#evridiki theokleous

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Definitely my favorite of Evridiki's three entries!

🇨🇾 Evridiki - Είμαι άνθρωπος κι εγώ / Ime Anthropos Ki Ego

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Three Minutes to Eternity: My ESC 250 (#84-83)

#84: Evridiki -- Ime Anthropos kai Ego (Cyprus 1994)

“Νύχτα φωτεινή, και πάλι θα σε κρύψουν Τρέμεις σαν παιδί μήπως σ’ ανακαλύψουν Βάζεις τη στολή να μην σ’ αγγίξουνε Τα πώς και τα γιατί”

“A shiny night, you’ll get hidden again You shake as a boy in case they discover You put on the uniform so that No how’s and why’s can touch you”

For some reason, reading the lyrics of this reminds me of a story about domestic violence. The man putting on a uniform might be that of the police, so that he wouldn’t be caught beating his lover, but she has to remind him that she’s a human too.

In reality, Ime Anthropos kai Ego discusses about the divided Cyprus, though unlike with Panagia Mou, Panagia Mou (#133), it focuses more about the relationship between two people on different sides of the island. The lyrics on how they could say "I love you" but still kill the other is quite haunting, especially in this context.

That said, Evridiki’s second entry is my favorite of them--it tells a grand story which Evridiki sings very well (to the point when asked about who would be her biggest competition, Edyta Gorniak said that Evridiki was) Note how in the end she handles the final flurry of words as she tries to get everything in at once.

Some people mention that it drags on a bit, and I understand that, but the use of ethnic elements and the drama more than makes up for it. You could feel everything that Evridiki points out, and the orchestration does its job in containing that atmosphere.

(Also, we should thank RAI for withdrawing, because if Italy remained and competed with Passera, Cyprus would've gotten relegated because of their poor result in 1993. Haha)

Personal ranking: 2nd/25 Actual ranking: 11th/25 in Dublin

#83: Zala Kralj & Gašper Šantl - Sebi (Slovenia 2019)

“Ko so tvoje misli polne lahko poslušaš, kako mi bije srce Ko težko je tvoje breme, k meni se lahko zatečeš”

“When your mind is full You can listen to my heart beating When your burden is heavy You can take refuge in me”

Serene, intimate, and pure. The atmosphere created by this song is a universe onto itself, one in which Zala and Gasper step in and inhabit on their own world. I don't get chills from basic ambient music that often, but this one really takes one in.

It's not only the peaceful music which makes Sebi so strong; it's also the poetic lyrics which light a candle to a cold room. I like the sincerity and sweetness in it; I get the sense of comfort in being in somebody else's space. There's nothing more sacred and honest than having someone to confide to, and Zala and Gasper delivers in spades.

Sure, the way they stare at each other is a bit strange, especially when you note Gasper's movements, but I can’t help but get enveloped in their universe. The use of galaxies help convey that feeling of safety and peace in a quite space, and it just makes my heart warm up to see them comfortable with each other. Gasper giving Zala a gentle kiss in the end was just the cherry of that cake.

(Also, they have a great backlog of music; check out both Come to Me and Origami! I like the former in particular because of the Lordesque lyrics and cuteness).

Personal ranking: 3rd/41 Actual ranking: 15th/26 GF in Tel Aviv

Final Impressions on Slovenia: It's surprising how I like their entries more than I thought, as five of them appeared on this countdown. All of them are unique in their own way; they mix genres to mixed results. Curiously, compared to their fellow ex-Yugoslav neighbors, they rely less on ethnic elements (with Zbudi se--#122, and Verjamem being notable exceptions), but they manage to pull off good songs from time to time. It's kind of sad they haven't had a top-ten placing since 2001; I hope that their musical wheel will lead them to a win soon (just so we can get Peter Poles on the production, haha)!

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Another personal fan-art from me, "The Era of Evridiki", which I drew last year.

Evridiki participated in three separate Eurovision song contests, and with a different genre each time! Terizaoume is sensual, with a particular violin motif that starts and stops along with her moves. Ime Anthropos kai Ego is more serious, but really showcases Evridiki's vocals and a good dose of bouzouki there. And Comme ci comme ca sees Evridiki change genres entirely (she went from a pop artist towards more rock in 2000), and is the first French-language song from a non-Francophone country.

I have an uneasy relationship with returning artists--while I'm glad to see a redemption arc for some, especially for those who do well the first time. It's a bit of a case-by-case basis; while Evridiki has a better entry in 1994 than in 1992, she has a worse one in 2007. (Same trend with Wind--two silver-medal placings, followed by a drop-off in 1992).

But when done right, you can see different parts of one artist! And that's what makes this picture special for me (including the fact I had to scrap one draft because 1994 Evridiki didn't look right).

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My ESC Top 250 (#120-111), featuring a couple of sex kittens, Sebnem Paker's first appearance in the contest, and quite a bit of melancholy.

[womenofesc]