Eleftheria Arvanitaki's interview for the concerts in Cyprus

a 449 News
a 6949 News
On the occasion of the 4 big concerts she will give in Cyprus in May *, Eleftheria Arvanitaki gave a revealing interview to the magazine "Go" of the newspaper "Phileleftheros", about all that she is afraid of and those she hopes for. She openly states her political identity and makes her own criticism - and self-criticism - for everything that brought Greece to the current situation… 

- Why did it take so long to hear a new song from you?
I'm wondering too ίζω I think that, from my last album, I embarked on a journey of other pursuits - I had done, among other things, some special tributes - and I left the subject of new songs a little behind. I already confess that this is a period of embarrassment of Greek song - we are looking in a new world of Greek music and song.

- Is this also going through a crisis?
I am not saying that "a crisis is passing", I am saying that the operation is different now, while everything related to the Greek discography has changed - there is no longer a Greek discography and the record companies are in complete embarrassment. What we are looking for now is how we will operate in the face of new data. And it's something that made me notice, this time, what is happening, to stay a little outside- because this issue needs a composure and a distance.

- Are you strict and hard on yourself?
I would not say "tough" - I'm not tough on anyone. But I am very careful. While I work with instinct and very strongly - and usually always that is right - there is very strongly logic.

- Is this how you function as a personality?
Yes. Inside me is instinct and logic. This mainly characterizes me. My instinct speaks eloquently and illogically, but there is also a very strong thought, which leads things to a point.

- In these 31 years of progress, have you always been convinced that you were born for singing?
No. I did not start with such a goal. I started in music completely by accident, from a group of people we met in a tavern, making the "Backward Company". My brother was in America, where he was studying architecture and, waiting for his finances to improve, I would go to Italy - since I had not moved to Greece, due to Latin - to study archeology.

- How were you as a child?
However, I was not a "quiet little girl". Think I had a machine when I was 19 (smiles). And we even greeted all the women we had then μηχαν You know, the years were very casual then, we discovered rebetiko and folk music with another thought, with love and another charm, something that we owed mainly to Savvopoulos and Domna Samiou.

- Did you sing as a child?
Always.

- The most significant part of your childhood, was the death of your father at the age of 10?
Yes. It was the most important.

- And that always followed you?
No. It was - and is - an event I left behind. Fortunately. And, in general, I am a person who does not "stick" to situations and things of the past. I always look ahead: On the next trip, on the next corner that awaits me. Which can be extremely exciting.

- Do you still keep on stage, that original stress you had in the 80's?
I was not anxious then! Absolutely none! (laughs). Maybe because I was not judged then at any time. After all, do not forget that I was in a team, something that makes you behave completely differently. Look, my aspiration, since I decided to continue singing after "Backwards" that I decided to give up, was that, if I stay, I have to stay with some conditions - and those conditions will have to be set by me. These conditions were set and fortunately they did not find any obstacles. Something I consider very lucky. The pursuit and the ultimate goal was not to be a passer-by, to be able, through this art, to leave a very short story over the years. My goal has always been, in addition to the song which has the mood of fun and relaxation, to have the song that creates the deepest art of speech and the deepest art of seeing things from their difficult side which, with a magical way, it creates magnificent moments.

- These choices of yours had no financial price, when other singers, of a completely different repertoire from yours, went to the shops of the beach and made millions?
I have never been in such a dilemma.

- You never thought about money?
As a means of livelihood and in living well, yes. But not by doing things I do not want to do to get them. Because then I do not sleep peacefully. And it is important for me to sleep soundly at night. Do not think that some other way of having fun is dishonest - to God! -, I just think that I am interested in playing in a place where the other person participates 100% and expresses his love to me by singing with me, rather than throwing me flowers.

- What is your opinion about what happened in March with George Dalaras, in the concerts he organized?
First of all, let me tell you that I'm very much against all this behavior in his face. In Greece, however, at this time, you have to be very careful in what you say, in how you position yourself - even if what you say may be self-evident for everyone. Without having watched it, I was told by some friends who read George's statements about the Memorandum, which - because we are going through a "civil" situation in Greece of who is for and who is against the Memorandum - infuriated and expressed feelings that are extreme, even from people you do not expect. And I think it is something in which George "falls victim". This reaction was a big surprise for all of us! And one of the things I hate most is bigotry. Unfortunately, at this time, we will experience intense fanatical feelings in Greece.

- Will you vote in the Greek elections on May 6?
Of course I will vote! I do not agree with abstention in general. I vote every year, in the sense that you have to be responsible for everything that happens in your country. You can not be indifferent and then swear! For everything that is happening now in Greece, it is the fault of the people we trusted, people who, for voting reasons, never informed us and never restrained us. This whole story starts in 2004, from what we undertook without being able to carry it out.

- Have you never wanted in your life the expensive car, the big pool, the "special" dress?
Everyone wanted that - although I never personally wanted the pool and the expensive car or the dress. But I also wanted a life in which I could study where I want my children. Who has not sought all these years to have a little better? At the moment, I believe that what Greece is paying for is a lack of information, the fact that we were not aware of what was waiting for us. Anyone who tried to speak is suffocating, through the politicians themselves.

- Did you make a mistake in your political choices?
I am a voter of the Left, in general. I do not hide it. It is not wrong what the Left stands for, but it is wrong that the Left was not up to the circumstances I would like.

- In "Aroma", your new song, with lyrics by Nikos Moraitis, you interpret the pain of love and I can not help but ask you if you have experienced this pain many times.
We have all experienced such feelings…

- Are you happy with love, as you have experienced it?
This is a very personal matter όμως But I want to tell you that in general I have lived very well and very well. What does this mean? That I have experienced strong emotions. Not only joy but also loss and sorrow.

- Do you easily manage grief now?
I do not know όμως I think, however, that I find the keys and ways to manage this situation.

- Do you prefer isolation in these cases or do you externalize your feelings?
I manage it completely personally - not with people. Because, even if you share it with people, your personal way is again, since it is the way in which you are redeemed.

- If you were to change anything in the course of the song to date, what would it be?
First of all, everything went well. That is what I believe. In general, I would tell you that I would like to be a little bolder and less insecure or have a little more time. Because having a family is something that is difficult to combine. There were things I did not do for this reason, but my family won.

* Eleftheria Arvanitaki will appear on May 10-11 at the RED Music Stage in Nicosia and on May 12-13 at the Rialto Theater in Limassol.