Ηρακλής Οικονόμου

The main problem that an observer faces when assessing today’s music landscape in Greece is the massive creative package of the past. It is very easy to fall into the trap of regarding contemporary music production as secondary when compared with the glory of the past. However, we should keep in mind t...

Born in London, UK to Greek parents, Leon of Athens learned to play the piano and classical guitar from an early age and soon went on to form his first band – Mimosa’s Dream. He has been reviewed by such major international press outlets as the Guardian, the New York Times, the BBC, Q Magazine, and...

Ultra-talented Katerina Polemi was born in London and studied music at Berklee College of Music in the USA. In 2011 she recorded her first album "Spread the Music not the Name" receiving excellent reviews and since then she has been performing at concerts in Greece, Brazil and America. She has sung...

This week here at GME is dedicated to the girls of Greek song, all these young music artists who have been leaving an important footprint on our contemporary music landscape. Today, we will be tasting the coexistence of dynamism and sensitivity in two gifted singers-songwriters: Pavlina Voulgaraki...

Nefeli Fasouli was born and raised in Athens. At the age of 6, she began studying violin and music theory, while in 2013 she enrolled at the Athens Law School, from where she graduated in 2018. In parallel, she attended classes in jazz singing, vocal improvisation and theory, and completed a...

Myrto Vasileiou was born in Athens, in February 1995. “I don't remember myself not being concerned with music in one way or another. To begin with, music was inside our home every day. By the time I was five I knew how to record my own tapes on a big stereo we had in the living room”. Her first per...

This week here at GME is all about girl power in Greek music - female music artists who have been fuelling contemporary Greek song with their talent and inspiration. Some of them do so using Greek language; others turn to English to express themselves. The language is really secondary; what matters...

Today, we are concluding our week-long tribute to panigiri with modern songs that contain references to this specific cultural phenomenon. So, no dance songs, no festive songs; instead, we will be listening to art and folk songs whose main theme draws on the image, the notion and the practices...

Held during the peak of summer, August 15 celebrates the assumption of the Virgin Mary– a date that is one of the most important in the Greek Orthodox calendar. So, today, we will be appreciating the cultural significance of this day by continuing our week-long tribute to panigiri, with special r...

Today, we are continuing our week-long tribute to panigiri with festive songs from the islands and from Asia Minor performed by art vocalists. The term art song denotes a genre characterised by poetic verse, complex melodies and sophisticated arrangements. Most of the vocalists that we shall be listening...

Today, we will be appreciating the contribution of violin player, vocalist and composer Nikos Economides, to the rejuvenation and promotion of nisiotiko – island song. In the second part, we will celebrating the magical performances of his muse, Kyriaki Spanou, in some uplifting island tunes. Our f...

This week we will be familiarising ourselves with a type of traditional festival organized during the summer months in the villages of the mainland and the islands, where a given saint is celebrated: Panigiri! The festival does not involve only chanting and praying, but also music, plenty of food and...

Greece has some exceptionally beautiful gorges, scattered in various geographic regions, both on islands and its mainland, offering excitement to canyoning lovers. The gorges’ tall and remote cliffs are home to wildflowers and birds’ nests. They will win you over as you cross them; climb the rocky pat...

Bridges: uniting people and places, changing geographies, wonders of architecture and engineering, with particular historical or aesthetic significance. Rightfully, bridges found their place in Greek songs, denoting not only tradition and memories of the past, but also routes of the present and visions...

There are many beautiful rivers in Greece that cross exquisite gorges or plains. From Aliakmonas to Nestos and from Pinios to Aracthos, these are sites of natural beauty and poetic symbolism. However, while in Greece, make sure to visit not only the rivers of the country but also the beautiful songs...

Greece has many natural and artificial lakes and lagoons. Although lakes in Greece are not famous or touristic, they offer a marvellous natural setting. Surrounded by forests and mountains, they are ideal for hiking and bird watching. Today, we shall be listening to songs about these lakes, created...

Caves are places of natural beauty but also of mystery and exploration. Naturally, it has become the motif of many Greek songs, which we will be enjoying today. Expect to listen to tremendous female voices such as Melina Kana, Lizeta Kalimeri, Eleftheria Arvanitaki and Maria Soultatou. Also, prominent...