Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004

ESC National Year
Year = 2004
Country = GRE
Preselection = Internal Selection
Preselection date =
Entrant = Sakis Rouvas
Song = "Shake It"
SF result = "Qualified" (3rd, 238 points)
Final result = 3rd, 252 points

Greece and Ellinikí Radiofonía Tileórasi (ERT) originally chose to host a National Selection, but then decided on an Internal Selection. Sakis Rouvas was chosen with "Shake It" and placed 3rd at Eurovision.

National final

At first, ERT organized a National Final that consisted of a Pop Idol style TV show called "Eurostar" which started on December 5th, 2003. 36 people were selected to compete and were divided into three groups of twelve. The contestants of each group had to compete against each other over two heats. The six contestants with the highest score of each group proceeded to the following round. Apostolos Psichramis was the winner of the final and was supposed to move on to a selection process for a song, however, ERT internally selected "Shake It" by Nikos Terzis, sung by Sakis Rouvas after they had finialized a deal with him to sing. The winner and the two finalists from "Eurostar" where then given the opportunity of performing back-up vocals in Istanbul, Turkey.

At Eurovision

emi-final

As Greece had not finished in the top 10 at the 2003 Contest, the song was first performed in the semi-final. It was performed tenth following Monaco's Märyon with "Notre Planète" and preceding Ukraine's Ruslana with "Wild Dances". At the close of voting, it had received 238 points, placing 3rd in the 22-strong field and qualifying for the final.

Final

In the final, it was performed sixteenth following FYR Macedonia's Toše Proeski with "Life" and preceding Iceland's Jónsi with "Heaven".

Sakis Rouvas performed with two dancers with his back-up vocals to the side. During the performance Sakis ripped off the white suits his dancers were wearing to reveal sparkling tassel attire. The dancers later ripped off Sakis' jacket. At the close of voting, it had received 252 points, placing 3rd in a field of 24. It was succeeded as Greek representative at the 2005 Contest by Elena Paparizou with "My Number One".

ee also

*Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest
*Eurovision Song Contest 2004
*Eurovision Song Contest

References