Greece was one of the earliest countries to introduce its flag bearer for the upcoming May Eurovision 2024. After the significant problems and controversies the Greek television faced last year, they didn’t know what to expect. However, the poor results have awakened the country, which is bringing significant changes for 2024: a new delegation, new commentators… All of this coincides with their 50th anniversary in Eurovision.
Marina was the desire of ERT, the Greek public television, a few years ago, but she didn’t feel ready for the challenge of representing an entire country. However, established in the Greek music industry, she has stepped forward, offering herself voluntarily last year. Eurovision 2024 is seen as a chance to steer Greece back on the right path, away from controversies and towards good results.
Who is Marina Satti?
Marina Satti was born in Athens on December 26, 1986, to a Sudanese Arab father and a Greek mother. Growing up in Crete, she began her musical education at a very young age, studying classical piano and vocal training in high school. In 2008, she obtained a bachelor’s degree in lyrical monody with honors and a first prize. A year later, she earned a bachelor’s degree in advanced classical studies. She furthered her education with studies in jazz, composition, and contemporary production at Berklee College of Music.
In 2012, she released her first single “Ena Kalokairi,” followed by “Argosvineis moni” the following year. However, it wasn’t until 2016 when she released the single “Koupes” that she gained greater prominence in the Greek music industry. This song was selected to be included on Ravin and Bob Sinclar’s “20 years anniversary” album. In 2017, she released “Mantissa,” a song that received airplay in some European countries and reached the sales charts in Bulgaria. That same year, she released the song “Ponos Kryfos,” which premiered on the German channel Colors, making her the first Greek artist to do so while singing in her native language.
She has been heavily involved in choirs, founding the all-female a cappella group Fonés in 2016, with which she toured all over Greece. In 2017, she formed the choir Chóres, this time composed of 150 women aged 13 to 55, where she maintains artistic direction.
In 2022, she released her debut album “YENNA,” filled with a blend of traditional sounds with the most current urban and pop elements. Her latest single “Tucutum” has gone viral in all countries neighboring Greece.
“ZARI” the Greek entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2024.
The Greek singer has remained true to her style and presents a perfect fusion of the most traditional Greek sounds with the current sounds prevalent in the global music industry. After receiving nearly 200 songs, the entire team came together, listened to the songs, and were able to form what is the Greek entry.
Therefore, the song is written by Marina Satti herself, along with her usual team: Kay Bee, Stolar Jay Lewit (collaborator of Carly Rae Jepsen and Demi Lovato), OGE, Jordan Palmer (a key collaborator of Duncan Laurence), Nick Kodonas, Gino the Ghost (with two Grammy awards), Vlospa, and Solmeister.
The song speaks to us about love, but also about the risks we must take when we bet on something and do not know the results we will obtain from that risk.
Lyrics of «ZARI»
Greek
Pónos mi mas érthei makári
Péfto kai kyliémai sa zári
Káno pos xechnáo t’ ónomá sou
Ki óla allázoun gýro mou apótoma
O ánemos gia pou tha mas párei
Péfto kai kyliémai sa zári
Káno pos xechnáo t’ áromá sou
Ki óla allázoun gýro mou
I’m gonna do it my way
Sto myaló sou tha bainovgaíno
Giatí de mou ‘doses to chéri
Oúte gia na piastó
Kápote eícha póno gia séna kryfó
T’afíno óla na vgoúne
Páme
Put your hands up
Káno óti den ítane pséma
Ríxe álli mia teleftaía forá
Ki áse na mas férei ó,ti thélei metá
(TA TA TA TA TA)
(TA TA TA TA TA TA)
Ki áse na mas férei ó,ti thélei metá
TA TA TA TA TA TA
Na mas férei ó,ti thélei
(TA TA TA TA TA TA)
Ki as eínai na mas férei ó,ti thélei metá
(TA TA TA TA TA TA)
Na mas férei ó,ti thélei
Na mi thymithó
Tis óres pou kónteva na trelathó
Áse na mi thymithó
Den písteves To kárma óti eínai alithinó
Páme
Put your hands up
Káno óti den ítane pséma
Ríxe álli mia teleftaía forá
Ki áse na mas férei ó,ti thélei metá
(TA TA TA TA TA)
Móni ki an méno
Pánta se periméno
Trémo san flóga
San spírto anamméno
Ótan charázei
me tróei to marázi
móni pethaíno an eísai alloú
(TA TA TA TA TA TA)
Ki áse na mas férei ó,ti thélei metá
(TA TA TA TA TA TA)
Na mas férei ó,ti thélei
(TA TA TA TA TA TA)
Ki as eínai na mas férei ó,ti thélei metá
(TA TA TA TA TA TA)
Na mas férei ó,ti thélei
Pónos mi mas érthei makári
Péfto kai kyliémai sa zári
Káno pos xechnáo t’ ónomá sou
Ki óla allázoun gýro mou apótoma
O ánemos gia pou tha mas párei
Péfto kai kyliémai sa zári
Káno pos xechnáo t’ áromá sou
Ki óla allázoun gýro mou apótoma
(TA TA TA TA TA TA)
Ki áse na mas férei ó,ti thélei metá
(TA TA TA TA TA TA)
Na mas férei ó,ti thélei
Ki as eínai na mas férei ó,ti thélei metá
(TA TA)
Ki óla allázoun gýro mou apótoma
English
May pain not come to us
I fall and move like dice
I pretend to forget your name
And everything changes around me abruptly
Where will the wind take us?
I fall and roll like dice
I pretend to forget your scent
And everything is changing around me
I’m gonna do it my way
I’ll come in and out of your mind
You never gave me a hand to hold
I used to want you secretly
Now I’m letting it all go
Let’s go
Put your hands up
Pretend it wasn’t a lie
Fall one last time
And let whatever happens happen
(ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ)
(ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ)
And let whatever happens happen
ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ
And let whatever happens happen
(ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ)
And let whatever happens happen
(ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ)
And let whatever happens happen
I don’t want to remember
The hours where I almost went crazy
Let me not remember
You didn’t believe that karma was real
Let’s go
Put your hands up
Pretend it wasn’t a lie
Roll it one last time
And let whatever happens happen
(ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ)
Even if I stay alone
I will always be waiting for you
I’m trembling like a flame
Like a lighted up match
When the dawn comes
I pine away
I die alone if you are not here
(ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ)
And let whatever happens happen
(ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ)
Let whatever happens happen
(ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ)
And let whatever happens happen
(ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ)
Let whatever happens happen
May pain not come to us
I fall and move like dice
I pretend to forget your name
And everything changes around me abruptly
Where will the wind take us?
I fall and roll like dice
I pretend to forget your scent
And everything is changing around me abruptly
(ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ)
And let whatever happens happen
(ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ ΤΑ)
Let whatever happens happen
And let whatever happens happen
(ΤΑ ΤΑ)
And everything is changing around me abruptly
Greece’s participation in Eurovision
Since its debut in 1974, Greece has participated in Eurovision on 45 occasions, with only six absences in 1975, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1999, and 2000. Helena Paparizou led Greece to its first victory in 2005 with “My Number One,” scoring 230 points and receiving the maximum score from ten countries. It’s worth noting that Greece has never finished last in the contest.
Throughout the 20th century, Greece achieved only two Top 5 results, securing fifth place with Paschalis, Marianna, Robert, and Bessy in 1977, and again fifth place with Cleopatra in 1992.In the early years of the 21st century, Greece became one of the most successful countries in the contest, achieving Top 10 placements ten times between 2001 and 2013, including Antique’s third place in 2001, Sakis Rouvas in 2004, and Kalomira in 2008.
Between 2014 and 2019, Greece failed to qualify twice in 2016 and 2018. However, in 2021, Stefania managed to lead the country to a tenth place with “Last Dance.”In 2022, Amanda Tenfjord improved the result with an eighth place with her song “Die Together.” In 2023, Victor Vernicos performed his song “What They Say,” but failed to qualify for the grand final.