Petros Iakovidis – Fovamai
17 Stan – De Me Ksereis
18 Natasa Theodoridou – Den Me Afora
19 Giorgos Sabanis – Min Anisicheis
20 Pantelis Pantelidis – Kako Skili

21 Elli Kokkinou – Taxe Mou
22 Konstantinos Argyros – Ta Matia Sou Eroteftika
23 Stelios Rokkos – Makari
24 Eleni Foureira, Lil Barty – Allo Level
25 Panos Kiamos – Sto Ftero
26 Konstantinos Tsahouridis feat. Melina Aslanidou – Mesa Stin Agkalia Sou
27 Nikos Vertis – Allaxa
28 Panos Kalidis – Anathema
29 Christos Cholidis – Pali Sto Spiti Mou Haramata
30 Giorgos Livanis – Ela Apopse

Source: London Greek Radio, the UK Airplay Chart
November 3rd to 30th 2019 inclusive