Introduction

• Participant(s): Yianna Terzi
• Song: "Oneiro mou"
  
• Writer(s): Yianna Terzi, Aris Kalimeris, Michalis Papathanasiou, Dimitris Stamatiou
• Composer(s) : Yianna Terzi, Aris Kalimeris, Michalis Papathanasiou, Dimitris Stamatiou
• Broadcaster: EPT
• Social media:     
• Team review: 

As a traditional ESC country, Greece is going to present its 39th entry for the Eurovision Song Contest. And we had the first scandal already which was about the national which had do be cancelled due to a lack of participants. From the five finalists, two entries did not match the criteria of the Greek broadcaster ERT, the other two did not pay the fee, so “Oneiro Mou” by Yianna Terzi was the one entry left and that has become the Greek entry – without any national final. We will see if this incident will transform to a lucky end.

Yianna is a well-known singer in Greece and Cyprus and she is the daughter of the famous singer Paschalis Terzis. Yianna was born in Thessaloniki, Greece in 1980. In the age of 20 she moved to Athens to concentrate on her music career. Her first album “Gýrna to klid” Yianna released in 2006. After her second album “Áse me na taxidépso” she moved to the USA for almost ten years. There she had the chance to work with Meghan Trainor, Chris Brown and Dr. Luke. She also released "Love Is Your Name" in the USA in 2012. Last year Yianna returned to her home country Greece and found back to her traditional Greek roots music wise, she even surprised her father with this new style.

The Greek song “Oneiro Mou” means my dream and will be sung in Greek. It’s a love song which is about to sacrifice one’s life for the other, it has beautiful lyrics and dreamy sounds of flutes accompanied by a mystic rhythm. The interlude of the song is very Greek and leads into a great climax. This calm song with the mystic but contemporary atmosphere will definitely shine in Lisbon.

History

• Debut: 1974
• Participations: 39
• Victories: 1
• Finals: 37
• Top 10: 18
• Chances for Top 10: 46%
• Chances for Final: 87% (since 2004)

This year Greece will be participating for the 39th time in the Eurovision Song Contest. The debut Greece made in 1974, which is quite late compared to other Western European countries. The first Greek song “Krassi, Thalassa Ke T'agori Mou” was sung by Marinella and made an 11th place in Brighton.

Since the introduction of televoting, Greece has profited a lot by this new voting procedure. It’s natural as there are many Greeks living all over Europe and of course they will vote for Greece. Since the Semi Finals have been established, Greece has always passed them and this could guarantee a place in the Grand Finals, beside of in Stockholm 2106, where the Greek entry failed to qualify for the Grand Final. Furthermore Greece could achieve eight Top10 places within ten years! In the 36 years of participation, Greece could reach a Top10 place 18 times, so statistically there is a 46% chance for Greece achieving a very good place and furthermore to qualify for the final is at 87%!

The Greeks have always dreamed to win the ESC, the dream came true when the Greek-Swedish superstar Helena Paparizou sang her “Number One” in Kiev, 2005. This outstanding contribution was celebrated like a storm back in Greece and even beyond and Helena is still a super star in Greece. This victory was truly deserved as there were former years with really unfair low placements. The juries have been quite strict with Greek entries in former years. But one jury was always very loyal with Greece – it was and still is Cyprus. The famous 12 points have always been exchanged heavily between these countries. That’s why Greece never had zero points at the end. Over the years the Greek entries have become very contemporary and combine the traditional folkloristic roots and many of them became summer hits in the Mediterranean.

Biggest successes

1x 1st place

• Helena Paparizou | My Number One (2005)

3x 3rd place

• Antique | Die For You (2001)
• Sakis Rouvas | Shake It (2004)
• Kalomira | Secret Combination (2008)

Video Nostalgia

• “Krassi, Thalassa Ke T'agori Mou” | Marinella, Rank 11, Brighton 1974
• “Miazoume” | Takis Biniaris, Rank 16, Gothenburg 1985
• “Watch My Dance” | Loucas Yiorkas feat. Stereo Mike, Rank 7, Dusseldorf 2011