Interview - Blue Star Ferries

FACE
Manos
Pyrovolakis
At the
doorway
of...success!
Manos Pyrovolakis may have
been born in Athens, but,
influenced by his Cretan
descent, became famous for
playing the traditional lyre
that he made known to the
broader public. Having done
interesting studies and
impressive performances, he
has become very popular
and audiences hum with
him«Stis Ekklisias Tin Porta»
(At The Church’s Doorway).
BY DIMITRA PAPADATOU
ª¿ÓÔ˜ ¶˘ÚÔ‚ÔÏ¿Î˘
™Ù˘ ÂÈÙ˘¯›·˜…
ÙËÓ fiÚÙ·!
√ ª¿ÓÔ˜ ¶˘ÚÔ‚ÔÏ¿Î˘ ÁÂÓÓ‹ıËΠÛÙËÓ ∞ı‹Ó·, ·ÏÏ¿,
‚·ıÈ¿ ÂËÚ·Ṳ̂ÓÔ˜ ·fi ÙËÓ ÎÚËÙÈ΋ ηٷÁˆÁ‹ ÙÔ˘,
¤ÁÈÓ ÁÓˆÛÙfi˜ ÁÈ· ÙË ÌÔ˘ÛÈ΋ ÙÔ˘ Î·È ÙËÓ ·Ú·‰ÔÛȷ΋
χڷ Ô˘ ¤Î·Ó ·Á·ËÙ‹ ÛÙÔ Â˘Ú‡ ÎÔÈÓfi. ªÂ
ÂӉȷʤÚÔ˘Û˜ ÛÔ˘‰¤˜ Î·È ·ÎfiÌË ÈÔ ÂӉȷʤÚÔ˘Û˜
ÂÌÊ·Ó›ÛÂȘ, ÙÔÓ ·Á¿ËÛ ÙÔ ÎÔÈÓfi Î·È ÛÈÁÔÙÚ·ÁÔ‡‰ËÛÂ
Ì·˙› ÙÔ˘ «™Ù˘ ÂÎÎÏËÛÈ¿˜ ÙËÓ fiÚÙ·».
∞¶√ ∆∏ ¢∏ª∏∆ƒ∞ ¶∞¶∞¢∞∆√À
32 OnBlue
OnBlue 33
FACE
∞Ï‹ıÂÈ·, Û ·˘Ùfi ÙÔ ÙÚ·ÁÔ‡‰È Û˘ÌÌÂÙ¤¯ÂÈ Î·È
Ô ¡›ÎÔ˜ ¶ÔÚÙÔοÏÔÁÏÔ˘;
¡·È, Û˘ÌÌÂÙ¤¯ÂÈ ÛÙÔ ‰›ÛÎÔ Ì·˙› Î·È Ì ÙÔÓ ∫ÒÛÙ· §ÂÈ‚·‰¿.
¶ÔÈÔ˜ Â›Ó·È Ô ÚÒÙÔ˜ ÛÔ˘ ‰›ÛÎÔ˜;
∆Ô 1998 Ù· «∫ÈÓÔ‡ÌÂÓ· ™¯¤‰È·», Ì·˙› Ì ÙÔÓ
°È¿ÓÓË ™Ù›Áη, ÙÔÓ ÃÚ‹ÛÙÔ ∞‚‰ÂÏ¿ Î·È ÙÔÓ
ÃÚ‹ÛÙÔ ™Ô‡Ìη.
∆È Â›‰Ô˘˜ ÙÚ·ÁÔ‡‰È· ÂÚÈ›¯Â;
◊Ù·Ó ¤Ó· Ì›ÁÌ· ·fi pop, rock Î·È ·Ú·‰ÔÛÈ·ÎÔ‡˜ ‹¯Ô˘˜. ™ÙÔ ›‰ÈÔ album Û˘ÌÌÂÙ›¯Â ηÈ
Ô º›ÏÈÔ˜ ¶ÏÈ¿ÙÛÈη˜ ÙˆÓ ¶˘Í §·Í, ˆ˜ Û˘Óı¤Ù˘ Î·È ÙÚ·ÁÔ˘‰ÈÛÙ‹˜, Ì ÙÔ ÙÚ·ÁÔ‡‰È «∂›Ì·È
·Ú¿ÍÂÓÔ˜».
ªÂ ÙÔÓ ¶ÔÚÙÔοÏÔÁÏÔ˘ Î·È ÙËÓ ∞Ú‚·ÓÈÙ¿ÎË
Û˘ÓÂÚÁ¿ÛÙËΘ Î·È ¿ÏÈ;
∆Ô Î·ÏÔη›ÚÈ ÙÔ˘ 2001 ÛÂ Û˘Ó·˘Ï›Â˜.
ªÂ ÙËÓ ∞Ú‚·ÓÈÙ¿ÎË ÂÌÊ·Ó›ÛÙËΘ Î·È ÛÙËÓ
∆ÂÏÂÙ‹ §‹Í˘ ÙˆÓ √Ï˘ÌÈ·ÎÒÓ ∞ÁÒÓˆÓ;
¡·È! ∂ÚÌËÓ‡۷Ì ̷˙› ÙÔ ÙÚ·ÁÔ‡‰È «∆È Ï›ÂÈ».
∆Ô Û˘Ófi‰Â˘Û˜ Ì ÙË ‚ÈÔÏfiÏ˘Ú¿ ÛÔ˘;
¿ÎÔ˘Á· ¡›ÎÔ •˘ÏÔ‡ÚË, ·fi ÙËÓ ¿ÏÏË ¿ÎÔ˘Á·
Scorpions, Wham Î·È ¿ÏϘ ÌÔ˘ÛÈΤ˜.
ªÂ ·˘Ùfi ÙÔÓ ÙÚfiÔ, fï˜, ÁÂÓÓÈ¤Ù·È Î·È Ë ‰ËÌÈÔ˘ÚÁ›·.
¡ÔÌ›˙ˆ Ó·È. ∂›Ó·È ηÎfi ηÓ›˜ Ó· ÎÏ›ÓÂÈ Ù·
Ì¿ÙÈ· ÙÔ˘. ∞Ó Î¿ÙÈ Ì·˜ ·Ú¤ÛÂÈ, ηÏfi Â›Ó·È Ó·
ÙÔ ·ÊÔÌÔÈÒÓÔ˘Ì Ì ÙÔ ‰ÈÎfi Ì·˜ ÙÚfiÔ.
∂Í¿ÏÏÔ˘ ·˘Ùfi ¤¯ÂÈ Û˘Ì‚Â› Î·È ı· Û˘Ì‚·›ÓÂÈ
¿ÓÙ·.
√ˆÛ‰‹ÔÙÂ. ªÂ Ù· ·ÎÔ‡ÛÌ·Ù· Ô˘ ¤¯ÂÈ Î·Ó›˜ Û˘Óı¤ÙÂÈ Ú¿ÁÌ·Ù·.
∂ÎÙfi˜ ·fi ÌÔ˘ÛÈ΋ ÁÚ¿ÊÂȘ Î·È ÛÙ›¯Ô˘˜;
∂›Ì·ÛÙ ¤Ó· ÓÙÔ˘¤ÙÔ Ô˘ Û˘Óı¤ÙÔ˘ÌÂ Î·È ÁÚ¿ÊÔ˘ÌÂ Î·È ÛÙ›¯Ô˘˜. √ °È¿ÓÓ˘ ™Ù›Áη˜, Ì ÙÔÓ
ÔÔ›Ô ÁÓˆÚÈ˙fiÌ·ÛÙ ·fi ÌÈÎÚÔ›, ·›˙ÂÈ ÎÈı¿Ú·. ŒÙÛÈ, οÔÈ· ÊÔÚ¿, Û ËÏÈΛ· 16 ¯ÚfiÓˆÓ,
·›Í·Ì οÔÈ· ÎÔÌÌ¿ÙÈ·, ÂΛÓÔ˜ Ì ÙËÓ ÎÈı¿Ú· ÙÔ˘ Î·È ÂÁÒ Ì ÙË Ï‡Ú· ÌÔ˘. ∞˘Ùfi ·ÔÙ¤ÏÂÛ ÙËÓ ·Ú¯‹ Î·È ¤ÙÛÈ ÍÂÎÈÓ‹Û·Ì ӷ ÁÚ¿ÊÔ˘ÌÂ Î·È ÙË ÌÔ˘ÛÈ΋ Î·È ÙÔ˘˜ ÛÙ›¯Ô˘˜ Û ‰Èο Ì·˜ ÙÚ·ÁÔ‡‰È·.
¶¿ÓÙˆ˜, Ë ·Ï‹ıÂÈ· Â›Ó·È ˆ˜ Ì ٷ ÛËÌÂÚÈÓ¿
Does Nikos Portokaloglou sing in this CD?
Yes, he and Kostas Livadas have participated
in the album.
Which was your first CD?
The 1998 «Kinoumena Schedia», with
Yiannis Stigas, Christos Avdelas, and Christos
Soumkas.
What type of songs did it feature?
It was a mix of pop, rock, and traditional
sounds. Philippos Pliatsikas from «Pyx Lax»
band participated in the album as a
composer and singer.
You performed at the Closing Ceremony of
the 2004 Olympics with Arvanitaki, right?
Yes! We did «Ti Lipi» together.
Did you accompany her with your violo-lyre?
Yes.
How do you explain that the Cretan music
and lyre have affected you so much even
though you were not born in Crete?
My parents are from Crete and I used to
spend three or four months a year there –
¢ËÏÒÓˆ fan ÙÔ˘ ¡›ÎÔ˘ •˘ÏÔ‡ÚË. ∞Ó Â›¯· ÌÈ· ·Ê›Û· ÈÙÛÈÚÈο˜
οÔÈÔ˘ ηÏÏÈÙ¤¯ÓË ÛÙÔ ‰ˆÌ¿ÙÈfi ÌÔ˘, ·˘Ù‹ ı· ‹Ù·Ó ÙÔ˘ ¡›ÎÔ˘ •˘ÏÔ‡ÚË.
¡·È.
¶Ò˜ Ë ÎÚËÙÈ΋ ÌÔ˘ÛÈ΋ Î·È Ë Ï‡Ú· Û ÂËÚ¤·Û·Ó ÙfiÛÔ, ·Ó Î·È ‰ÂÓ ¤¯ÂȘ ÁÂÓÓËı› ÛÙËÓ
∫Ú‹ÙË;
√È ÁÔÓ›˜ ÌÔ˘ Â›Ó·È ∫ÚËÙÈÎÔ›, ÛÙËÓ ∫Ú‹ÙË ˙Ô‡Û· ÙÚÂȘ Ì ٤ÛÛÂÚȘ Ì‹Ó˜ ÙÔ ¯ÚfiÓÔ. ∆Ô Î·ÏÔη›ÚÈ Î·È ÙÔ ¶¿Û¯· ÛÙ· ÷ÓÈ¿.
™Ô˘ ·Ú¤ÛÂÈ Ë ∫Ú‹ÙË;
¡·È, ȉȷ›ÙÂÚ· ·fi ÙË ÌÂÚÈ¿ ÙÔ˘ §˘‚ÈÎÔ‡ ÂÏ¿ÁÔ˘˜ Â›Ó·È Ôχ fiÌÔÚÊË.
ŒÙÛÈ Â›¯Â˜ ÔÏÏ¿ ·ÎÔ‡ÛÌ·Ù·.
¡·È, Û›ÁÔ˘Ú· ·fi ÙËÓ ÔÈÎÔÁ¤ÓÂÈ¿ ÌÔ˘. √ ·Ù¤Ú·˜ ÌÔ˘ ÙÚ·ÁÔ˘‰Ô‡Û ÚÈ˙›ÙÈη, ÙÔ ›‰ÈÔ Î·È Ë
ÌËÙ¤Ú· ÌÔ˘ ÙÚ·ÁÔ˘‰Ô‡Û ·Ú·‰ÔÛȷο! ∂ÁÒ
¿ÎÔ˘Á· ȉȷ›ÙÂÚ· ÙÚ·ÁÔ‡‰È· ÙÔ˘ •˘ÏÔ‡ÚË.
∏ χڷ ·fi Ô‡ ¤¯ÂÈ ÙȘ Ú›˙˜ Ù˘;
∞˘Ùfi Â›Ó·È ÌÔ˘ÛÈÎÔÏÔÁÈÎfi ı¤Ì·, ÛÙÔ ÔÔ›Ô, ·’
fiÛÔ Í¤Úˆ, fiÏ· Ù· ÙÔ͈ٿ fiÚÁ·Ó·, ·˘Ù¿ ‰ËÏ·‰‹ Ô˘ ¤¯Ô˘Ó ‰ÔÍ¿ÚÈ, ϤÁÂÙ·È fiÙÈ Î·Ù·Û΢¿ÛÙËÎ·Ó ÛÙËÓ πÓ‰›·. µ¤‚·È·, ·fi ÂΛ Î·È ¤Ú·,
·ÎÔ‡ÁÂÙ·È –Î·È ¤¯ÂÈ ‚¿ÛË ·˘Ùfi– fiÙÈ Ë Ï‡Ú·
¤¯ÂÈ Û¯¤ÛË Ì ÙË Ï‡Ú· ÙÔ˘ ∞fiÏψӷ.
∞˘Ù‹ ÛÔ˘ Ë ÂÈÚÚÔ‹ Ò˜ Â¤‰Ú·Û ÛÙË ÌÔ˘ÛÈ΋ ÛÔ˘;
°È· ̤ӷ Â›Ó·È ¿Ú· Ôχ Ê˘ÛÈÎfi. ∂›Ì·È ¤Ó·˜
¿ÓıÚˆÔ˜ Ô˘ ·Á·Ô‡Û· ÙËÓ ÎÚËÙÈ΋ ÌÔ˘ÛÈ΋ Î·È ÙË ÌÂÏÂÙÔ‡Û·. ∆·˘Ùfi¯ÚÔÓ· fï˜ ˙Ô‡Û·
Î·È ÛÙËÓ ∞ı‹Ó·. ŒÙÛÈ, ÂÓÒ ·fi ÙË ÌÈ· ÌÂÚÈ¿
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ÙÚ·ÁÔ‡‰È· ¯¿ÓÂÙ·È ÔÏϤ˜ ÊÔÚ¤˜ Ë Ù·˘ÙfiÙËÙ·, ÙfiÛÔ ÛÙË ÌÔ˘ÛÈ΋ fiÛÔ Î·È ÛÙÔ ÛÙ›¯Ô.
¡·È, ·ÏÏ¿ fiÙ·Ó ¤Ó· ÙÚ·ÁÔ‡‰È Â›Ó·È ˆÚ·›Ô ÙÔ
ÙÚ·ÁÔ˘‰¿Ó fiÏÔÈ. ∂ÁÒ ¿ÓÙˆ˜ ÈÛÙ‡ˆ ÛÙ·
ˆÚ·›· Î·È ÛÙ· ¿Û¯ËÌ· ÙÚ·ÁÔ‡‰È·. À¿Ú¯Ô˘Ó
ÙÚ·ÁÔ‡‰È· ÔÏÏÒÓ ¤ÓÙÂ¯ÓˆÓ Î·ÏÏÈÙ¯ÓÒÓ Ô˘
‰ÂÓ Â›Ó·È ÂÌÓ¢Ṳ̂ӷ. Ÿˆ˜ ˘¿Ú¯Ô˘Ó ηÈ
ÔÏÏ¿ «ÂÌÔÚÈο» Ô˘ Â›Ó·È ˆÚ·›·.
À¿Ú¯Ô˘Ó fiÚÈ· ÌÂٷ͇ ¤ÓÙ¯ÓÔ˘ Î·È ÂÌÔÚÈÎÔ‡ ÙÚ·ÁÔ˘‰ÈÔ‡;
¢ÂÓ Í¤Úˆ ·Ó ˘¿Ú¯ÂÈ Ù¤ÙÔÈÔ˜ ‰È·¯ˆÚÈÛÌfi˜.
∂ÓÙ¿ÍÂÈ, ·˜ ÌÈÏ‹ÛÔ˘Ì ÁÈ· ˆÚ·›· Î·È ¿Û¯ËÌ·
ÙÚ·ÁÔ‡‰È·.
∞˘Ùfi Â›Ó·È ‰‡ÛÎÔÏÔ Ó· ηıÔÚÈÛÙ›. ∞˘Ùfi Ô˘
ÌÔÚ› ÂÁÒ Ó· ÙÔ ıˆڋۈ ˆÚ·›Ô ÙÚ·ÁÔ‡‰È,
ÁÈ· οÔÈÔÓ ¿ÏÏÔÓ ÌÔÚ› Ó· ÌË ÛËÌ·›ÓÂÈ Ù›ÔÙÂ. ∆Ô ÈÔ ˆÚ·›Ô ÙÚ·ÁÔ‡‰È Â›Ó·È ·˘Ùfi Ô˘
·ÓÙ¤¯ÂÈ ÛÙÔ ¯ÚfiÓÔ.
∂›Ó·È ‰‡ÛÎÔÏÔ ÁÈ· οÔÈÔÓ Ó¤Ô ÙÚ·ÁÔ˘‰ÈÛÙ‹
Ó· Á›ÓÂÈ ÁÓˆÛÙfi˜;
¡ÔÌ›˙ˆ fiÙÈ Â›Ó·È ‰‡ÛÎÔÏÔ.
∆· reality shows ·›˙Ô˘Ó ÚfiÏÔ Û’ ·˘Ùfi;
¢ÂÓ ÌÔÚ› ηÓ›˜ Ó· ηٷÎÚ›ÓÂÈ Î·Ó¤Ó·. ŸÙ·Ó
οÔÈÔ˜ ¤¯ÂÈ ‚ÚÂÈ fiϘ ÙȘ fiÚÙ˜ ÎÏÂÈÛÙ¤˜, Ë
ÌfiÓË ÂÏ›‰· Â›Ó·È Ù· reality. ŒÙÛÈ ÌÔÚÒ Ó· Ù·
‰ÈηÈÔÏÔÁ‹Ûˆ, ¯ˆÚ›˜ Ó· Û˘ÌʈÓÒ.
¢ËÏ·‰‹ ÙÔ ‰¤¯ÂÛ·È;
∫Ô›Ù·Í ӷ ‰ÂȘ, ˘¿Ú¯Ô˘Ó ·È‰È¿ Ô˘ ¿ÓÂ
summer and Easter in Chania.
Do you like the island?
Yes. Especially the Lybian Sea side is
breathtaking.
That is how you were exposed so much to
local music.
From my family, certainly. My father used to
sing «rizitika» and my mother folk songs. I
liked Xylouris’ songs the most.
What is the origin of the lyre?
This is a great question for a musicologist. As
far as I know, all instruments that have a bow
are said to have come from India. Of course,
there is another theory that makes much
sense, that it has its roots in Apollo’s lyre.
How have the Cretan tunes affected your
music?
It all came very naturally. When I was young,
I loved Cretan music and studied it. At the
same time, I also lived in Athens. On one side,
I was listening to Xylouris, and, on the other,
to Scorpions, the Wham, and other bands.
That is how one becomes creative.
I think so too. It is not right to be closeminded. If we like something, it is good to
assimilate it in our own way.
That is how it has always been.
Certainly. One composes based on the
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FACE
ÛÙ· reality ÁÈ· Ó· Á›ÓÔ˘Ó ÁÓˆÛÙ¿ Î·È ˘¿Ú¯ÂÈ
ÎÈ ¤Ó· ÔÛÔÛÙfi Ô˘ ¤¯ÂÈ ‚ÚÂı› Û ·‰È¤ÍÔ‰Ô,
ÔfiÙ ‰ÂÓ ¤¯ÂÈ ¿ÏÏË ÂÈÏÔÁ‹.
¶·›˙ÂÈ ¿ÓÙˆ˜ Ôχ ÌÂÁ¿ÏÔ ÚfiÏÔ ÙÔ Ó· Á›ÓÂȘ
ÁÓˆÛÙfi˜.
™›ÁÔ˘Ú·! ŒÓ·˜ ηÏÏÈÙ¤¯Ó˘ Ú¤ÂÈ Ó· Á›ÓÂÙ·È
ÁÓˆÛÙfi˜, Ó· ͤÚÂÈ Î¿ÔÈÔ˜ ÙÔ ÚfiÛˆfi ÙÔ˘,
·ÊÔ‡ ÚÒÙ· ͤÚÂÈ Ô ÙÚ·ÁÔ‡‰È ÙÔ˘. ™Ù· reality,
·˜ Ô‡ÌÂ, fiÏÔÈ ÁÓˆÚ›˙Ô˘Ó Ù· ÚfiÛˆ· ·ÏÏ¿
ηÓ›˜ ‰ÂÓ ÁÓˆÚ›˙ÂÈ Ô‡Ù ÌÈÛfi ÛÙ›¯Ô ·fi Ù· ÙÚ·ÁÔ‡‰È· Ô˘ ϤÓÂ. ªÔ˘ Â›Ó·È ·‰È¿ÊÔÚÔ Ó· Ì ͤÚÂÈ Î¿ÔÈÔ˜ ·Ó ‰ÂÓ Í¤ÚÂÈ Ù· ÙÚ·ÁÔ‡‰È· ÌÔ˘.
¶ÔÈÔÓ Î·ÏÏÈÙ¤¯ÓË ı·˘Ì¿˙ÂȘ ÂÚÈÛÛfiÙÂÚÔ;
¢ËÏÒÓˆ fan ÙÔ˘ ¡›ÎÔ˘ •˘ÏÔ‡ÚË. ∞Ó Â›¯· ÌÈ·
·Ê›Û· ÈÙÛÈÚÈο˜ οÔÈÔ˘ ηÏÏÈÙ¤¯ÓË ÛÙÔ ‰ˆ36 OnBlue
Ì¿ÙÈfi ÌÔ˘, ·˘Ù‹ ı· ‹Ù·Ó ÙÔ˘ ¡›ÎÔ˘ •˘ÏÔ‡ÚË.
∞fi ÛËÌÂÚÈÓÔ‡˜ ηÏÏÈÙ¤¯Ó˜;
™‹ÌÂÚ· ˘¿Ú¯Ô˘Ó ÔÏÏ¿ Ú¿ÁÌ·Ù· Ô˘ ÌÂ
ÂӉȷʤÚÔ˘Ó. √ ¡›ÎÔ˜ ¶ÔÚÙÔοÏÔÁÏÔ˘ ›ӷÈ
¤Ó·˜ ¿ÓıÚˆÔ˜ Ô˘ ¤¯ÂÈ ÁÚ¿„ÂÈ ¿Ú· Ôχ
ˆÚ·›· ÙÚ·ÁÔ‡‰È·. ∂›Û˘, Ô ¡›ÎÔ˜ ∑ÈÒÁ·Ï·˜,
Ô ºÔ›‚Ô˜ ¢ÂÏË‚ÔÚÈ¿˜, Ô ª·ÓÒÏ˘ º¿ÌÂÏÔ˜,
Ë ∞ÓÙÚÈ¿ÓÓ· ª¿Ì·ÏË.
∆ÒÚ· Ô‡ ÂÌÊ·Ó›˙ÂÛ·È Î·È ÔÈ· Â›Ó·È Ù· ÌÂÏÏÔÓÙÈο ÛÔ˘ Û¯¤‰È·;
∂ÙÔÈÌ¿˙ˆ ¤Ó· ηÈÓÔ‡ÚÈÔ ‰›ÛÎÔ Î·È ÂÌÊ·Ó›˙ÔÌ·È Ì ÙÔ˘˜ °È¿ÓÓË ∫fiÙÛÈÚ·, ∂ϤÓË ∆Û·ÏÈÁÔÔ‡ÏÔ˘ Î·È ÙË ƒ·ÏÏ›·.¶ÚÈÓ ‹ÌÔ˘Ó ÛÙÔ «™Ù·˘Úfi ÙÔ˘ NfiÙÔ˘».
¶Ôχ ˆÚ·›·. ™Ô˘ ‡¯ÔÌ·È Î·Ï‹ ÂÈÙ˘¯›·!
stimuli he or she has been exposed to.
Do you write music as well as lyrics?
We are a duet and we compose and write
lyrics. Yiannis Stigas, whom I’ve known from a
very young age, plays the guitar. When we
were 16, we played a few pieces together - I,
with my lyre, and he, with his guitar. We began
to write music and lyrics for our own songs.
We must admit that, on today’s music scene,
the identity of music or lyrics can be lost.
Yes, but, when a song is good, everybody
sings it. I believe in good and bad songs. There
are songs by skillful composers that may not
be inspired. As there are some «commercial»
songs that happen to be really good.
Is there a line between «artful» and
«commercial» music?
I don’t know if there is such a distinction.
All right, then. Let’s talk about beautiful and
not-so-beautiful songs.
This is hard to define. What appeals to me
may not mean anything to somebody else. A
good song doesn’t lose its popularity with time.
Is it difficult for a new singer to become
established?
I think so.
Do reality shows have anything to do with it?
No one should be blamed. When someone
finds all doors closed, the only hope may be a
reality show. That’s how I justify them,
without condoning them.
Do you mean you accept them?
Look, there are young singers who participate
in reality shows to become known and there
are some that have already been in a deadend and have no other choice.
Becoming famous is a big part of it, though.
Of course. An artist should become known and
recognizable, after his or her song does so. In
reality shows, faces become recognizable but
no one can be identified with the songs they
interpret. I don’t care if people don’t know my
face as long as they know my songs.
Which artist do you admire the most?
I am an ardent fan of Nikos Xylouris. If I had
had an artist’s poster in my room when I was
young, it would have been his.
Any modern artists you admire?
There are many I am interested in. Nikos
Portokaloglou has written very good songs.
Also, Nikos Ziogalas, Phoevos Delivorias,
Manolis Famelos, and Andrianna Babali.
Where are you performing this season and
what are your future plans?
I am working on a new album and have been
performing with Kotsiras, Tsaligopoulou and
Rallia, since the end of November. Before
that, I was at the «Stavros tou Notou» club.
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