Cyprus-Forum.com

[originalsmiler]

Source:
http://www.lgr.co.uk/music/news/11063/cyprus-picks-evdokia-for-eurovision/

And the winner is... Evdokia Kadi - Femme Fatale
The stunningly beautiful Evdokia had romped home to victory - topping the public preference on 6.279 tele-votes.

Second was the impressive 19-year-old, Nikolas Metaxas, with 'I Can't Be' who grabbed 3.994 votes.

Born in 1981 in Nicosia, Evdokia’s ‘Femme Fatale’ has broken the mould of the latent Eurovision offering, with a striking resemblance to scenes reminiscent of a Cypriot taverna, for the traditional rebetiko flavoured song, and sun-soaked tourists will love it!

"Geia Sou Manga, Ego Ime Gynaika"
Evdokia is a fiesty Cypriot lass who will unleash her feminine giles on the unsuspecting Eurovision punter, with the fully fledged plate-breaking anthem, which is simply made in Cyprus.

Nikos Evaggelou had written the three minutes show-stopper, with orchestration by Neophytos Neophytou.

The heat stages had taken place at the Cybc 3 Studio in Nicosia, on Saturday 12 January. Cypriot singer Andreas Ektoras had turned their focus at some masterful television presenting, and did a good job.

10 finalists had competed for the Eurovision ticket - an institution that is revered for having introduced some of the country's brightest ever talents, like Anna Vissi, Constantinos Christoforou, Evridiki and Michalis Hatzigiannis.

The slick production had galvanised the whole nation - into following the fate of the artists in contention, and finally erased the memories of poorly lit night clubs, that once decided such competitions.

Evdokia's presentation had taken a snippet from the gimmicks handbook - with a strip routine, at first, she appears in a white over-coat, and then reveals, a classy black out-fit. The whole concept of it does enhance a dynamic force of which the composition does actually induce. It starts officially a rebetiko - and progresses into a fast rumba, reinforcing a taverna-esque performance.

On a less sanguine note however, could hardly be described as a potent chart-topper, dated and old-fashioned in specific parts – like the ‘laiko’ vocal, the nostalgic charm offensive is a quite deliberate strategy. And it succeeds.

This really works as a choreographed number, as opposed to breaking into the pop contemporary scene. The three minutes of entertainment value, lifts the obscure, theatrical quirky tune to an even dizzier height. She takes to standing on a table, whilst hoisted into mid-air, by the fellow-dancers, a clever visual device.

Evdokia's dancers are Tefkros Neokleous, Andreas Vanezis, Polys Kourousides and Christos Shakallis - with choreography charged by Elena Shakalli.

Whether your inclined to adore or loathe it, and doubtless will polarise opinion - this commentator is developing a fondness for Evdokia's plate-breaking number, it definitely won't easily fade from the viewer's consciousness. The ethnic under-tones will sure to be appreciated by the Serbians, Albanians, Bulgarians - the Eastern European and Balkan viewer. Their fate in Western Europe is completely unkown however.

It is a totally contrasting proposition – a positive asset, or ultimately goes amiss on the Eurovision voter – time will tell.

Cyprus is to be drawn in the Semi-Final heats, on either May 20 or May 22, with the aim of progressing into the Final on May 24.

LGR.CO.UK

[Raymanoff]

what hopes? Eurovision soon will become another "Paratraguda" with their own international versions of "Vas Vas Paraskevas"...