Greece: Greek National Final 2010

Alike several other countries in 2010, ERT (the Greek Broadcaster) decided to take a totally new route in selecting their Eurovision artist and entry for the upcoming contest in Oslo.

In 2009, ERT opened up the selection process with Greek record labels to submit proposals for the 2010 Greek National Final. There would be a total of 10 entries selected which eventually, through several controversial weeks, became 7.

From the finalists, Despina Ricci withdrew in January and two favourites, Katerine Avgoustakis and Eleftheria Eleftheriou, songs were leaked in February causing their disqualification.

Final running order:
1. Christos Hatzinasios – Illusion
2. Sunny Baltzi & Second Skin – Game of Life
3. Manos Pyrovolakis – Kivotos tou Noe
4. Giorgos Alkaios & Friends – OPA
5. Yorgos Karadimos – Polemao
6. Melisses – O Kinezos
7. Émigré – Touch me Deep Inside

Some of the pre-final favourites were Giorgos Alkaios, Sunny Baltzi (controversially) and Manos Pyrovlakis. Second Skin was one of the songs that gained the most attention on our partner site 4Lyrics.co.nr lyrics page. It was a very international/mainstream song that many people could identify with. If it wasn’t Alkaios, chances are this would be the winner. However, Baltzi said openly in interviews that she did not like Greek representatives of previous years.

A surprise to some and certainly not to others was the ballad which finished in third place. Giorgos Karadimos and his ballad “Polemao” was the jury favourite of the night. He only managed 8 points from the Greek public which saw the rules (which favours televoting) place him third.

Noah’s Ark (“Kivotos tou Noe”) was another pre-final favourite. For me, I never really understood this song. Ethnically it was strong, but the implementation of English seemed totally wrong and out of place. The possible National Finalist of 2011 for Greece, Eleni Foureira’s English seemed to be the most discussed attribute of this song – but in the end it finished in second place.

Now, we are left with our winner – Giorgos Alkaios & Friends! Most people predicted this to win – but after the three way tie for 20 points – anything was possible. Due to the voting rules, Alkaios came out on top with the Greek public therefore winning the right to represent Greece in Oslo. “OPA” was an energetic and strongly choregraphed entry that was ready for the Eurovision stage. As expected, Alkaios took Greece to the Eurovision final where “OPA” finished in 8th place.