It is New Music Friday and Greece’s Eurovision winner Helena Paparizou delivers the second single from Apochróseis. Earlier this year she gave us the care-free lockdown party anthem ‘Mila Mou’. Now she brings us the power-ballad ‘Se Xeno Soma’, along with a thought evoking music video about self expression and learning to love yourself.
Helena Paparizou is ready for body talk in ‘Se Xeno Soma’
This week Helena Paparizou returns with the second single from her upcoming album. Always staying relevant both in music style and the issues people face today, ‘Se Xeno Soma’ or ‘In A Stranger’s Body’ tackles the important topic of body image. Through Helena’s powerful vocals laced in a traditional mid-tempo Greek melody, this striking ballad hits to the core of the struggles of expressing love for yourself and others.
Listen to your wishes and love your truth. Trust your body. This expresses your soul.
Helena Paparizou, Instagram
Together with director Giannis Michelopolous, Helena manages to capture the essence of pressure from society to conform. During the video we see a young man struggling to balance his own wants with the expectations from those around him. Which is visualised through his almost naked expression of his body’s imprisonment. Meanwhile Helena is dressing down after fulfilling her duties of the day and the two face their opposing realities in the mirror. The song speaks to those that have gone through those thoughts of wondering how to love others if they can’t love themselves first.
The song has been composed by Arcade and Padé. Whilst the lyrics have been written by Rene and Arcade and has been produced by Ju Stamatakis. Later this year Helena Paparizou will release her newest album Apochróseis (Shades) in November by record label Minos EMI.
Helena Paparizou in the Eurovision Song Contest
Helena Paparizou has appeared on the Eurovision stage twice in the contest’s history. Her first attempt came in 2001, when she represented Greece as part of the duo Antique. ‘(I Would) Die For You’ was a favourite for the victory. Although it had to settle for third place. However this was Greece’s best result at the time. Thus cementing Helena’s place in the fans’ hearts and as an icon of Greek music, with the solo career that followed.
Four years later ERT internally selected Helena to represent Greece again at the 2005 contest. During a national final with three songs, ‘My Number One’ was the chosen entry to represent Greece. Later that summer in the contest, Helena and her catchy Mediterranean banger became a reality. When it received 230 points, giving Greece their first and to date, only Eurovision victory. Which is still loved by many to this day. As seen in the recent success for ‘My Number One’ in the fan vote for the Eurovision Again contest rewatches.
Most recently Helena competed in Melodifestivalen 2014 to represent her birthplace of Sweden. During a highly competitive Final, she came fourth with her power anthem ‘Survivor’. After then there have been many rumours of a Eurovision return. Both for Greece and Cyprus.
Are you feeling body positive with Helena Paparizou’s ‘Se Xeno Soma’? Would you like to see a Eurovision return in the future? Let us know! Stay up to date by following @ESCXTRA on Twitter, @escxtra on Instagram and liking our Facebook page for the latest updates! As well as subscribing to our YouTube channel. Where you can watch our reactions to the news in the upcoming months. You can also follow our Spotify for more music from your favourite acts!
