16 November – Hotter than sriracha on our bodies

What do you think of those fan favourite songs? There’s usually one every year. Are you fully on board with them, and think they’re the best things ever? Do you like them for what they are – another pleasant song? Or do you think they’re just that dreaded word f*****k?

In 2021 we finally got the Rotterdam contest we’d waited seemingly forever for. Cyprus was one of a few countries who picked a different entrant from 2020 – today’s birthday girl Έλενα Τσαγκρινού/Elena Tsagrinou. She had a song that was possibly becoming a generic style for Aphrodite’s Isle, with its crowd-pleasing beat and cut-throat choreography. Was it a winning formula? Well, it was enough to ease into the Grand Final, with Elena’s probable undoing being on first. But at least she got the contest off to a good start, and she was first at the free bar.

Elena is 28 today.

Χρόνια πολλά, Έλενα!