Greek singer Eleftheria Arvanitaki visited the Greek Centre in Melbourne, Victoria today ahead of her performance at the Greek Community of Melbourne’s (GCM) Grecian Ball on Friday, March 24. She will also be performing her iconic songs at the Athenaeum Theatre in Victoria on March 25, before heading to Sydney and Adelaide.
During a press conference at the Greek Centre, Ms Arvanitaki spoke to The Greek Herald and said she has never forgotten the big concerts held in Melbourne with thousands of people on the street.
“Whenever I see Greek people abroad, there is emotion, a thirst for Greek music. And now that there are many young Greeks who left Greece to go abroad, the reactions are even more enthusiastic,” Ms Arvanitaki said.
“I have sung abroad to people that are not Greeks too and the reactions there are different. While they don’t understand the language, they are charmed by the music and the musicians. At any festivals I have been to abroad, people’s reaction has been enthusiastic.”
Ms Arvanitaki then turned to the question of COVID-19 and how it affected artists abroad.
“Covid brought much turbulency in Greece. We were closed up in our homes, there was no communication with the people. We could not do anything about our work and it was sad. There were many colleagues that experienced this period in a tough way,” she said.
“However, I didn’t stay so isolated from the people. Although the fact that you cannot practice your art costs you. Those who live for the music scene – dancers, musicians, actors, everything that has to do with arts – all of us had a hard time.”
When asked about rap and ‘trap’ music, which is preferred by young audiences in Greece, Ms Arvanitaki said:
“It is a new way of expression for younger people that listen to rap and are connected with it. But there is a big gap with Greeks of other ages. I believe that rap has a future in Greece and many very good artists are appearing,”.
“I cannot know how it is going to affect our lives or their lives in the future. However it is an art, a very important one, and when there are artists like LEX, or like Giannis Aggelakas, they create a wave that is really important in Greek music.”
