Unplugged Version of Greece’s Eurovision Song Released

A new unplugged version of the song “Zari,” by Greece’s Eurovision 2024 Song Contest representative Marina Satti, was uploaded on Tuesday night to the official Eurovision YouTube account.

Marina Satti again takes center stage with her performance, which is accompanied by musical instruments such as the clarinet and zurna. The YouTube comments are positive, with many of them coming from abroad and expressing their support for Greek participation.

The 68th Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Malmo, Sweden on May 7th, 9th, and 11th, and Marina Satti will perform third in the second semi-final, which will be held on May 9th.

In the first semi-final on Tuesday, May 7th, fifteen countries will participate in the following order: Ukraine, Cyprus, Poland, Serbia, Lithuania, Croatia, Ireland, Slovenia, Iceland, Finland, Portugal, Luxembourg, Australia, Azerbaijan, and Moldova.

In the first semi-final, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Germany will all appear and vote.
In the second semi-final, on May 9th, the following will participate in turn: Malta, Albania, Greece, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Denmark, Armenia, Israel, Estonia, Georgia, the Netherlands, Norway, Latvia, San Marino, and Belgium.

In the second semi-final, Spain, Italy, and France will appear and vote.

How Greece has fared in Eurovision in the past

During the 1990s, Greece finished in the top-ten spot twice at the Eurovision Song Contest with Cleopatra and Katy Garbi reaching fifth and ninth place in 1992 and 1993, respectively. The country competed every year until 1999, when it was relegated from participation. This was because Greece’s five-year points average had fallen below the limit for participation after Thalassa’s 20th-place finish in 1998.

The following year, ERT announced it would not return for the Eurovision Song Contest 2000 despite its eligibility due to financial reasons.

Greece returned to the contest in 2001, represented by the Greek-Swedish duo Antique, comprised of Helena Paparizou and Nikos Panagiotidis. Their song “Die for You” was selected through the national final Ellinikos Telikos 2001 and placed third at the 2001 contest, a new record for the country.

Then, thirty-one years after its debut, Greece won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time in 2005, with Helena Paparizou singing “My Number One,” which, at the time, tied for the record for the highest number of twelve points awarded to the song (10).

The song also meant Greece was the first country that wasn’t a member of the Big Four to win the contest without going through a semi-final. After Eurovision, the song topped the charts in Greece, Cyprus, and Sweden and entered the top ten in Romania, the Netherlands, Hungary, and Belgium, as well as the American Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Chart.