Every country has to start somewhere. The début song for a country won’t make or break, but it’s always one to look out for. And some have even won from a very early participation.
Our friends in Greec had to wait 31 years for their only win to day. Today’s birthday girl Μαρινέλλα/Marinella (née Κυριακή Παπαδοπούλου/Kyriaki Papadopoulou) was her country’s first entrant, in the memorable contest in Brighton. She was beaten by some Nordic popular beat combo. These days, her eleventh place is about the median for all of Greece’s finishes, and Marinella didn’t let Eurovision disappointment put her off. She’s still a massive star in her homeland. So even if she isn’t Greece’s Ms Eurovision, she is Greece’s ‘Great Lady of Song’.
Marinella is 83 today.
Χρόνια πολλά, Μαρινέλλα!