# Antigoni Reveals ALL About Love Island All Stars, Eurovision MADNESS & Having A Famous Mum?!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_L-SmlpuE8c

[00:00] Welcome back to another episode of Saving Grace and today we have got a Eurovision icon on.
[00:05] We have got the Queen Antiggony sweetheart.
[00:12] I'm so excited to be here.
[00:13] I'm buzzing that you're on.
[00:15] I feel like you go with this set as well.
[00:16] Oh my god.
[00:17] And you know what?
[00:17] You've even got like the Greek pillars.
[00:19] Listen up.
[00:21] Yeah.
[00:21] I did this for you.
[00:21] Just for me?
[00:23] Yeah.
[00:23] Yeah, of course.
[00:23] I built it for you.
[00:23] Thank you.
[00:24] Should we just get stuck in with your vision then?
[00:26] So you do you get the call?
[00:28] Do you audition?
[00:28] Like what's how does it go?
[00:31] Each country has its different thing.
[00:32] Like a lot of countries do like a national selection where it's like a mini Eurovision in the country and they choose.
[00:37] Okay.
[00:37] With Cyprus, it's always been like behind closed doors and I've been like trying to get in there for so many years like not knowing what the thing is.
[00:42] Like I I was like ghost tagging the I found out like who the people who make the decisions are.
[00:47] And I was ghost No, not joking.
[00:49] Like a psycho.
[00:49] Like for like years I was tag ghost tagging them and never responded to me.
[00:54] Never gave me time a day.
[00:55] But then this year I found out after the how it like all I know is
[01:01] I got a call being like you're going Eurovvision and I was like
[01:04] oh you didn't even get
[01:05] no it was I was in the middle of Soho
[01:07] and they announced it the official Eurovvision collab with me 2 minutes
[01:11] after I found out that I was going.
[01:13] So like my best friends and my sister like everyone was calling me like
[01:16] is this true? Because they they would have thought they're going to know and
[01:19] my mom was on the plane going to Cypress funny enough.
[01:21] I was like my mom doesn't know
[01:24] she's going to land and get the shock of her life.
[01:25] They they turned up with like um cuz I told them I was like my mom's flying Cypress and they a TV crew like
[01:29] went and like filmed my mom and dad's reaction and like my mom's like good
[01:33] with this stuff.
[01:34] My dad never's been interviewed and like he's he's had a few situations recently where I'm like why
[01:38] did you say that?
[01:41] But anyway, that's another story.
[01:44] But um yeah, so I the way it worked this year was there was a panel of five people and
[01:47] I didn't know who these people were and they didn't know who each other was.
[01:51] music people, radio dealers.
[01:52] I don't know who who they who they were.
[01:54] And they were given a list of nine names who had been put forward by Greek record labels.
[01:57] Um I'm not signed to a Greek
[02:02] record label, but that I have I have a good relationship with one particular label and I said to them, "Look, I want to do your revision. Can you put my name forward?
[02:07] All I knew was that a label had to put you forward to do with the funding.
[02:11] And they did.
[02:11] They put my name forward.
[02:13] And these people on the panel had to put from one to nine who they thought was right.
[02:17] And they didn't they weren't given any like info.
[02:19] They just said do your own research.
[02:21] So the timing was kind of perfect because at that time I was on tour supporting um an artist called Marina Sati who actually represented Greece two years ago
[02:29] and I was like holding a Cypress flag on stage every night.
[02:32] So anyone who did their research would be like well she should be going and that's what happened and that was it.
[02:38] Yeah.
[02:39] That's how I got chosen.
[02:40] That is incredible.
[02:42] Also I feel like the most nerve-wracking opportunity to get as well like leading up to it.
[02:47] Were you yourself?
[02:48] No, I wasn't like I wasn't actually.
[02:51] I was really excited.
[02:53] There was a period where like there was so much press stuff and so much traveling that I was like I need to get just into rehearsals.
[02:58] And I think once I got into rehearsals, I felt really good.
[03:01] But then for me, the the crowd, the
[03:03] arena does not freak me out one bit.
[03:05] I love it.
[03:07] Like the moment the arena was filled with people, I felt calmer than I did when we were doing it to the empty arena.
[03:11] Really?
[03:12] Cuz I really fed off the energy and people were singing along so loud.
[03:15] It was just such an amazing feeling.
[03:16] The thing that freaked me out a bit was the TV element of it, the live TV.
[03:21] Oh, really?
[03:21] That's the cuz like 166 million people watched the Eurovvision last year.
[03:25] I don't know what the numbers were from this year, but something like that.
[03:27] I couldn't know that information when performing.
[03:29] No.
[03:31] So that I was trying to put out my mind and I was just trying to be like perform the arena like you know.
[03:34] Um, so I had my I definitely when I got there.
[03:39] I definitely had like some real nervous moments and like my it affected my um my breathing.
[03:45] Like even in the rehe like going yeah in one of the rehearsals I started the song and when I say rehearsals like these are being filmed and stuff so I started having like what I thought was a panic attack about like 10 seconds into the song and I was like in my head I was saying your voice isn't going to come out and that freaked me out and then it took me a to
[04:06] kind of like reenter from that experience.
[04:09] I feel like that's the most terrifying thing if you're performing something and you're like, I'm actually having a panic attack right now.
[04:14] And I was like, my voice isn't in my head.
[04:16] I was going, my voice isn't going to come out.
[04:17] I was like, oh my god.
[04:20] I said it to my like to my manager after and like like he knows me very well in terms of my performance, my voice.
[04:26] He was I knew something was up cuz like Yeah.
[04:28] But it was that's what the rehearsals are for.
[04:30] Yeah. Thank god.
[04:30] Um, but it was an amazing experience.
[04:33] Like, and you got to the final as well.
[04:37] That's is Thank God. That's insane.
[04:40] Yeah, it was.
[04:40] The thing with Eurovvision is that it's just it's an incredible um it's the biggest world stage other than the Super Bowl.
[04:48] It is the most watched like musical and this is more for the gays as well.
[04:51] Absolutely. Thank goodness.
[04:53] It's the best audience.
[04:54] Like the Eurovvision fandom is like amazing.
[04:55] It's such a nice environment and all the other like contestants, even though we're there and it's competition, I think everyone recognizes that you're not really competing with each other.
[05:06] You're you have an opportunity to do what you're going to do on stage and then what you do with your career for the rest of it, that's what you take from it.
[05:11] It's a bit like X Factor, right?
[05:13] Think about it.
[05:14] One Direction, where did they come like fourth?
[05:16] I think they came like second, was it?
[05:18] No, I think four.
[05:19] It was fourth.
[05:22] Fourth. Yeah. But it's like I don't even and who came first that year?
[05:23] Well, [ __ ] knows.
[05:25] You never remember who comes first.
[05:27] No disrespect to that.
[05:29] It goes it goes it goes it goes different ways though.
[05:32] Like Dra who won this year is incredible.
[05:35] I really really like as a person as well like I met her at first on a promo tour in in Oslo.
[05:38] She's such a girls girl.
[05:40] Like we we clicked straight away cuz it was like oh you're cool.
[05:42] We're just like on a level where and I think every most nearly like everyone that I came across was just like we're just here to do an amazing thing.
[05:51] So it was really a nice atmosphere and like we all knew like the opportunity that we have.
[05:53] Do you do like a night out afterwards with everyone?
[05:59] You don't have time.
[06:01] Like everyone left the next day and bear in mind it was like by the time we finished filming the final it was like 1 in the morning and then you go back
[06:08] you de decompress a little bit whenever like and then I was leaving at like 9:00 a.m.
[06:13] But we did have moments like the San Marino had a party and we were all there and that was like a night that most of us were like all there and we had a dance.
[06:19] That's so fun that you can all see each like meet each other properly, speak as well.
[06:23] No, definitely. I'll be in touch with a lot of the contestants now too.
[06:26] Like it was such cuz you'd have all these like weird This is the thing that you don't realize until you're there.
[06:30] There's these weird little moments.
[06:33] So once you know the the running order, there's rehearsals so you'll know who's coming before you who's coming after you and you have these little moments as you're leaving the stage or as you're going to the stage that you see the next person.
[06:41] Like for me when I was coming off the stage for the final and you know what a lot of people don't realize is that there's two finals and two semi-finals.
[06:48] Yeah.
[06:49] So the jury votes the night before the TV final.
[06:53] So the points that are like given to you by the jury have been already judged before it's live on TV.
[06:57] Oh wow.
[06:57] So you have to have four basically great performances and so you do the same running order many many times but like for me it was Italy straight after me in the final and I love first of all that was like I think that's my favorite song
[07:09] from the from this year other than Jala of course.
[07:11] of course like I love that song.
[07:13] and I want to do a Greek version, but I would get off stage and I'd see um S and his team and it would be like this little moment and then I'd walk off and I'd see Jonas who was the Oso guy and we'd have this little like yeah let's do this like it was such a nice um you know like cheesy like Eurovvision family was like this.
[07:29] it's nice it was a nice atmosphere as well I feel like that helps nerves.
[07:33] and it's run it runs on volunteers most of the people working in the arena are volunteers and they just love Eurovision and they're so excited to be a part of it and they're working so hard as volunteers so it's just it just creates this really really nice atmosphere.
[07:48] Your outfit as well.
[07:49] Thank you.
[07:50] Was sensational.
[07:53] I hope you haven't got rid of it.
[07:54] I hope it's framed somewhere.
[07:56] I'm going to wear a wedding.
[07:57] I fear you have to.
[08:01] It was phenomenal. Like how did you go about getting that outfit?
[08:03] Honestly, that outfit was like actually something out of my dreams. Like I think if I saw anybody else wear that outfit, I would have gone green from Jenny.
[08:10] was I just lose my dream outfit.
[08:13] Like it was like a mermaidy goddessy shells.
[08:17] So the way that that happened was me and my stylist, his name's Gostandino, he we have been manifesting your vision for years.
[08:22] Like I have videos of us like sitting on my living room floor like planning what we want.
[08:25] And then when we were searching for who would be the right designer, um we ended up going with Natar Georgu, which is a Cria designer.
[08:33] um two guys who are just amazing and they've made a few outfits of me on this journey leading up to it and it was just a real labor of love and a team effort.
[08:43] They they have this distinctive style with these 3D kind of dresses.
[08:47] So that's what they kind of really brought into this and then all the details of the shells and the the shell bra.
[08:53] and like for me I love my belly out.
[08:55] Everyone everyone like is she going to change her style?
[08:59] No, I have my belly out today actually.
[09:02] So now and again I put it away.
[09:04] But for me, it was just like my dream outfit.
[09:06] I've still got my Eurovvision nails because that I haven't had time to get my nails done.
[09:09] I just wouldn't want to take them off.
[09:10] Though.
[09:11] I don't even want to.
[09:12] They've lasted so well.
[09:15] Nikki did my nails.
[09:16] This um girl who's amazing, but I do need to get them done at some point and do a pedicure and a manicure.
[09:19] And then I've got these um I've never worn extensions.
[09:22] So, I saw this video of you getting all of this done and now I'm now I'm trapped.
[09:27] He like as as the hair um stylist did them for me, he said, "Don't get ticked."
[09:30] And now once I've had it, I looked at an old video with my hair normal.
[09:35] I'm like, who is she?
[09:36] I can't.
[09:39] Extensions are so dangerous.
[09:40] You just feel bald without them, right?
[09:41] Cuz they look just they're so good as well.
[09:42] They look like my real hair.
[09:43] I don't know how cuz it matches your curl pattern so well.
[09:48] Maloi hairdressers is the one.
[09:50] It's in um Maloi means hair in Cria.
[09:53] It's almost like quite a villagy way of saying hair.
[09:55] And it's in Hamstead.
[09:57] and he must have permed I don't even know how many centuries to get it right and it was just perfect.
[10:01] So every detail from like the hair to the the makeup look like um we the makeup brand called Cherry Up my body oil that they put on me went
[10:12] Completely viral.
[10:14] Like the video has like 10 million views.
[10:16] It's ridiculous.
[10:16] That was you know what's so funny?
[10:17] The outfit came to me first and then I thought what the has she put on her body?
[10:21] It looked sensational.
[10:24] It looked like I was like shining like everyone like you just come out the sea, right?
[10:28] Do you know what I mean?
[10:29] That's my dream.
[10:30] Oh my god.
[10:30] Honestly, you smashed it.
[10:33] Thank you.
[10:33] What has the reaction been like?
[10:35] Absolutely unbelievable.
[10:35] Like it's like it's just been amazing and especially in Cyprus because so Jala means more.
[10:44] It's specifically in Criate dialect and that's never happened before in the Eurovvision that they've actually taken Criate dialect to the Eurovvision.
[10:50] And me as a consumer have been saying for years and years, I want to see something criate representing Cypress.
[10:55] Of course, the last few years incredibly talented artists have gone great songs, but they weren't Criate style.
[11:01] So for me, I was like, when I go, I want to take something really criate.
[11:05] So Jala has like become a national anthem in Cypress.
[11:07] The excitement in Cypress is something that's like I just couldn't be more grateful for the the reaction.
[11:13] Went to visit a school the other day.
[11:14] When we got back to Cyprus and the teachers were telling me that they did an assembly that was titled Astros Nalon.
[11:21] And that means it's one of the lyrics in the song that says let them talk.
[11:25] And they did this whole assembly about like, don't care what people think, be yourself.
[11:28] And I was like, your song lyrics.
[11:31] Like that's crazy.
[11:32] You made it.
[11:33] So the reaction is crazy and in the like, you know, all the people in the arena who worked there were just like singing Jala constantly.
[11:38] I couldn't walk somewhere without people being like Jala Jala.
[11:42] So catchy and it is such a good song.
[11:45] Honestly, you had the song before Eurovision, did you?
[11:48] Well, I started writing it and I'd been it's a song that I started writing like a year and a half ago and just about a month before I found out I hit up this producer.
[11:55] I made it initially with my team, Tqua Conor Mali, who I make most of my music with.
[11:56] I hit up this producer, Clay, who's a um Albanian producer based in Greece, and he's just really talented.
[12:05] And I was like, I feel like he can help me elevate this.
[12:06] We started making it.
[12:08] Then I found out I was going, we finished it.
[12:09] We did it.
[12:11] And I just knew I just believed that it
[12:13] was just God's timing cuz it all just happened in such a like amazing way.
[12:17] And the reaction to the song and the music video when it first came out, it just absolutely went crazy.
[12:22] How many extras did you have in the music video?
[12:24] I couldn't tell you cuz it was completely.
[12:26] There was so many.
[12:27] It was crazy.
[12:27] It was literally But do you know how that happened?
[12:29] It was like literally my cousin called out the whole village.
[12:32] You're joking.
[12:33] Dead.
[12:33] There was not one paid extra in that.
[12:35] Nothing.
[12:35] Everything.
[12:37] So many people were commenting like, "Oh my god, Cypress had budget for this."
[12:39] We were like, "That's what I said when I heard this.
[12:41] Thought they got budget, but we didn't.
[12:42] We just I we so like for example, the Maserati that looked very fancy.
[12:46] My choreographer had a contact at a company called E-cars and Maserati Cypress lent us the car so we could tag them.
[12:52] And then with all the extras, it was literally my cousin going around the village because this is my grandma's village and was like, "We we're doing a music video.
[12:59] Can everyone come out?"
[13:01] And it was raining as well.
[13:01] Everyone sat in the rain.
[13:02] It was like my grandparents, all my cousins were there.
[13:05] That is so it was just it was so wholesome.
[13:05] Like it really was and it and it was just like even the oranges that were all in the truck like my uncle sourced the oranges.
[13:11] I called up Savos Flattley and this girl
[13:15] Sophia Japan Deli who's a model and all these iconic um diaspora criate criates.
[13:20] And it really was just like labor of love and like people just doing it for the the culture.
[13:26] That's so amazing as well for the people that live in the village.
[13:28] Oh my god.
[13:29] If that was me, children, grandchildren, I'd be like watch this.
[13:33] Yeah, absolutely.
[13:35] Absolutely. And that's the thing about the song that's been the most amazing thing for me is that it's little kids.
[13:40] I'm talking like six-month-old kids like parents are sending me videos where they get excited to jala and then grandparents.
[13:46] It's like become this like crossgenerational song and you could never go to the studio and be like I want to write a song that's going to be crossgenerational.
[13:52] You could try, but you know, really it's for for the girlies or for the gays or for there's like a very clear whereas this song became this like.
[14:01] You know, so yeah, on the most part I did have like some I thought I put my phone on the side.
[14:05] I'm so sorry. But like I did have like some moments of negative reaction.
[14:11] But I feel like that's how you know that things are going really well.
[14:15] Yeah.
[14:15] Is when you do get a bit of negativity.
[14:18] Yeah.
[14:18] Yeah, I guess so.
[14:19] I mean, look, like for me, um, my semi-final performance was just not my best performance.
[14:24] And the grief that I got online the next day, I thought I was going to die.
[14:28] Like, I I I literally had a breakdown that day in the arena, I was literally sobbing cuz it was like,
[14:34] and the thing is is the TV sound versus the arena sound is so different, too.
[14:39] Cuz like all the videos when I was watching in the arena, I was like, "This sounds great. Like, I'm not delusional."
[14:43] But then I was watching TV, I was like, "This isn't my best performance."
[14:46] And the the negativity was so strong.
[14:49] It was like she can't sing, she's this, she's that.
[14:51] It was like really really overwhelmingly bad.
[14:53] I honestly
[14:54] And that's right before the final as well.
[14:56] Worst time to have all of that in your head.
[14:58] And the thing is, I'm so grateful that I got through to the final cuz yeah, if my Eurovvision journey had ended there, I don't know how I would have picked myself back up because it would have been so
[15:09] it's one thing if you know you've smashed it
[15:12] and then you get hate that you can live with that.
[15:13] But when you're like
[15:15] my my nerves got the best of me, it just
[15:17] wasn't my best.
[15:20] So then I I had this like crossroads here where I was like I either let this break me or I come back in the final like swinging and that's what I just had this sense of cool in the final and that performance for me was like probably one of the best moments of my whole life.
[15:31] It's so nice that you were able to have a moment like that as well.
[15:34] But I also think your harshest critic is yourself anyway and I think anyone that is commenting anything bad about that performance or whatever I would love to see them perform in an arena and I would love to hear what they sound like.
[15:51] and literally the saying in the song is ask let them talk and generally I'm pretty good at like letting things just bounce off me but like it was so overwhelming that it did get me but then it was like this moment of celebration once the final happened all the people that had backed me were like where are the haters now and all the people that had like been cussing me literally comments were like oh I take it back like she smashed it and I was like thank you that I got to just like do.
[16:16] also the amount of performance
[16:17] performances you had to do.
[16:18] Yeah. Crazy.
[16:19] One of them at least wasn't going to be your best performance.
[16:22] Yeah. And it happened to be that one.
[16:23] Like that was of cuz we do all these rehearsals on stage and then just on the from the semi-final to the final.
[16:27] It's four days in a row where you go on the stage.
[16:30] It was eight performances just back to back.
[16:33] me.
[16:33] And like that was the one where I don't know whether I got over excited.
[16:36] I don't know whether I whatever it was.
[16:37] It was just
[16:40] Yeah. I was But the final the moment I came off that stage, I felt like on the stage I felt like I was flying.
[16:43] Well, the moment that was important.
[16:44] You smashed it.
[16:46] So, thank you.
[16:48] Eat Anyone that commented nasty things, thank you.
[16:51] People are also remixing your songs.
[16:54] They're adding their own twist to it.
[16:55] I've seen it all over my TikTok for you page.
[16:59] I've seen house versions.
[17:01] I think I've seen an Arabic version.
[17:03] Is that right?
[17:03] Yeah. So, we just released an Arabic version with an artist called
[17:07] is Yeah, I love Arabic. Thank you. So good.
[17:09] Thank you. And so many people were thinking Jala was yala when the song came out.
[17:14] So then we were like, "Oh, well this is genius.
[17:15] We have to do like
[17:18] um an Arabic version and I've done um a collaboration with Arabic artists before.
[17:21] So and Criate music and Middle Eastern music.
[17:23] It all just has this similar flavor.
[17:25] So it was like a really natural collaboration.
[17:28] and then yeah, we've just released the Afro House version as well with a DJ called DJ Gigi who's a Greek Australian girl.
[17:33] and she's so fire.
[17:34] I've been following her for ages and she sent me she was like I want to do this remix.
[17:39] like let's do it.
[17:39] Do you ever get a moment when you're like how I know you've always been a singer but I feel like this is like your your like time now like you're everyone sort of like oh yeah this is actually sick.
[17:51] Do you ever sit there and think oh my god.
[17:54] like can you believe it.
[17:56] I don't know you know when you work so hard for something is this now a time where you can enjoy it?
[17:59] That's what I'm really like like I'm I've been so busy and running a million miles an hour and but even at the Eurovision I did take moments to be like take this in like you went to this and you're here and it was just such an incredible feeling and now there's all these other opportunities happening and it feels like you know I I signed a publishing deal when I was 14.
[18:15] So I've been in this game for a long.
[18:19] Time. I'm 16 years into the music industry and I've been like working so hard and it's there's been so many moments where it felt like damn is this going to happen for me?
[18:28] Am I going to get these moments?
[18:31] And then from the moment I got that call of Eurovvision, it just felt like so many things in my life started to just line up.
[18:35] Yeah.
[18:35] And um and now it's just an ongoing thing.
[18:37] Um so I'm about to do a European tour, which we've announced now, which is like last year we could barely sell out a show of like 300 people, 200 people.
[18:47] And now I'm doing a huge show in Cypress.
[18:48] I'm doing a tour.
[18:50] I'm just like it's like pinched me.
[18:52] I'm just so grateful cuz it's like it's what I love.
[18:54] It's what I love to do.
[18:56] It's what I've always wanted to do is write music and perform.
[18:58] And now I'm actually getting the opportunity to do that in a real way.
[19:01] And yeah, I'm I'm really like trying to just enjoy it.
[19:03] You deserve it.
[19:04] You've put in some hard graft.
[19:07] Absolute hard graft.
[19:08] And did you go to the Brit school?
[19:08] No.
[19:10] This is like an online rumor that it ends up in articles all the time.
[19:12] Really?
[19:12] Someone just said it once and then people run with it.
[19:15] Yeah.
[19:16] Like it was even I even did this thing with an airline recently.
[19:17] They put like me in the in the airline booklet
[19:19] and it was like went to the Brit School.
[19:21] I was like
[19:22] we I just didn't like the Brit school's amazing and like so many amazing artists love it.
[19:25] Like people just I didn't go to Brit school.
[19:29] I went to college and then I just went straight into music.
[19:31] Did you do music at college?
[19:33] No, I did ancient history, drama, and English.
[19:36] What the do you mean ancient history?
[19:38] Classics. I'm obsessed with like ancient history.
[19:41] Classics is mental, by the way.
[19:42] I remember people did that at my school, and I was like, I don't know what you're talking about.
[19:45] No, it's basically Greek myths.
[19:47] It's like little stories. Wow.
[19:49] Like I loved studying class.
[19:50] My mom studied classics at uni and my little brother's doing this.
[19:52] Is that what it's about?
[19:53] Yeah, it's all about just like ancient history.
[19:54] I know. And my name is an ancient Greek name.
[19:56] It's a tragedy.
[19:57] So, you might as well Well, I'm sorry about that, but that
[20:01] I'm glad I didn't have to.
[20:04] That's incredible, though.
[20:05] Yeah. Know, so it's I didn't even like I I always did music, but it was always outside of school.
[20:11] I was like, let me finish school so I could just do this full time, you know?
[20:14] So, did you always think you'd be a singer?
[20:16] Always. Like I don't even remember being like memories from before knowing that
[20:20] like I was going to be a singer. Like
[20:21] that was just always my my life purpose.
[20:25] That's ins. That's like manifesting
[20:28] though, isn't it? You always knew. So
[20:30] when you were 14, what what happened
[20:32] there?
[20:33] >> So I was just like doing open mic nights
[20:36] in pubs and things like that and my
[20:37] parents would take me around to like
[20:38] sing here and there and I was playing
[20:39] the guitar, playing the piano, like
[20:41] writing music.
[20:42] >> Um and and then we got through like I
[20:46] don't even know through a random loose
[20:47] connection we got put in touch put in
[20:49] front of a management and a publishers
[20:51] and they really loved what I was doing.
[20:52] I ended up signing a deal with them. And
[20:54] then I was just doing like songwriting
[20:55] sessions on the weekends or school
[20:57] holidays or like bunking the odd day off
[20:59] school.
[20:59] >> Love that fear.
[21:00] >> And um and then it just evolved and then
[21:02] I ended up signing a record deal with
[21:04] Island Records when I was like 18. That
[21:06] didn't work out. The person that signed
[21:08] me, I got signed by this Darkest Bees
[21:10] who signed Amy Winehouse and I was like,
[21:12] "This is it. I'm clear."
[21:13] >> Yeah. Automatically you would think,
[21:14] "Yeah, absolutely." And then by the time
[21:16] it kind of like I did the rounds of
[21:18] writing music and had some stuff ready
[21:19] to go, he then left the label and like
[21:22] you know when you the person that signed
[21:24] you leaves, you kind of don't have a
[21:25] champion.
[21:26] >> I ended up leaving the label with the
[21:28] rest of my advance which was a blessing.
[21:29] And I ended up taking that advance and
[21:31] like reinvesting it into just developing
[21:32] my own thing. And that's when I started
[21:34] to introduce my culture and like criate
[21:37] and Greek elements into my music. And
[21:38] that's when I was like a this is me.
[21:40] This is my sound. This is who I am. And
[21:42] that's why the Eurovvision was such a
[21:44] natural thing because it wasn't like,
[21:45] oh, now I'm going to do Eurovvision, let
[21:46] me do something really criate. It was
[21:48] like that's always in my music. Like the
[21:50] bazooki is this instrument that's
[21:52] beautiful and I put it in all my songs.
[21:54] >> Um, so then yeah, it just felt like the
[21:57] most natural thing for me to do.
[21:59] >> That's crazy cuz you hear a lot in the
[22:00] music industry about people leaving
[22:02] their labels or what else. And I always
[22:04] think that it must be so difficult when
[22:06] you're young and you sign to a label and
[22:07] you automatically think it this is this
[22:10] is my time. And then you have to sort of
[22:11] go and be like, "Okay, what am I
[22:13] actually going to do?" You have to take
[22:14] it on yourself. It must be stressful.
[22:16] >> Do you know what it is? It's picking
[22:17] yourself back up over and over again
[22:19] because it is such a it's an industry of
[22:21] rejection. And especially with social
[22:23] media,
[22:24] >> it just feels like you're just doing so
[22:25] much and no one cares.
[22:26] >> Yeah.
[22:27] >> That's what it feels like. You know, you
[22:29] can't help but see what everyone else is
[22:31] doing. And like I'm I I'm such a fan of
[22:35] music. So I'd see things that other
[22:37] artists are doing and like be so in awe
[22:40] but then also feel like so sad that like
[22:42] I wasn't getting to do anything. And
[22:44] then but there's a moment where you just
[22:46] realize your journey is your journey.
[22:49] >> Yeah.
[22:50] >> And once I started to just stop trying
[22:51] to control everything a bit more and
[22:53] just sat back and like actually enjoyed
[22:54] the journey a bit more.
[22:56] >> You start connect and click and I've had
[22:59] so much fun. That's the thing that I've
[23:01] realized like I've had so much fun the
[23:02] last few years like my whole of my 20ies
[23:05] like
[23:06] >> even though it's not been the trajectory
[23:07] I would have imagined from like you know
[23:09] I thought I was going to be like Julia
[23:10] Lipa.
[23:10] >> Yeah.
[23:12] >> Absolutely.
[23:13] >> And she's just amazing. Like
[23:15] >> I watch her growth. I followed her from
[23:17] like when she had like 2 3,000 followers
[23:18] cuz she was Kofin. My best friend's
[23:20] Kosin who's with me today.
[23:21] >> So I've like watched her journey
[23:23] >> and like you know I was like yeah that's
[23:25] going to be me when I'm when I'm that
[23:26] age 100%. And um but then it's like,
[23:29] okay, that wasn't my path. But then I
[23:30] look back at my life and the things that
[23:32] I've got to do and the hustle period and
[23:34] the the funny gigs where I'm singing to
[23:36] like three people, someone's asleep on
[23:39] the table. Like
[23:40] >> it makes for a good story though.
[23:41] >> Exactly. You know, the journey's just
[23:43] been unorthodox and all over the place,
[23:44] but it's like I'm I'm happy.
[23:46] >> I think a lot of the time when you even
[23:48] speak to these people, it's like they
[23:50] face so much rejection to get to where
[23:51] they are anyway. If you're at it and you
[23:54] keep at it and you have thick skin,
[23:56] absolutely. I'll be seeing you at
[23:57] Wembley.
[23:58] >> Absolutely.
[23:58] >> And I want Front Row.
[23:59] >> You've got it.
[24:00] >> And speaking of Wembley, please. Thank
[24:02] you so much. I'd love that.
[24:04] >> Do you get a rider when you're on
[24:06] Eurovvision?
[24:06] >> Um, no.
[24:07] >> No.
[24:08] >> You don't have a rider?
[24:09] >> No.
[24:09] >> So, you just have to take things to your
[24:11] own dressing room.
[24:12] >> Yeah. And there's not even like food in
[24:14] the arena. Yeah. It's like paid
[24:15] catering.
[24:16] >> Oh, really? So, you could be having
[24:17] spaghetti meatballs. I was I got so
[24:20] skinny in the zoo which like you know I
[24:24] was we've been dancing so hard and
[24:26] working out and doing all of that but
[24:27] like I was so busy that I like didn't
[24:30] have enough time to eat a lot of the
[24:31] time which I'm a foodie. I love my food.
[24:34] Um but yeah, I barely had time to eat
[24:36] cuz it was so full on.
[24:37] >> Well, if you had a rider, what would be
[24:39] on it?
[24:39] >> So when I do when I've done shows before
[24:41] and I have a rider,
[24:42] >> I generally go for like pack of like
[24:44] like um dried fruits and nuts.
[24:47] >> Oh. because it's like something that
[24:48] doesn't well it's like it doesn't bloat
[24:50] you. It doesn't have doesn't affect your
[24:52] voice, but it's like a good snacky. It's
[24:55] good calories. It gets you going.
[24:56] >> That's a shout.
[24:57] >> Yeah. So, that's that. And I'm a bit
[24:58] boring with my rider. Often my ride is
[25:00] more fun by my team. So, they'll ask for
[25:02] some beers and they'll ask for some
[25:04] whatever. But I what I actually brought
[25:06] though a lot of the time is really
[25:07] random. I've realized it's my new
[25:09] favorite snack. It's a criate thing
[25:11] called shushuk.
[25:12] >> What is it?
[25:13] >> And it's basically like it's made of
[25:15] dried grapes.
[25:16] >> Okay.
[25:16] >> Right. And I should have brought you
[25:17] some to try.
[25:18] >> Please. Do I have some? No, I don't.
[25:20] >> Just realized I left it at home and I'm
[25:22] going away.
[25:23] >> I'll get it from your house and just eat
[25:25] it. Don't worry.
[25:26] >> And then it's got like the nuts in the
[25:27] middle
[25:28] >> and it's like honestly so delicious. And
[25:30] it's like was was that my go-to snack?
[25:32] And then I ran out and my mom like put
[25:33] on a story. She was like, "Is anyone
[25:34] coming to the Eurovision final? Can you
[25:36] bring some?" And someone actually
[25:39] brought us some way. I need to try that.
[25:42] That sounds incredible.
[25:43] >> I'll bring you some at some point.
[25:44] >> Please do. Do you ever drink before
[25:46] performances or are you tea total?
[25:48] >> No, I don't because I just want to be on
[25:50] point.
[25:50] >> You're a better woman than me,
[25:52] >> right? Well, different though because
[25:54] you're you're like the queen of just
[25:55] talking.
[25:56] >> God bless.
[25:56] >> Like you can just like and I think the
[25:58] more free freely you speak the even
[26:00] better it is.
[26:00] >> True.
[26:01] >> Whereas I don't want to be like
[26:03] >> also apparently when you're drunk your
[26:05] voice is bad. Is that true?
[26:06] >> It dries out your voice. It dries out
[26:08] your vocal faction. I wouldn't but I
[26:10] drink after but like you know I might
[26:12] have a little cocktail after but I have
[26:14] not really like drunk this year much cuz
[26:17] I've been so busy and focused
[26:19] >> or when you do drink
[26:21] >> cocktail with the girls last night and I
[26:22] literally was like we were out for
[26:24] dinner and we were meant to go to like
[26:25] our friends event after and I got there
[26:27] and I was like guys I'm going to fall
[26:28] asleep
[26:29] >> and that is not me like I'm like I'm I
[26:32] like I'm not that person that will fall
[26:33] asleep.
[26:33] >> You've had a busy start of the year
[26:35] though I will say. What's your drinker
[26:36] choice if you do drink? [ __ ] hell.
[26:39] >> Yeah, I love
[26:40] >> Really?
[26:40] >> And either either just tequila tequila
[26:42] shot or like cocktail like a spicy mug.
[26:45] >> God,
[26:46] a tequila shot.
[26:48] >> Yeah. No,
[26:49] >> good tequila is nice. There's a big
[26:50] difference between like
[26:51] >> Yeah. I'm drinking the one with the
[26:52] little red hat on it.
[26:53] >> Yeah. Listen, if you get a good tequila,
[26:55] it's And it's the only alcohol that's an
[26:57] upper, not a downer.
[26:58] >> I've heard this. See, I fall asleep most
[27:00] time when I'm pissed. So maybe we just
[27:02] every day.
[27:02] >> If you just stick to tequila like
[27:04] >> maybe I need to maybe I do need to have
[27:06] a little bit of tequila. What are you
[27:08] mixing it with in apart from like a
[27:10] spicy mugg? If you're on the like
[27:12] >> if I'm out and I just going to have a
[27:13] mixer, I'd um you know that pink
[27:14] grapefruit juice, the sparkly one.
[27:16] >> Okay.
[27:17] >> I don't know if that's a thing that's
[27:18] just everywhere in Greece and Cypress,
[27:19] but there's this pink. It's like three
[27:20] cents pink.
[27:21] >> I feel like that's quite niche.
[27:22] >> It's like a paloma, I guess.
[27:24] >> Oh, okay. Yeah,
[27:26] >> I like it. Maybe I'll do a Cosmo with
[27:30] Now, you've really overstepped the line
[27:32] here. I don't think I can have a ginger
[27:34] beer with
[27:34] >> You like ginger beer?
[27:35] >> No.
[27:35] >> Oh, well then you really like it. I
[27:37] think yeah, I think that would send me
[27:38] into oblivion. However, I think I could
[27:40] do a Cosmo with tequila and maybe see
[27:43] how that is.
[27:43] >> So, I do that a lot whenever I go
[27:44] somewhere cocktails and I like the sound
[27:47] of it, but I'll just say, "Can you swap
[27:48] the vodka for tequila?" I just generally
[27:50] only sit tequila or maybe a glass of
[27:52] wine.
[27:52] >> Maybe this is this is what I'm going to
[27:55] do.
[27:55] >> I'm going to be swinging chandeliers
[27:57] with my tits out. I think
[27:59] >> I mean, I can't say tequila's taking me
[28:01] there, but if it takes you there, then
[28:02] >> I mean, yeah, I've it's got to be done.
[28:04] >> I want to see this. I'm going to send
[28:06] you it if it ever happens. I'm going to
[28:07] start tonight. I'm going to have
[28:08] tequila. Maybe not tonight. No, [ __ ] it
[28:10] tonight.
[28:12] >> So, your mom is celebrity chef. Yes. Am
[28:14] I right? What is the food like in your
[28:16] house? Has this influence how you cook?
[28:19] What's the vibe? So, we are a big foodie
[28:21] house. My mom has been like
[28:23] >> My mom's like journeys crazy cuz she was
[28:25] a school teacher in Tottenham until she
[28:26] was 30 and then she was like, "Right, I
[28:28] want to be on TV." Wrote this TV show,
[28:31] took it to 200 production companies.
[28:33] Everyone said no. ran out of production
[28:34] companies in London, ended up finding
[28:36] one in Birmingham. Got the show
[28:38] commissioned.
[28:38] >> Incredible. This the show got
[28:40] commissioned while she was pregnant. So,
[28:42] she was filming on the Greek islands
[28:44] while she was breastfeeding my brother.
[28:45] Like, it was a crazy journey and it was
[28:48] like on the Discovery Channel and it was
[28:49] like my Greek kitchen, my separate
[28:50] kitchen. So, she was very much like
[28:51] sharing the culture through food.
[28:53] >> And now she's like, I'm done with
[28:55] cooking. I just want everyone to cook
[28:56] for me. And like we all cook. So,
[28:58] everyone in my family is like big cook
[29:00] like foodies. My little brother Ze, he's
[29:02] 21. and he just turned 21.
[29:04] >> He's like a Michelin star chef. I kid
[29:06] you not. You're joking. That I will come
[29:07] home and that kid is making himself
[29:09] lunch and it's like Wagu burger with
[29:11] caramelized onions. Whoever that man
[29:14] marries, I know he's my god.
[29:16] >> Yeah. And he's gorgeous as well. He's
[29:17] 6'2. He's like muscly. I'm like
[29:19] >> jeans in your family. God bless. God
[29:22] bless. That's insane.
[29:24] >> Yeah. So, everyone's like into our food.
[29:26] We all cook.
[29:27] >> I can only imagine like just even
[29:29] barbecues around your house.
[29:31] >> You have to come for Greece next year.
[29:32] Please, cuz I won't leave. I will be
[29:34] rolled out of your house cuz I'll have
[29:35] eaten so much.
[29:36] >> Greek Easter house like Fiola, my friend
[29:38] will tell you, it's like a feast.
[29:39] >> Incredible.
[29:40] >> You roll home.
[29:41] >> You know what it is? Us English don't
[29:43] really have that vibe.
[29:45] >> You know when it's bar like my mom, I
[29:48] was saying this earlier. Should have a
[29:49] bit of chicken, bit of black pepper on
[29:51] it.
[29:51] >> Right. It was like the Victorian times
[29:53] growing up, you know? I can only imagine
[29:56] in a house full of like flavor. in
[29:59] lockdown we our whole purpose of like
[30:02] living was what are we gonna have for
[30:03] dinner and we were just like and every
[30:06] night somebody else would cook. So we
[30:07] were like a big household at the time.
[30:09] >> How how many are we talking?
[30:10] >> Uh there was seven or eight people at
[30:12] that.
[30:12] >> So we were like everyone was cooking
[30:13] every night. We were just like
[30:15] >> it was just like we all a lot of people
[30:18] lost weight during lockdown. I think we
[30:20] did not.
[30:21] >> You were the 1%.
[30:22] >> We Yeah. We were like literally all we
[30:24] were doing was like going for long walks
[30:26] and then eating and like the whole
[30:28] purpose of like were we going to eat?
[30:30] >> Yeah.
[30:30] >> And it so it was actually quite fun.
[30:32] >> That's incredible. And you grew up in
[30:33] North London.
[30:34] >> What whereabouts we people?
[30:36] >> Okay.
[30:37] >> Yeah. I went to school in Barnett.
[30:38] Proper North London girl. All the
[30:40] criates are in North London.
[30:41] >> Are they?
[30:41] >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
[30:42] >> I didn't know this.
[30:43] >> I went to Greek school every Saturday.
[30:45] >> It's like
[30:46] >> Oh, first.
[30:47] >> I see. I know nothing about North
[30:48] London.
[30:49] >> Oh, where where are you from? Cambridge.
[30:50] See, I'm from Cambridge, but now I live
[30:52] I'd say like south.
[30:54] >> Okay.
[30:54] >> So, all I know about North London is it
[30:56] takes me a long time to get there.
[30:58] >> Yeah, fine.
[30:58] >> That's What are the hot spots in North
[31:00] London?
[31:01] >> Well, there's an amazing Greek
[31:02] restaurant called Nissi.
[31:04] >> Love this.
[31:04] >> That's really good. Like, you want to go
[31:05] for a nice mezish mezzair. Okay.
[31:07] >> In Palmer's Green.
[31:09] >> What else is really good in North
[31:10] London? I need to really think. But you
[31:11] know what? I've not been in London like
[31:13] for the last few years.
[31:14] >> You were saying this, you've been living
[31:16] out your case.
[31:16] >> Yeah, I've been living out my case. I
[31:17] was living in Athens properly for like a
[31:19] year. So you had like a a place there.
[31:21] >> Yeah, you have a place out there now,
[31:22] but when I was living there, I was I was
[31:24] renting somewhere. I I did a season out
[31:26] there. Um the Greek music scene is like
[31:29] really unique. So it's like you know how
[31:31] people do residencies in Vegas.
[31:33] >> Okay,
[31:33] >> that's what like the Ed Sheerans and the
[31:35] Adele of Greece do every year. And these
[31:38] like it's like a hybrid between a
[31:40] concert and a club. Okay.
[31:41] >> And they will come out. So I was opening
[31:43] for a Greek artist called Nigos, one of
[31:45] the biggest Greek artists. If you're
[31:47] ever in Athens, okay, one day you need
[31:48] to come to Athens in the winter.
[31:49] >> Say no more.
[31:50] >> The clubs are called Buzzuka.
[31:51] >> Okay.
[31:52] >> And they open at about half 12. The
[31:53] opening act. Yeah. The opening act 1:00
[31:57] a.m.
[31:58] >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You got you got a nap
[31:59] in the
[32:00] headline artist goes out for their first
[32:02] set around 2:00 in the morning.
[32:04] >> Oh my gosh.
[32:04] >> And they go and basically people throw
[32:06] flowers. You see like in I champagne
[32:08] spraying. This is like they throw roses
[32:10] and it's like their way of being like,
[32:11] I've got loads of money. I'm I'm
[32:12] throwing it at the singer. And um and it
[32:15] goes on till about six in the morning
[32:17] >> and it's absolutely intense. Like it's
[32:19] it's crazy. So I did a season basically
[32:22] opening for one of the artists out
[32:23] there.
[32:23] >> What time are you opening?
[32:25] >> So my first set was at 1 and the second
[32:27] set was at half two
[32:29] >> and then I'd be done by about 3:00 and
[32:30] then you have so much adrenaline going
[32:31] on stage. I have other friends who were
[32:33] in the other bazooka. So I'd go to their
[32:35] bazooka and end up staying till 6. My my
[32:37] sleeping pattern when I live.
[32:38] >> I just don't understand this life. And
[32:39] then what time do people get up after
[32:40] that? Like John would would create like
[32:43] always stun me. I would a lot of them
[32:45] run on Fridays and Saturdays but some of
[32:47] them are Saturdays and Sundays and on a
[32:49] Sunday this place will be full and I'll
[32:51] be like do none of you people have jobs
[32:53] >> either that or they're functioning
[32:54] they'll just get I think they won't
[32:56] sleep. They'll go
[32:57] >> yeah maybe
[32:58] >> maybe it's their young you know when I
[32:59] was like 18.
[32:59] >> No it's all ages like there's literally
[33:01] all this is the thing about it. You have
[33:03] 18 year olds and then you have like 75
[33:04] year olds.
[33:05] >> It's the tap water then
[33:06] >> maybe
[33:06] >> something's in there with electrolytes.
[33:08] >> Greeks just live a different life. They
[33:09] just live on cigarettes and coffee and
[33:11] just don't sleep. And
[33:12] >> what I kind of love about it, when I go
[33:13] to Greece, now I don't smoke. I've never
[33:15] really wanted to smoke,
[33:17] >> but when I'm in Greece, I'm like,
[33:20] >> I could do that if I wanted to. You know
[33:21] what? I'm going to have an espresso,
[33:23] >> right?
[33:23] >> I'm having a panic attack now, but I've
[33:25] done it for the culture.
[33:26] >> You can't not drink coffee. Fact.
[33:28] >> Like, you cannot
[33:28] >> The best coffee as well.
[33:29] >> Yeah, it's the best.
[33:30] >> And I love a Greek salad as well. You
[33:32] can't do it in England. I don't know
[33:33] what it is.
[33:34] >> Tomatoes have like different
[33:36] >> I've heard this. Yeah, apparently it's
[33:37] just the tomato.
[33:37] >> They should have their own name. Like
[33:39] they shouldn't be called tomatoes cuz
[33:40] you can't compare them to the tomatoes
[33:41] you eat here.
[33:42] >> Just call it something else. Also, I
[33:43] feel like every vegetable and fruit in
[33:45] the UK, you know, when you have a mango
[33:46] here and it's rock hard.
[33:48] >> And you'll go abroad and be like, "Oh,
[33:49] this is what it tastes like.
[33:50] >> This is like an ice cream. I need this
[33:52] is like
[33:52] >> this is what it's meant to taste like.
[33:53] It's like hairy."
[33:54] >> My grandma like grows mangoes on her
[33:56] tree in Cypress. There's only a few in
[33:58] the summer and it's like the grandkids
[33:59] will all fight over these mangoes.
[34:00] >> And that's fair enough.
[34:01] >> You put it in the freezer and you take
[34:03] it out and it's literally like an ice
[34:04] cream. best thing.
[34:06] >> I think I might just have to move to
[34:08] Greece, you know.
[34:09] >> Speaking of which, not speaking of which
[34:10] is completely off topic. Are you Arsenal
[34:12] or Tottenham?
[34:13] >> Well, tech my Arsenal. Arsenal. I don't
[34:16] personally.
[34:16] >> It's been a great week for you.
[34:17] >> Arsenal. Yeah.
[34:18] >> Oh, really?
[34:19] >> If only I could have won the Eurovision
[34:20] 2, it would have been a great day for
[34:25] >> Do you know what? All I've seen is just
[34:26] Arsenal everywhere. Even I support them
[34:29] now. I don't have a [ __ ] clue.
[34:30] >> Someone was trying to explain it to me
[34:31] yesterday. They were like, "We won the
[34:32] Premier League and next year's the
[34:33] Champions League." You know what it's
[34:34] like? Arsenal winning is like Rita Aura.
[34:38] This is from Jack Remington. Rita Our
[34:40] having a number one
[34:42] >> in 2026.
[34:44] >> I see. Okay. So, it's like a real
[34:45] comeback.
[34:45] >> So, it's like what the [ __ ] We back in
[34:48] the day when we were 16 or whatever,
[34:49] Rita Ora was number one. Number one. She
[34:52] hasn't really released anything and now
[34:54] >> she's back in.
[34:55] >> It's like the second coming of Christ.
[34:57] So, fun fun fact, the last time Arsenal
[34:59] won the Premier League was like what 200
[35:02] something,
[35:03] >> like 22 years ago.
[35:04] >> I was in primary school and Arson
[35:06] Wenger's daughter was went to my primary
[35:08] school. So, she was in the year below
[35:09] me.
[35:09] >> Oh my god. I bet her [ __ ] didn't stink
[35:11] that year.
[35:11] >> Oh my right. And I remember Arson Wenger
[35:14] coming into our school and doing an
[35:15] assembly with two of the players. I
[35:17] couldn't tell who they were. I don't
[35:18] really know what was going on.
[35:19] >> It was wasted on you.
[35:20] >> But it completely wasted wasted on me.
[35:22] >> Yeah. Yeah.
[35:23] >> That's I bet all the dads are waiting
[35:24] outside to pick up their sons. Like is
[35:26] she still there?
[35:27] >> Probably. All I remember is that like
[35:29] her mom was always this like really
[35:30] glamorous French woman. She was always
[35:31] really glamorous.
[35:32] >> Wags are though.
[35:33] >> Can you call that?
[35:34] >> And it wasn't really a It wasn't a
[35:35] private school. It was a state school.
[35:37] >> Humble.
[35:38] >> Yeah.
[35:38] >> Humble kings and queens. I love that. To
[35:40] be a wag. Do you know what? There's this
[35:41] documentary out about Wags back in the
[35:43] day. They are so glam.
[35:45] >> They're so glam. Speaking of
[35:47] relationships, you're wifed off.
[35:50] >> I am.
[35:50] >> Please tell me how you met him. What's
[35:52] his name?
[35:53] >> So, his name's Angelo. We met at a gala.
[35:56] >> What a name.
[35:57] >> Yes. A nice love this.
[35:58] >> Yeah. Yes. That means angel.
[36:00] >> You're welcome.
[36:00] >> There you go. Um we met at a gala in New
[36:03] York. I was singing. It was the the
[36:04] helenic initiative. It's this Greek
[36:06] gala. It was just after I'd been
[36:07] announced for Eurovvision and they
[36:08] booked me to perform at this gala
[36:10] >> and um we met actually initially through
[36:13] work. His his um business partner um was
[36:16] putting on this really big show and I
[36:18] was like I want to get the support act
[36:19] for this. So I like got in touch and
[36:21] >> one thing about you is you're going to
[36:22] graft.
[36:22] >> I'm going to graph. Yeah. Yeah. So I so
[36:24] um he came over with his business
[36:26] partner who I'd spoken to briefly on
[36:28] Instagram and I remember thinking like
[36:30] he's cute.
[36:31] >> I was like he's cute and we like
[36:33] exchanged a few little words like you
[36:35] know I
[36:36] >> hello.
[36:37] >> Yeah. We just chatted a little bit and
[36:38] there was a point where like I walked
[36:40] past him and he was like on the like
[36:42] standing by the dance floor but like
[36:43] standing talking and I just said
[36:44] something I can't remember exactly
[36:46] something like well you can't be on the
[36:47] dance floor and not dancing like
[36:48] something like that. It was like me like
[36:50] slightly like
[36:51] >> the initiation bit, you know, and I
[36:54] think you know when you're like I think
[36:55] there's a vibe but you're not really
[36:56] sure yet. And then anyway, I'd put like
[36:58] them in touch with my managers to set up
[37:00] a meeting about this show. So then my
[37:01] manager set up a meeting with him the
[37:03] next day
[37:04] >> and he owns like restaurants and stuff
[37:06] in New York. So we went to one of the
[37:07] restaurants for the meeting and we were
[37:09] there. It was like me, my two managers
[37:10] and my mom. So, it's not like we were
[37:12] flirting, but like when I was talking to
[37:14] him, like I I remember like in my head
[37:16] being like
[37:17] >> the eye contact is really eye contacting
[37:19] here and I was like trying to stay
[37:20] focused on what I was saying and I was
[37:22] like am I the only one feeling this or
[37:24] is he feeling this as well? You know,
[37:25] you can't really tell.
[37:27] >> And then um
[37:28] >> he happened to be going to Greece the
[37:30] next week. I was going to be in Greece.
[37:31] We like exchanged a few messages and
[37:34] like you know
[37:36] anyway whatever. Long story short, we
[37:38] ended up going on a date in Greece. went
[37:40] for dinner. Um, and it was just like,
[37:42] "Oh, okay. This is really a vibe." Went
[37:44] and had this really good date and then
[37:45] went to one of the bazooka that night
[37:47] for this artist.
[37:48] >> Oh my gosh. Who show they were doing
[37:50] until 6:00 a.m.
[37:51] >> We were out till 6:00 a.m. We ended up
[37:52] just like staying up talking till like
[37:54] so late in the morning as well. And then
[37:55] we didn't know I don't know if I was
[37:56] ever going to see him again. He was
[37:57] going back to New York. I was going back
[37:58] to London. That was that. We started
[38:00] like FaceTiming whatever. And then he
[38:02] was like he I was like why don't you
[38:04] come to London like before you go back
[38:06] to New York and then it was like between
[38:08] Christmas and New Year you know those
[38:09] like randomly dead days when
[38:10] >> you don't know what day it is. Yeah.
[38:12] >> And then he was kind of like you know
[38:13] why don't you come to New York and I was
[38:14] bit like oh it's too soon I don't really
[38:16] know but one of my really good friends
[38:17] was also going to New York. So I was
[38:19] like you know what I'll go and if it's
[38:22] like if not if it doesn't work out I can
[38:24] hang out with my friend.
[38:25] >> But I ended up going and just having
[38:27] like this like fairy tale. It was just
[38:30] like amazing. He just like made so much
[38:32] of an effort. It was
[38:33] >> Did he get you bagels?
[38:34] >> We didn't get a bagel. No. [ __ ] it up.
[38:36] But he did. Like I got to They picked me
[38:38] up from the airport like big bunch of
[38:40] roses. Like got me. The restaurant we
[38:42] went to was called the guy which means
[38:44] 12. So he got me 12 roses.
[38:45] >> Shut up.
[38:46] >> So sweet. And then we like I I dropped
[38:48] me to my friend's apartment that I was
[38:50] staying in. The boiler wasn't working.
[38:52] He helping me trying to fix the boiler.
[38:54] It was like funny. And then we just like
[38:56] went on just spent days like anyway
[38:58] ended up spending New Year's Eve at his
[39:00] grandma's
[39:02] >> um and it was just like so sweet
[39:04] >> and then like went to one of the um the
[39:07] clubs that they have in their in their
[39:08] company. It was just so crazy. And then
[39:10] that New Year's Day woke up and he was
[39:12] just basically like
[39:14] >> do you my girlfriend? And I was like
[39:16] yeah I do.
[39:17] >> Shut So we'd known each other for like I
[39:19] guess that was like 5 days but we've
[39:21] been really like I guess we'd known each
[39:22] other for like two weeks then we were
[39:24] just like yeah and then it was like okay
[39:25] so now we're going to do this long
[39:26] distance thing and since then been back
[39:29] and forwarding.
[39:30] >> How do you find long distance?
[39:31] >> Hard
[39:33] but especially like now because it's
[39:35] like with the Eurovision it was really
[39:37] intense with everything I had going on.
[39:38] He's like got his businesses so it's not
[39:40] like he could just come on time.
[39:42] >> Um so we've been back and forth. He came
[39:44] to Greece. Um, I went out there at one
[39:46] point and now I'm about to go there in a
[39:48] couple of days. But yeah, long distance
[39:49] is not for the faint-hearted. I'll tell
[39:51] you that.
[39:51] >> I have heard this. Yeah.
[39:52] >> I mean, not that I'm dating my brother,
[39:54] but my brother lives in New York and the
[39:56] time I don't know when to ring it.
[39:58] >> I don't know when the [ __ ] to ring that,
[39:59] man.
[40:00] >> I'm like, what time is it over there?
[40:02] Cuz it's such a big time difference.
[40:03] >> I know. It's so hard.
[40:04] >> But you know what? I feel like when you
[40:05] know, you know,
[40:06] >> right? And it just clicked and it just
[40:08] happened and it was just like,
[40:10] >> you know, he's just like a wonderful
[40:11] person.
[40:11] >> Well, the 12 roses would have done it
[40:13] for me.
[40:13] >> Yeah. But like also we just aligned on
[40:17] so many things. Um
[40:18] >> has he met your family?
[40:20] >> Yeah, he he has. He came over to London,
[40:22] met my family. He thought it was
[40:24] >> He's got so much in common with like my
[40:25] dad. I was like they'll just
[40:27] >> really So yeah. No, it was it's really
[40:28] nice and it's like Yeah, we're like like
[40:31] 5 months in now. So
[40:32] >> he sports Arsenal yet?
[40:34] >> I mean I don't he's not too bothered
[40:36] about UK football, but I think Arsenal I
[40:39] think he has mentioned Arsenal.
[40:40] >> I think your dad needs to take him to
[40:41] some sort of game.
[40:42] >> My dad's not really into football. It's
[40:43] my granddad.
[40:44] >> Is it?
[40:45] >> Yeah. My dad's not really like
[40:46] >> It's your granddad's job then. Arsenal.
[40:48] >> Football in America is not even like We
[40:50] went to a basketball game when we were
[40:51] out.
[40:52] >> People love basketball, don't they? What
[40:53] is it out there? The NFL.
[40:55] >> I don't know. It's They throw the ball.
[40:58] Oh, yeah. What have I just said? NBA.
[41:00] NFL.
[41:00] >> The basketball, right? And NBA. Another
[41:02] one.
[41:03] >> And that's how much information I've got
[41:05] for you. That's how much All I know is
[41:07] they're tall as [ __ ]
[41:08] >> right?
[41:08] >> That's all I've got for you. They're all
[41:10] so insanely tall. God forbid anyone from
[41:13] the NFL starts on me,
[41:15] >> you win. You win the argument to
[41:19] >> So when you are in the UK,
[41:20] >> how often is that though? Not really.
[41:22] >> It just honestly depends on like what
[41:24] I've got going on and like my parents
[41:26] are actually leaving the UK. They're
[41:27] like selling like and they're moving to
[41:29] Cyprus.
[41:30] >> Oh no.
[41:31] >> I'll be here even less really.
[41:32] >> That's quite sad.
[41:33] >> I'm going to like be in Fiola's like
[41:34] spare bedroom when I come over now.
[41:36] >> Oh, make sure it's clean. Make sure it's
[41:38] clean.
[41:38] >> No, no, she's a she's What about me? cuz
[41:40] I know she's so she's so tidy. But yeah,
[41:43] so when I'm here it varies honestly.
[41:46] Like there's been times where I'm here
[41:47] for a couple months, few days. This year
[41:49] I've barely been here.
[41:50] >> You don't keep up with Love Island then
[41:52] now?
[41:52] >> I still do. Come on.
[41:54] >> I still do. I still It's still a guilty
[41:55] pleasure. Like watch it.
[41:56] >> Do you watch it?
[41:58] >> Sometimes. I watch the Allstars one.
[41:59] What was the recent Allstars one?
[42:00] >> Oh, the Allstars was good this year.
[42:02] >> Was it this year?
[42:04] >> The Americans came in this year.
[42:06] >> This year was phenomenal.
[42:07] >> So good. I was like they were asking me
[42:09] to go on
[42:10] >> before and I was like um
[42:12] >> would you have done it if you didn't
[42:13] meet Angela?
[42:14] >> Um I don't think so. Like I don't think
[42:17] so. And like I
[42:18] >> I think you've done quite a lot to do it
[42:20] to do all
[42:21] >> it was a moment. Yeah. It was a moment
[42:22] in my story. No. No. Now I categorically
[42:25] wouldn't do it. But like you know before
[42:27] when they'd asked
[42:28] >> I still was like no I wouldn't but like
[42:30] you know
[42:32] >> I I I spoke to them. You know what I
[42:34] mean? But but like listen
[42:36] >> it's just not my passion.
[42:38] >> My passion is music and it gave you a
[42:40] good it gave me a platform that as you
[42:42] could tell I went there and I wasn't
[42:44] really interested in meeting anybody. I
[42:46] didn't want to
[42:48] >> I was just like why not like it'll be
[42:50] fun you know. So yeah for me I um I
[42:54] don't shy away from I think a lot of
[42:56] people come off the show and they're
[42:57] like I don't want to talk about it like
[42:58] it's not me anymore. No, I did it and it
[43:01] was part of my story and it was like I
[43:02] think it's kind of iconic that I went
[43:04] from Love Island to Eurovision. Nobody's
[43:06] ever done that before. I don't think
[43:07] >> Oh my god, you actually made history
[43:08] there. That's so true. Do
[43:10] >> you know what I was gutted about and I
[43:11] forgot? I was going to bring my robe
[43:12] from Love Island to the Eurovision and
[43:14] do like a TikTok.
[43:15] >> Did you have to do Eurovision again just
[43:17] to do that?
[43:18] >> Yeah.
[43:19] >> Do you ever keep in contact with anyone
[43:20] from Love Island?
[43:21] >> Yeah. Like um some people in particular
[43:22] Paige I spoke to recently. She's having
[43:24] a baby. I was going to say and actually
[43:26] we bumped into her in Mkos last year
[43:27] when she just got together with with a
[43:30] guy and they seem so happy and that was
[43:31] like happened really quickly as well.
[43:33] You know you say when you know you know
[43:34] >> um so yeah really happy for her she's
[43:36] like glowing and I speak to everybody
[43:37] like a few people here and there a few
[43:39] of the girls but not that much really
[43:41] not because I'm I guess we're just all
[43:43] on different paths.
[43:44] >> Yeah it's so interesting to see what
[43:45] people do after Love Island so many
[43:48] different things that you can go and do.
[43:49] I mean no one's done Eurovvision apart
[43:51] from you which is incredible news. Did
[43:54] anyone famous slide into your DMs after
[43:56] Love Island? Was it like a different
[43:57] ball game there?
[43:58] >> Not really. Not really. I guess I came
[44:01] across people like when I was out and
[44:03] about, you meet more people, but I could
[44:04] I can't say there was like someone
[44:05] specific that slide slid into my DMs.
[44:07] >> Did you get any advice before you went
[44:09] in the Love Island villa?
[44:10] >> Um, just be yourself.
[44:13] >> Just be yourself
[44:14] >> cuz you can tell a lot of the time when
[44:17] people aren't being themselves on that.
[44:18] >> I don't even know if that's the best
[44:19] advice, you know.
[44:20] >> Well, cuz some people are asking.
[44:21] >> Yeah, because No, no, no. Is it
[44:24] >> that first advice for that?
[44:25] >> That but also I do think realistically
[44:28] when now that you watch over the years
[44:31] >> the people that go in there and like
[44:33] play the game
[44:34] >> do the best on the show and like and
[44:37] that's I'm not saying that in any sort
[44:38] of shady way like if that's your if your
[44:40] goal is to stay in there as long as
[44:42] possible good television exactly to play
[44:44] the game whereas like that wasn't my
[44:47] story.
[44:47] >> I didn't want to go and make good TV. I
[44:49] just wanted to go a nice summer.
[44:51] Exactly. Right.
[44:52] >> So, um, but actually, and I think, you
[44:54] know, that has a part to play as to why
[44:56] I wasn't there for very long,
[44:57] >> cuz I wasn't going to just be like, "Oh,
[44:59] do this."
[44:59] >> You didn't force it.
[45:00] >> No.
[45:01] >> What was more nerve-wracking, performing
[45:03] at Eurovvision or walking into the Love
[45:05] Island villa?
[45:06] >> Because I fear if someone asked me to
[45:08] sexy walk into a villa, I would combust
[45:10] and die.
[45:11] >> I don't know. I feel like they were both
[45:13] pretty nerve-wracking situations. But
[45:15] no, I mean I cared much more of course
[45:18] about the Eurovvision. Like that's all I
[45:21] want to do is be, you know, I was just
[45:22] saying to you, I just watched your your
[45:24] podcast with Zara Lson
[45:25] >> and she was saying that her passion is
[45:27] being on stage and performing and I was
[45:28] like that's me too.
[45:30] >> Like there is no better feeling.
[45:31] >> You probably enjoy that more.
[45:32] >> Yeah. Yeah.
[45:33] >> Actually, you know, for me it wasn't my
[45:36] natural environment to be in.
[45:38] >> Amen.
[45:39] >> So it it wasn't um maybe that that's
[45:42] what made it nerve-wracking. I was like
[45:44] super anxious the whole time.
[45:45] >> Oh, the whole Even when you were in
[45:46] there. I
[45:46] >> was so anxious. I cried every day.
[45:48] >> Did you?
[45:49] >> But I'm a cry baby. Like I cry a lot
[45:51] anyway. Like But I cried every day.
[45:52] >> So am I all the time.
[45:53] >> Yeah. I'm I'm a Pisces. What What's you?
[45:56] >> Look, I'm Leo.
[45:57] >> Oh, Leo's aren't really criers.
[45:58] >> I'm the exception.
[45:59] >> Right. Okay, fine.
[46:00] >> Yeah. Yeah. No, I'm such a crier. Like I
[46:03] cry.
[46:03] >> God all the time.
[46:04] >> Is it even happiness and sadness?
[46:06] >> Yeah.
[46:07] >> Everything. The other day, literally
[46:10] Saturday, I was at a football game and
[46:11] there was this old man and during the
[46:14] what the [ __ ] is it called? Halime,
[46:16] whatever it is,
[46:17] >> he got out his book and read a book
[46:21] during Halime. And I was init.
[46:25] I thought, you're [ __ ] joking. And he
[46:27] came to the game on his own. I wanted to
[46:30] physically die. It was the sweetest
[46:32] thing I've ever seen.
[46:32] >> I'm like that. Like if when you see like
[46:34] an old person like having lunch on their
[46:35] own or something,
[46:36] >> I automatically think they're a widow
[46:38] and then I'll start thinking about
[46:39] things and then
[46:40] >> they're probably just trying to run away
[46:41] from their wife for a day and have a
[46:43] >> they're probably actually really happy
[46:44] and I'm like so alone.
[46:47] >> I love going for a solo lunch. Like
[46:49] nothing.
[46:50] >> There's nothing better putting your
[46:51] AirPods in.
[46:52] >> And you know what I like doing? Watching
[46:53] a bit of Real Housewives watching
[46:55] people.
[46:55] >> You're a reality TV vending. You and my
[46:57] sister talk all day about
[46:59] >> Do you know what you wanted something to
[47:00] watch? Watch the early Real Housewives
[47:04] of New York.
[47:04] >> You know, I've never watched any.
[47:05] >> You They're mild.
[47:06] >> Now I'm spending more time in New York
[47:08] because of my boyfriend.
[47:09] >> You have to watch Ramona. They're a
[47:12] little bit racist in the early seasons
[47:14] before people got called out for that.
[47:16] They're insane. They're batshit. They
[47:18] all have drinking problems, but that's
[47:19] obviously me, too. Listen, you need to
[47:22] watch it and you need to come back to me
[47:24] and you need to tell me I found it.
[47:25] >> Maybe that's what I'll watch on my way
[47:26] to New York.
[47:27] >> Please. I mean, you got long enough on
[47:28] that flight. You'll get to season three,
[47:30] probably. And I'm flying from Greece as
[47:31] well, so it's even longer.
[47:32] >> [ __ ] me. Yeah. Do you know what? Do it
[47:35] and let me know. You're welcome.
[47:36] >> I will.
[47:37] >> What?
[47:37] >> Download it.
[47:38] >> No, you have to download it, please.
[47:40] Tell me what you've got coming up. What
[47:41] can people expect?
[47:43] >> So, shows. I've got a tour coming up.
[47:45] Get your tickets for my European tour.
[47:48] It's just crazy to say. Um, and I've got
[47:51] my sister's wedding next month.
[47:53] >> Where's that?
[47:54] >> In Pulia in Italy. She's marrying an
[47:55] Italian.
[47:56] >> Oh. Oh, well. Yes.
[47:58] >> Yeah. Well, they're actually technically
[47:59] already married because they moved to
[48:00] Dubai and she needed to become a
[48:01] resident. So, they think about that
[48:02] green car,
[48:04] but like the actual wedding's in Italy,
[48:06] but then they're also having another
[48:08] wedding. This is very criate of us.
[48:09] She's having another wedding in Cypress.
[48:11] >> Um, so that's going to be like the big
[48:13] fat Greek wedding with like all our
[48:14] cousins and everything. My c my uncle
[48:17] >> my uncle was a priest. He passed away.
[48:18] His son's now a priest. So, he's going
[48:20] to marry them.
[48:20] >> And you've got a priest in your family.
[48:22] >> Yeah. So, that's going to be the wedding
[48:23] in Cypress. Yeah. My grandparents. So,
[48:25] lots of weddings. and also going to a
[48:27] few other weddings. Um, but really
[48:30] releasing music. Let me actually focus
[48:32] on what's got coming next.
[48:33] >> New single coming out. It might even be
[48:35] out by the time this is out. It's called
[48:37] Oud.
[48:37] >> I can't wait.
[48:38] >> Smell Oud Love.
[48:40] >> Um, and
[48:42] yeah, new music, performances. I'm doing
[48:44] a big show in Cyprus. And then I also
[48:46] want to find some time to just like
[48:48] breathe and just like
[48:49] >> Yeah.
[48:50] >> Like Yeah.
[48:51] >> And see your boyfriend as well. Amen to
[48:53] that.
[48:53] >> Exactly. That's very needed. Do you ever
[48:55] sing your songs to him? Do you serenade?
[48:58] >> I have sung him my songs before. And
[49:00] also like when I got back from New York,
[49:01] I had a writing camp um where we were
[49:03] like writing loads of stuff and it
[49:04] basically just became like
[49:06] >> this is the writing camp of this
[49:08] relationship.
[49:09] >> Like I just like every song that I wrote
[49:11] was just like so directly inspired by
[49:14] what happened. Like which is good.
[49:15] That's the beauty of being a creative.
[49:17] Like you write about everything that's
[49:19] going on.
[49:19] >> Absolutely. You every argument like one
[49:21] minute.
[49:22] >> Right. Right. Let me [ __ ] go in that
[49:24] room a sec.
[49:24] >> Yeah.
[49:26] >> Um, so yeah, I have songs in him, but I
[49:29] don't like wake up in the morning and be
[49:30] like,
[49:31] >> "Rise and shine."
[49:34] They Yeah. No, not quite.
[49:35] >> I [ __ ] love Even just hearing that.
[49:37] It's absolut No, I love it. I might walk
[49:39] down the aisle to like an acoustic
[49:40] version
[49:41] >> in Greece cuz you know I [ __ ] love
[49:43] Greece.
[49:43] >> You should. I'll sing it.
[49:44] >> Would you mind?
[49:45] >> Absolutely.
[49:46] >> You've got you.
[49:47] >> Thank you, everyone.
[49:48] >> Uh, I was sorry. Just speaking of like
[49:50] going back to your vision cuz we're
[49:51] speaking Brits and everything.
[49:52] >> Yeah. Go on. Go on.
[49:53] >> I was so excited when I met Graeme
[49:54] Norton.
[49:56] >> What is Graeme Norton like?
[49:57] >> He's so nice. He was so nice.
[49:58] >> Lovely, isn't he?
[49:59] >> So nice. He did give me a bit of a shady
[50:01] opening back. He was one thing. He's
[50:04] from Love Island. Let's hope she'd last
[50:06] longer. I was like, but then afterwards
[50:09] he was really nice. He also made a funny
[50:10] comment about my mom cuz my mom's like
[50:12] always everywhere with me cuz I love
[50:13] like my mom's like my number one fan. I
[50:15] don't know what I would do without her.
[50:16] But he was like, "Wherever you see
[50:17] Antiggony, you see Tanya. I'm surprised
[50:19] she's not on the stage with her."
[50:22] And my mom was like cheeky. It was true.
[50:24] But then he was really nice and he was
[50:25] like, "Great performance." And actually,
[50:27] he was really nice. He's not very nice.
[50:30] >> Like as in you know, the commentating.
[50:31] >> He was killing me about the presenters.
[50:33] >> Oh yeah.
[50:34] >> Here they go again.
[50:35] >> So funny. No. So I was really excited
[50:37] when I mean like bucket list would be to
[50:38] go on the Graeme Norton show
[50:40] >> 100%. and really for a long-term plan of
[50:42] getting in a Taylor Swift music video
[50:44] because have you seen that whole
[50:45] trajectory?
[50:46] >> What? You go on Graeme Nort and then you
[50:47] go on the
[50:47] >> Well, there was like an episode where
[50:48] she was on there and someone was like, I
[50:50] want to go on a Taylor Swift um music
[50:52] video and then she made a whole music
[50:53] video with everyone who was basically
[50:55] with her on that sofa on the Graham
[50:56] Norton show.
[50:57] >> No [ __ ] way.
[50:58] >> I love Taylor Swift.
[50:59] >> We need to sort this out. We need to get
[51:00] this happen. Graeme, I know you're
[51:02] obviously an avid fan of Saving Grace,
[51:04] right?
[51:04] >> It needs to happen.
[51:05] >> Yeah. And we can both be guests and then
[51:07] we can be in the in the
[51:09] >> I'll create something to talk about.
[51:11] >> I don't know. Just maybe lesbianism or
[51:12] something.
[51:13] >> I believe that we can.
[51:14] >> And I've got this.
[51:15] >> Before we go, can you give us a little
[51:17] bit of jala?
[51:18] >> Of jala,
[51:19] >> please.
[51:19] >> Yeah. You got to say it right though
[51:20] first. Jala.
[51:21] >> Jala.
[51:22] >> Perfect. Thank you.
[51:23] >> Good.
[51:24] >> Um,
[51:24] >> go on. Give it to me.
[51:26] >> Jalalaala. They want jala. And then you
[51:29] have to go.
[51:29] Jalalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaala
[51:30] jalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaala
[51:30] jalala
[51:31] jalalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaal.
[51:33] They
[51:33] wantalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaalaal.
[51:35] I'm dancing on the table, baby. Shake my
[51:38] hips.
[51:41] They want
[51:47] >> bury me to that song. Thank you so much
[51:50] for coming on my excited to come and
[51:52] chat with