CYPRUS
Cyprus has confirmed that Hovig Demirdjian will be the Cypriot representative for the up-coming Eurovision Song Contest 2017 which takes place in Kiev, in Ukraine.
The Cypriot broadcasters internally selected their choice announced through a press release on Friday 21st October; He will fly the Cypriot flag at next May’s annual music event.
Hovig, 27 years-old, was born in Nicosia, a Cypriot artist of Armenian origin. He will sing a song composed by Thomas G:Son, a Swedish song-writer. He produced 2016’s Cypriot entry, co-writing the Minus One ‘Shine’ track, and qualifying well enough to the final, did pretty much alright in fact. His involvement shows ambition to impress at the competition, with his notable many credits including, Sweden’s victory of 2012 in the song contest.
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.
Hovig is a professional singer and song-writer with 10 years under his belt. This versatile performer is handling pop to Laika and emotive ballads. Excitingly enough, for this reviewer London Greek Radio Dj, his Laiko tune ‘Ego Gia Sena’ goes in to his favourites list, on the LGR air-waves. Well, this is somehow adding a more pleasant touch, because we know the artist a little bit, from his work.
He is very well liked by the Cypriot public, his evolving fan-base, largely beginning with his long-run on live shows of the Greek X Factor. The same year Miss Ivi Adamou was in the series, herself flying the Cypriot flag at 2012’s Eurovision Song Contest.
Hovig finally realises his long time goal pursuing his shot at Eurovision and he’s certainly had a try at it a couple of times before at the local finals. He had a song ‘Stone In A River’ finishing 4th, at 2015’s Cypriot heat stages, likewise, his ‘Goodbye’ tune rated 3rd during 2010’s pre-selection.
This is looking very likely that third time is the charm now he’s attained his goal proper.
He feels absolutely honoured to sing for his native Cypriot land, and is very much looking forward to it.
On his Facebook page, Hovig posted, ”Nai! (Greek word for yes), that’s all I said to CyBC when they popped the Eurovision question.
”This year, I intend to work very hard, day and night, to deliver the best possible performance in Kiev.
Cyprus is a diverse, and a hot island. Diversity runs in our ideas, our people and our music.
Our small island is an oasis of awesome talented people with amazing Mediterranean temperament.”
He concluded, ”Eurovision is happening guys and it’s going to be fun. Let’s do this!”
The press conference held at the Nicosia’s RED, where Hovig performs a lot, was made up of the Cypriot delegation’s Evi Papamichael and Kleitos Kleitou both expressed their hopes and confidence about our Cypriot chances in the song contest.
Hovig thanked them for selecting him as the artist and promised he will do his absolute best at the sing-off event. He thinks Cypriot talent is immense, he puts it, it’s a small nation but it’s really huge talent-wise, if you take in to account the extent of so many talented individuals.
Hovig will be certainly looking to equal the island’s solid qualifying record lately, following Minus One and John Karayiannis the year before, acts which made it to the final outright.
He will do whatever it takes to get to the final, Hovig, emphatically put it. This task is very likely to be very tough for sure, and will need lots of hard-work to make sure he passes to the last round, he’s very focused to knuckle down to achieve this, he points out.
Gson said he felt privileged, and honoured, to be writing his second Cypriot song in two years.
Meanwhile, CyBc CEO Thanasis Tsokos gives us a little quote by saying, ”Eurovision surely exists in the Cypriot nation’s DNA…” He’s of the opinion Cyprus’ participation is vitally relevant to encouraging, and promoting young Cypriot talent. It pays off economically and other ways, to being part of such a big thing. To which, he added, for a small state, like we have with the Cypriot state it is very important to be physically present, at these events.
He believed in Hovig’s talents and abilities and predicted he will qualify okay, adding, he forecasted rightly the same thing about Minus One, Tsokas told us.
We at London Greek Radio will be following all of the developments in the weeks to come and looking forward to have the song in our hands, where you will hear it first, and as always to happily support #teamcy and #eurovisioncy in the run-up to the contest.
The Semi-Finals will span from 9th May 2017 to the 11th May 2017, with the Final to take place on 13th May 2017, where he will be hoping to stamp his authority on the rest of the Eurovision nations.
Article written by Tony Neophytou
British Cypriots once again demonstrated in great numbers at the annual ”Rally for Cyprus” in central London on Saturday 16 July, calling upon Turkey to end the 42-year long occupation of the northern part of the island.
The demonstrators gathered outside Turkey’s embassy, where a delegation of the rally’s organisers, the National Federation of Cypriots in the UK, led by its President Christos Karaolis delivered a resolution addressed to the Turkish Ambassador.
The resolution condemned the illegal Turkish invasion of 1974 and the ”unlawful and unjust military occupation and colonisation” of the northern part of Cyprus. ”Turkey must now change its intransigent stance on Cyprus and respond with positive actions to encourage progress in the direct negotiations taking place on the island towards a just and lasting settlement,” read the resolution text.
Speaking in front of the Turkish embassy, Mr Karaolis said: ”For 42 years Turkey occupies the northern part of Cyprus. We are here once again to send a message to the Turkish Ambassador and to Turkey, that enough is enough; now is the time for real deeds and not words to resolve to Cyprus issue.”
The Rally outside the embassy was followed by the annual march through central London, with the demonstrators holding Cypriot flags, banners and pickets and calling for a ”Free, United, Cyprus” and for ”Turkish troops to be removed from Cyprus”. GLA Member Andrew Dismore, Cypriot MEP Mr Takis Hadjigeorgiou and the Mayor of the occupied Town of Lapithos Mr. Neoptolemos Kotsapas also joined British Cypriots for the Rally.
Before this year’s Rally, 10,000 leaflets explaining the rights and demands of Cyprus were distributed at 15 central London locations with additional leaflets also distributed during the march.
Following the Rally, a delegation including Rt Hon Theresa Villiers, representatives of the Cypriot Women’s League, the leadership of the Federation, the Cyprus High Commissioner, H.E. Evripides Evriviades, and Greek Ambassador H.E. Konstantinos Bikas, laid a ‘Cyprus’ wreath at the Cenotaph.
Then the Federation President Mr Karaolis handed a letter addressed to the new Prime Minister of the UK Theresa May at the entrance of Downing Street. He was accompanied by the leadership of the Federation as well as the north London Conservative MP and long-standing friend of Cyprus Rt. Hon. Theresa Villiers. Mr Karaolis said that the letter congratulated Theresa May on her appointment and urged her ”to make sure that the Cyprus issue would be kept high on the political agenda of the UK.” As the letter to Mrs May pointed out, “you have the power to make a lasting difference in relation to Cyprus and now is the time to exercise this proactively and constructively.”
Theresa Villiers said: ”I have been campaigning for the freedom of Cyprus for 17 years. It is a great tragedy that Cyprus remains divided and I believe that it is crucial to keep on working hard for a negotiated settlement. We have a new Prime Minister in Britain, a whole new Government and a new Foreign Secretary and I will do whatever I can to make sure that Cyprus is high on their agenda. It is important to support the Cypriots to reach a lasting, balanced and just settlement to reunify the island and bring all of its people together once again.”
The President of the World Federation of Overseas Cypriots Andreas Papaevripides pledge on behalf of Cypriots abroad to keep fighting for Cyprus no matter how many years have passed – especially in the UK where the largest Cypriot overseas community lives. ”We will fight more than ever so that our positions are made known to the new UK Government,” he added.
Also at the rally were Federation officers and members of its Executive Bambos Charalambous (Federation Vice-President), Michael Kashis (Federation Vice-President), George Adonis (Federation Vice-President), Ninos Koumettou (Treasurer), Neophytos Nicolaou (General Secretary), Marios Minaides (President, Greek Orthodox Communities of the UK), Antonia Savvides (President, NEPOMAK), Michael Ellinas, Suzy Constantinides (Chair, Organising Committee), Menicos Kouvaros, Tony Vouros and veteran Executive Secretary Andreas Karaolis.
Article written by National Federation of Cypriots in the UK
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 14th 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 14th 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.
Article written by Tony Neophytou
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.
Article written by Tony Neophytou
The suspect emerged from the plane and was later detained
At one point the hijacking of EgyptAir flight diverted to Larnaca Airport in Cyprus, which went without any incident or threat, could have been likened to a ‘Cypriot farce’ or a script for Cypriot TV. The ‘love’ twist, giving the hijacker’s demands to see his ex-wife, a Cypriot, a woman named as Marina Paraschou, and a four-page letter in Arabic handed over to the authorities, thickens the plot further.
Thankfully, the hijacking of EgyptAir Flight MS181 passed without any serious injury to any hostages, passengers and crew.
The ‘twist’ was perhaps very-well crystallised by Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades who responded to a reporter’s question about whether the hijacker was motivated by romance, by laughing and saying: “Always there is a woman involved.”
The country’s leader also thanked all of the local emergency services, including the Cypriot soldiers, for their quick and efficient reaction to the incident.
EgyptAir Flight MS181 was taken over by a passenger claiming to be a suicide explosive belt.
EgyptAir said the Airbus A320 was carrying 56 passengers from Alexandria to Cairo, along with six crew and a security official.
The hijacker’s motives were said to by Cypriot authorities, plainly of a non-terrorist nature, and the belt was ‘fake’ despite it having wires sticking out to be give the pretence of genuine explosive.
The suspect had gradually released passengers and crew throughout the day, and the air-pilot was filmed climbing off the plane.
Cypriot’s RIK TV reported that the man, believed to be an Egyptian national, made a list of demands, including ‘to deliver a message’ to a woman who was identified as his ex-wife.
The Cypriot authorities described the man as ”mentally unstable” and will be brought before a local court, on Wednesday.
Article written by http://35.195.255.135
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.
Article written by Tony Neophytou
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.
Article written by Tony Neophytou
A joint application from the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots has been put forward to grant Halloumi the same protected status as champagne or Parma ham, meaning only cheese produced on Cyprus could be called halloumi or hellim.
The President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker has offered Greek and Turkish Cypriots his full backing in an attempt to save their brand name in the UK.
The British government are contemplating changing the famous brand of Halloumi/Helim in support of the British halloumi producers.
However, the president of European commissions has hailed the Island’s government by defending their cheese, he said: “The halloumi affair is proof that the island’s leaders are committed to reunifying Cyprus”.
Euripides Evriviades, Cyprus’s High Commissioner in London, vowed: “We will fight to the bitter end to secure our halloumi hellim, a truly Cyprus product.” Hellim is the Turkish Cypriot name for the national cheese.
A columnist from the Cyprus Weekly has made their feelings clear and fired this message: “We can tolerate drunken UK tourists in Ayia Napa and British troops on Cyprus soil, but we will not surrender our soft cheese colonial rule”.
In 2013 Greek Cypriots exported £58 million worth of Halloumi, with Britain accounting a third of that sum. This proves Halloumi is more than just cheese. It represents Cyprus and is accountable for a high amount of their profits.
Article written by Chris Charalambous
Calling all Greek music lovers. Alekos Zazopoulos has a new official audio release; a song titled Aharistia.
Stop everything and have a listen, right here:
Article written by Miranda Athanasiou
Unloved
Tamta goes American Horror Story with her new video and we absolutely love it!
The story begins inside the dark filthy rooms of a hospital where Tamta is using young males as guinea pigs to test her poison.
The singer chose a dramatic vintage look with pin curls and a bold berry-red lipstick to recreate the black-widow look. She shows off her fit figure with revealing beige lingerie and she seems determined to kill all these helpless men in order to discover the secret for the elixir of eternal love.
The video is directed by Apollonas Papatheoharis and it is inspired by the famous series American Horror Story.
The second season of the American TV program was called Asylum and portrayed the tortured lives of patients inside the mental institution at the hands of doctors. The dirty brick walls and the abused male bodies exposed the inspiration for the video. The video is different and interesting and the song is expected to be a big hit in many European countries this summer.
Watch the official music video here:
Article written by Efcharis Sgourou
