Showing posts with label Eurovision Song Contest. Show all posts

13:40:00

 



Meet Akylas (Akylas Mytilinaios), the 26-year-old artist representing Greece at Eurovision 2026 in Vienna. A breakout star of the Greek indie-pop scene, he secured his ticket after a landslide victory in the national final, Sing for Greece, earning the top score from both juries and the public.

Background: Born in Serres in 1999, Akylas is a self-made musician who honed his skills at the Serres Music School and through theater workshops. He spent two years performing on cruise ships, which he credits as his "great school" for mastering everything from disco to rock.

The Song: His entry, "Ferto" (Bring It), is an upbeat electro-pop anthem with a hidden depth. Co-written with Orfeas Nonis and produced by Papatanice and TEO.x3 (a 2014 Eurovision veteran), the track critiques consumerism and greed. It is deeply personal, inspired by his childhood economic struggles and dedicated to his mother.




Artistic Identity: Identifying as a queer artist, Akylas champions authenticity and self-acceptance. He first gained viral fame on TikTok with ukulele covers before a memorable stint on The Voice of Greece.

Eurovision Prep: For the big stage in May, he will be collaborating with legendary director Fokas Evangelinos to revamp his performance, which will likely feature his signature beanie and a new headset-mic setup to allow for more choreography.






Dimitris Kechagias Review:
[review top="1"]
[item value="10"]Akylas - Ferto [/item]
[content title="Summary" label="Overall Score"]Akylas’ “Ferto (Bring It),” a euphoric electro-pop anthem stands out both for its production quality and emotional depth. The track immediately captures attention with its driving rhythm, groove, and relentless 150 BPM pace, which expertly fuels energy flow and momentum across its entire duration. The fast psy-trance basslines, combined with heavy raw kicks and metallic percussion, create a pulse that keeps the listener actively engaged while maintaining BPM consistency and seamless synchronization, making it an ideal choice for DJs and festival sets. The transitions, drops, and build-ups are masterfully executed, ensuring that the energy remains dynamic without ever feeling monotonous, and each sequence feels like a natural evolution of the previous one. This makes the track not only club-ready but also perfectly suited for high-intensity fitness sessions and dance-based wellness classes, where music with strong rhythmic drive has been shown to enhance physical performance and endurance (Karageorghis & Priest, 2012). From a melodic and harmonic standpoint, “Ferto” shines with memorable hooks and intricate layers that intertwine electronic textures with the nostalgic touch of old-school Atari tones and the cultural richness of the Greek lyra. The piano break and vinyl scratches in the breakdown add a surprising emotional depth, creating a sense of storytelling that enhances the overall cohesion of the track. These elements contribute to its emotional resonance, allowing listeners to connect on both a physical and psychological level. Music with strong melodic and harmonic content has been shown to stimulate the brain’s reward systems and evoke positive emotional responses, which can improve mood and reduce stress (Blood & Zatorre, 2001). The production quality of “Ferto” is exemplary. The sound design and spatial effects are immaculately crafted, giving the track a vibrant, immersive atmosphere that feels alive in both headphones and large club systems. The dynamic range and loudness balance are carefully managed, allowing the track to hit with festival-level intensity without overwhelming the ears, while its use of effects and layering demonstrates a refined artistic identity. This thoughtful balance also enhances its suitability for fitness and wellness classes, as consistent energy combined with clean production can improve focus and motivation during physical activity (Terry et al., 2020). Akylas' vocal performance is fresh, youthful, and perfectly aligned with the character he embodies in the song. His delivery amplifies the song’s message of awareness toward consumerism and greed, inviting listeners to engage with its deeper meaning while still enjoying its surface-level energy and catchiness. The emotional lift provided by the lyrics and vocal clarity further supports the track’s potential to positively impact mental well-being by fostering a sense of connection and catharsis through music (Juslin & Västfjäll, 2008). The replay value is exceptionally high, as the combination of intricate structure, crowd reaction potential, and seamless intro/outro design makes it a festival and club favorite, while also lending itself to repeated listening in personal workouts or wellness routines. Overall, “Ferto” is not just a technically flawless production but also a track that leverages the science of music’s influence on the body and mind. Its energetic flow supports physical activity, its melodic storytelling nurtures emotional engagement, and its cultural elements create a unique, immersive experience. This alignment of artistic creativity with human-centered benefits solidifies its place as a track with both entertainment and wellness value. #PureGold Loveit [/content]
[item value="10"]Rhythm, Groove & Drive[/item]
[item value="10"]Melodic Hooks & Harmonic Layers[/item]
[item value="10"]Transitions, Drops & Build-Ups [/item]
[item value="10"]Energy Flow & Momentum [/item]
[item value="10"]Sound Design & Production Quality[/item]
[item value="10"]Originality of Arrangement & Structure[/item]
[item value="10"]Use of Effects & Spatial Design[/item]
[item value="10"]Dynamic Range & Loudness Balance[/item]
[item value="10"]Atmosphere & Immersion[/item]
[item value="10"]Emotional Resonance[/item]
[item value="10"]Creativity & Artistic Identity[/item]
[item value="10"]Cohesion & Storytelling[/item]
[item value="10"]Vocal Performance & Lyrical Impact[/item]
[item value="10"]Catchiness & Replay Value[/item]
[item value="10"]Club / Festival Suitability[/item]
[item value="10"]Track Intro/Outro Structure[/item]
[item value="10"]BPM Consistency & Sync Ease[/item]
[item value="10"]Cue Points & Loop Potential[/item]
[item value="10"]Dynamic Energy for Set Flow[/item]
[item value="10"]Crowd Reaction Potential[/item]
[/review]


Suggested Bibliography:
Blood, A. J., & Zatorre, R. J. (2001). Intensely pleasurable responses to music correlate with activity in brain regions implicated in reward and emotion. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 98(20), 11818–11823.
Juslin, P. N., & Västfjäll, D. (2008). Emotional responses to music: The need to consider underlying mechanisms. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 31(5), 559–575.
Karageorghis, C. I., & Priest, D. L. (2012). Music in the exercise domain: A review and synthesis (Part I and II). International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 5(1), 44–84.
Terry, P. C., Karageorghis, C. I., Curran, M. L., Martin, O. V., & Parsons-Smith, R. L. (2020). Effects of music in exercise and sport: A meta-analytic review. Psychological Bulletin, 146(2), 91–117.





Additional info:

21:39:00

From ABBA to Celine Dion, the Eurovision Song Contest is an annual event steeped in history, celebrating the most diverse and exciting names from across the continent. You’ve heard the ubiquitously iconic ‘Sandstorm’, amongst others in an almost 20 year long career and now for 2019, Finland will be represented by Darude for this year’s competition.

Darude is one of the most successful Finnish artists of the modern era with true global appeal. A multi-platinum, award-winning Producer/DJ, who plays hundreds of club and festival shows around the world and who to date has released 4 critically acclaimed studio albums, his most recent album ‘Moments’ (Warner Music) coming back in 2015. In a career that has seen him win prestigious awards that include 3 x Finnish Grammy Awards to having one of the world's biggest selling 12 inch singles in 2000, Darude has continually flown the ‘Siniristilippu’ (‘Blue Cross Flag’) of Finland wherever he has travelled. An act that his home country has always respected him for and is in part the reason behind why he was invited to usher in the 2016 New Year Eve celebrations by DJing at a largescale public event in the country’s capital of Helsinki in front more than 100,000 people as part of the celebrations of 100 years of Finnish independence.
”This is a huge challenge for me in many ways, when I was asked to represent Finland I felt a bit scared at first, but there was no way I could say no to my country! It is an honour to be part of this incredible experience and I only have positive expectations!”, Darude says. Promising to create the atmosphere and visuality of his DJ gigs on the Eurovision stage, Darude will perform his tracks with featured vocalist Sebastian Rejman, known from the band The Giant Leap, sure to bring a fresh vitality and admirable live element to Darude’s musical backdrop.
Since his arrival on the world stage back in 1999, his iconic musical workings having been utilised by globally-recognised events including Euro 2000, Wimbledon, The Olympics, NFL, NBA and the UFC, on top of making appearances everywhere from Hollywood movies to advertising videos for Nike and PlayStation, as well as video games such as DJ Hero and more recently Angry Birds. Now his music’s reach is extending to new ground with his invitation to represent his country in the 2019 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest and is expected to be one of the stand-out musical moments of the year.
“We are really excited that Darude is representing Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest. This is probably the first time that a DJ is taking over the Eurovision stage”, the producer of Yle’s Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (UMK), Anssi Autio, also said.
Darude have released the three songs that will compete in the national selection of the UMK. The winning Darude track that finally represents Finland in the ESC 2019 will be decided by a combination of public vote and an international jury’s points via live TV broadcast on 2nd March. Get ready Finland, as Darude is going to join the elite EU rankings and make it one memorable night...
Darude: "I'm super excited to be partnering with Armada for Eurovision. I cannot think of a better label to work with to bring dance music and a slice of club culture to the Eurovision fans. This first track, ‘Release Me’, is close to my heart as it reveals some of the trials and tribulations that come with being a touring DJ and family man. Find me on my socials and let me know what you think, and I’ll be seeing you on the dance floor soon!"
Sebastian Rejman, who will perform the chosen song alongside Darude at Eurovision Song Contest 2019, adds: “It’s so great to do this thing with Darude and Armada. It’s an honor to be a part of this project and get the opportunity to rock the Eurovision stage with all of you!" 








Additional info:
www.facebook.com/darude
www.twitter.com/darudevil 
www.instagram.com/darudevil
www.youtube.com/user/darude
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▶https://www.facebook.com/armadamusic
▶https://www.twitter.com/armada
▶https://www.soundcloud.com/armadamusic

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