Introduction

• Participant(s): Demy
• Song: "This is Love"
• Writer(s): Romy Papadea & John Ballard
• Composer(s) : Dimitris Kontopoulos
• Broadcaster: EPT
• Social media: 
• Team review: 

This year there has been an artist chosen by the Greek broadcaster ERT and the public had the choice between three songs to select in a TV show. The singer is Demy and the Greeks have decided to send Demy to Kiev with a modern pop song called “This Is Love” out of three songs. Unfortunately, Demy did not sing live at this TV show, only the video clips have been shown. Last year the Greek choice has proven as a unsuccessful one, as the group Argo did not qualify for the Grand Final in Stockholm, this was the first time Greece did not make it into the Final since the invention of the Semi Final concept.

Demy alias Dimitra Papadea was born in Athens in 1991. In an early age she started to sing in a school choir and attended music theory. The style of jazz, soul, r’nb and rock’n roll have influenced her mostly, but she does not want to be reduced to one music style only. Her breakthrough she could achieve with the song “Mia Zografia“. Demy has been singing in musicals like “Mamma Mia” or “The Addams Family” and acted as a jury in a casting show. Now she has been selected by the Greek broadcaster ERT to represent Greece in Kiev at the Eurovision Song Contest.

The song “This Is Love” is a contemporary dance song with a strong chorus and an upbeat rhythm. The composers are no strangers in the Eurovision world: Dimitris Kontopoulos and John Ballard as well as Romy Papadea. Dimitris has composed a lot of ESC entries e.g. last year’s Russian entry “You Are The Only One” (3rd place) and many more. This year there is an obvious overhang of medium fast ballads, so this would be a chance for Greece to stand out of the others with a danceable pop tune. The arrangement with the stumping beat could have been more decent to become a European hit. But with this entry Greece will definitely come close to earlier successes.

History

• Debut: 1974
• Participations: 38
• Victories: 1
• Finals: 36
• Top 10: 18
• Chances for Top 10: 49 %
• Chances for Final: 92 % (since 2004)

This year Greece will be participating for the 38th 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 could guarantee a place in the Grand Finals, beside of last year in Stockholm, 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 50% chance for Greece achieving a very good place and furthermore to qualify for the final is at 92%!

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. Maybe this is a good omen for this year that Greece won in the Ukraine? This outstanding contribution was celebrated like a storm back in Greece and even beyond. 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 do not hide their traditional folkloristic roots and many of them became summer hits in the Mediterranean.