Introduction

• Participant(s): Amanda Tenfjord
• Song: Die Together
  
• Writer(s): Amanda Georgiadis Tenfjord, Bjørn Helge Gammelsæter
• Composer(s) : Amanda Georgiadis Tenfjord, Bjørn Helge Gammelsæter
• Broadcaster: ERT
• Social media:        
• Team review: 

Since a couple of years, Greece is not having a national final anymore. Instead the Greek broadcaster ERT has made an internal choice where Amanda Tenfjord has been nominated and later on been confirmed as Greek representative.

Amanda Tenfjord has a Greek father and a Norwegian mother and was born in Ålesund, Norway 1997. The first three years she grew up in Ioannina, Greece, later the family moved to Norway. In the age of five Amanda has started to play the piano. She received singing lessons by the mother of Ingrid Helene Håvik, who is the lead singer of the popular Norwegian band Highasakite. Later on she could support the band as well. Additionally, Amanda has been a class mate of the new Norwegian super star Sigrid.

Beside of her singing ambitions she started to study medicine at the Trondheim University, which she has also been following during lock down times of Corona.

In the regional music contest “Musikkprisen” in Møre og Romsda 2015, Amanda could win with the song “Run” . With the self-composed song “Man Of Iron” she was able to appear in the music show “The Stream”. The song “Troubled Water”  has been used for the Netflix serial “Spinning Out”. Hence, Amanda has gained a lot experiences in various show formats, which make her a perfect candidate for the ESC.

The Eurovision song “Die Together” is a calm and intense song about a great love and the assumption “if we die together, we could be together forever”. The song starts smoothly and is having a fulminant climax at the end.

History

• Debut: 1974
• Participations: 42
• Victories: 1
• Finals: 39 (15 since 2004)
• Top 10: 19

For Greece it’s the 42nd participation in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. Last year the singer Stefania Liberakakis could reach the 10th place in the Grand Final in Rotterdam.

After the debut in 1974 Greece was not often seen among the favourites, but thanks to televoting at the beginning of the new Millennium, Greece has often been found on the left side of the scoreboard and reached many top 10 positions including one big victory by Helena Paparizou with “My Number One” in 2005. One of the reasons for the new success with Greek entries is also that many Greeks living all over Europe, who like to support their home country with their votes. This phenomenon can be seen as well in other countries.

Since the Semi Finals have been introduced, Greece has mostly passed them and this could guarantee a place in the Grand Finals, beside of in Stockholm 2016 and Lisbon 2018, where the Greek entries failed to qualify. Furthermore Greece could achieve eight Top10 places between 2004 and 2011! In the past 41 years of participation, Greece could reach a Top10 place for 19 times, so statistically there is a 46% chance for Greece achieving a very good place and furthermore to qualify for the final is at 95%, so a very safe candidate for the Grand Finals!

The Greeks have always dreamed to win the ESC, the dream came true when the Greek-Swedish superstar Helena Paparizou sang her “My Number One” in Kiev, 2005. This outstanding contribution was celebrated like a storm back in Greece and even beyond. Helena is still a super star in Greece and Sweden, where she was born. This victory was truly deserved as there were former years with really undeserved bad rankings.

The 2006 ESC in Athens was the first and by now only time Greece could host the Eurovision Song Contest. There was a warm and lovely atmosphere and the Greek television ERT has produced a great show. The host entry “Everything” by super star Ana Vissi came 9th in the Grand Final.

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 regularly between these countries, it almost has become a tradition. That’s why Greece never had zero points at the end. Over the years the Greek entries have become very contemporary in combining the traditional folkloristic roots with modern tunes. A lot of these songs became summer hits in the Mediterranean.

Biggest successes

• 1x 1st place
  “My Number One” | Helena Paparizou (Kiev 2005) 
• 3x 3rd place
  “Die For You” | Antique (Copenhagen 2001) 
  “Shake It” | Sakis Rouvas (Istanbul 2004) 
  “Secret Combination” | Kalomira (Belgrade 2008) 

Video Nostalgia

• “Autostop” | Anna Vishy and the Epikouri
  Rank 13, The Hague 1980
• “Ellada, Hora Tou Fotos” | Kaiti Garbi
  Rank 9, Millstreet 1993
• “Pia Prossefchi” | Elina Constantopoulou
  Rank 12, Dublin 1995

First Rehearsal