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Eleni "Elena" Paparizou, born January 31, 1982, usually referred to abroad as Helena Paparizou, is a Greek singer, occasional songwriter and television personality. Born and raised in Sweden to Greek immigrant parents, she enrolled in various arts schools before launching a career there in 1999 as a member of the laïko and Eurodance duo Antique, whose rise to fame in Greece was preceded by its participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2001.
Antique disbanded in 2003 and Paparizou signed a solo recording contract with Sony Music Greece, releasing the chart-topping debut single "Anapandites Kliseis" and album Protereotita (2004), with emphasis on laïko, pop, and dance sounds, but had modest sales, initially. She then represented Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest 2005, giving the country its only win in contest history with the song "My Number One", an achievement which significantly transformed her career. Her album was subsequently certified double platinum by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry of Greece (IFPIG), while she also briefly attempted a career beyond Greece with English-language material, charting in a few countries abroad. Her three subsequent albums Iparhi Logos (2006), The Game of Love (2006) and Vrisko To Logo Na Zo (2008) all peaked at number one in Greece and reached platinum sales. Her fifth studio album, Giro Apo T' Oneiro (2010), was also certified platinum. Her final release before her departure from Sony Music, Greatest Hits & More, was released in 2011 and spawned her biggest hit "Baby It's Over".
Paparizou established herself as a teen idol, particularly among young girls. Apart from music, she has also endorsed brands such as Nokia and Ivi. In the 2010s she made attempts to cross over into television as a judge on Dancing on Ice (2011) and a contestant on Let's Dance (2012) but witnessed little success. Paparizou lived with her fiancé and manager Tony Mavridis from 1999 until their separation in 2011.
Paparizou has been awarded with three Arion Music Awards, a European Border Breakers Award, 22 MAD Video Music Awards—more than any other artist— and an MTV Europe Music Award. On 14 March 2010, Alpha TV ranked her as the 14th top-certified domestic female artist in the nation's phonographic era (since 1960), totaling seven platinum and four gold records. Paparizou was the most successful debuting female artist of the 2000s (decade) and established herself as one of the top acts of the latter half of the decade. As of 2010, she has been certified for the sales of 300 thousand albums, 47.5 thousand singles, and 30 thousand digital downloads by IFPI Greece, in addition to 100 thousand total reco[[Media:rd sales in Greece as part of Antique, as well as 24 thousand certified albums in Cyprus, and 20 thousand singles in Sweden during her solo career. In 2010, Forbes listed Paparizou as the 21st most powerful and influential celebrity in Greece. Additionally, Paparizou has more than 144 million views on Youtube, more than any other artist in the Greek music industry.
2013-present: Ti Ora Tha Vgoume?, Melodifestivalen, and One Life[]
In summer 2012, Paparizou started recording a new album. In particular, she told in various radio interviews, that she's searching for new style for her upcoming Greek album. Recently, in a MTV Greece show interview mentioned that the album will be consisted of 10 tracks. During October she recorded a laiko duet with Natasa Theodoridou titled Lathos Agapes which made radio success peaking at #11 at the official Greek Airplay Chart by Mediainspector. On 9 November she presented a live unplugged version of John Lennon song "Imagine" at the dinner Gala for the Athens Classic Marathon 2012. On December Helena gave a Christmas concert in Trikala city and revealed that Stavento has written a Greek song for her. On 14 December, Helena became radio producer in Greek Music Week festival by Sfera Radio 102.2 and she stated that she's recording demos for a Greek new album and in parallel she's preparing her second international album with a 2013 release sometime. On 1 February, Sony Music released digitally in Greek iTunes a second compilation album titled The Love Collection, which consisted of love ballads from previous albums.
During summer 2013 Helena performed at various Greek festivals to promote her new album "Ti Ora Tha Vgoume?" as long as in August she appeared on some big popular Swedish events such as Nickelodeon & Stockholm Pride. Recently, an EP was released on Swedish iTunes and Spotify including 4 Save Me (This is An SOS) remixes by SoundFactory producer reaching #27 on Swedish Dance Charts. In autumn she appearead on Thessaloniki's exhibition concert and in October she made a television performance of "Save Me" song in Bingolotto, Sweden. In December 2013 she decided to change her hair look and dyed it light red-orange gaining much positive comments.
Paparizou began the new year as a guest on Eleni Menegaki's Greek noon show Eleni on January 2. Afterwards, Helena sung live in Kesselhaus (Germany) for Greek residents. On February 1 she will sing in the 2014 Melodifestivalen that will select Sweden's entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 in Copenhagen. An official announcement was made by the Swedish broadcaster, SVT in November 2013. On March 26 her third English language album, titled One Life, will be released in Sweden by Lionheart Music Group.
On 1 March Paparizou made it to the final of Melodifestivalen 2014 after being voted into the Top 2 of the Second Chance round of the competition. In the final, Paparizou was voted in the fourth place.
Discography[]
- Protereotita (2004)
- My Number One (2005)
- Iparhi Logos (2006)
- The Game of Love (2006)
- Vrisko To Logo Na Zo (2008)
- Giro Apo T' Oneiro (2010)
- Ti Ora Tha Vgoume? (2013)
- One Life (2014)
Television[]
| Television | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2001 | Eurovision Song Contest 2001 | Herself (as Antique) | Greek entrant 3rd place |
| 2005 | Eurovision Song Contest 2005 | Herself | Greek entrant 1st place |
| 2005 | Congratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest | Herself | Entrant 4th place |
| 2006 | Eurovision Song Contest 2006 | Herself | Guest star |
| 2011 | Dancing on Ice | Herself | Television debut Season 1 judge 12 episodes |
| 2012 | Let's Dance | Herself | Season 3 contestant 3 episodes Eliminated 2nd (9th place) |
| 2014 | Melodifestivalen 2014 | Herself | Final contestant TBA |