Ethnikós Telikós 2025 is coming soon, so who will win Greece’s national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest? We rated all 12 contenders.
This will be the first time since 2017 that Greece has opened the choice up to any sort of competition. As a country that tends to let its broadcaster choose the act themselves, this is new and interesting territory for all of us. Side note: Greece is celebrating 20 years since its Eurovision victory this year, so perhaps expect a nod to Helena Paparizou.
However, the questions remain: Are any of the songs good, and are any good enough to go far if they make it to Basel? While we can’t tell you all of those things yet, we do have some initial thoughts on each of the 12 songs.
So, When Is Ethnikós Telikós 2025?
The whole contest takes place on one night, Thursday, 30 January. It is one of the rare national finals this year which does not occur on a weekend.
What Happened in Greece Last Year?
In 2024, Greece’s national broadcaster, ERT, made an internal selection of Marina Satti. Her song “Zari” finished just outside the top ten in the Eurovision grand final.
Ethnikós Telikós 2025 Entries
| Song | Performer(s) |
|---|---|
| “Asteromáta” | Klavdia |
| “Elevator (Up and Down)” | RIKKI |
| “Free Love” | Thanos Lambrou |
| “Gi mou” | Kostas Ageris |
| “High Road” | Georgina Kalais & John Vlaseros |
| “Lost My Way” | Andy Nicolas |
| “Odyssey” | Dinamiss |
| “Parádeisos” | Konstantinos Christoforou & Kostas Karafotis |
| “Play It!” | Xannova Xan |
| “Sirens” | BARBZ |
| “Unhurt Me” | Nafsika Gavrilaki |
| “Vále” | Evangelia |
General Impression
The gap between the song in first and the song in 12th is not as big as I might have expected. Nothing was a surefire hit, but nothing was all that bad, either. This list of songs runs from a little below-average to a little above-average, for the most part. While I do not see a Eurovision winner here, I do see one song that is likely to be the favorite in this national competition.
It was not as varied a lineup as the bigger Dora in Croatia, or even MESC in Malta to some extent, but there were some change-ups from more docile music to move lively numbers. I glazed over listening to a few of the slower ballads, which sounded like they were “made for radio” so to speak, but not standouts in a contest like this.
Ethnikós Telikós 2025 Song Rankings: Top Five
5. “Free Love” (Thanos Lambrou)
I did not give the vocals or the composition especially high scores, but at least this song was not bland, which is what carried it to this spot.
4. “High Road” (Georgina Kalais & John Vlaseros)
This song had our highest-rated vocals. The composition itself did not do a ton for me, but it was executed fine.
3. “Odyssey” (Dinamiss)
It was a bit fun, a bit different, and generally likable, but it had its ups and downs and I would have liked to see a more consistent effort. However, it has some potential.
2. “Parádeisos (Konstantinos Christoforou & Kostas Karafotis)
This snuck into second place because I appreciated the Greek sound to the composition and the vocals were fine, I just wish it were a little more lively.
1. “Vále” (Evangelia)
Probably the best song here and would assume this is going to be the favorite. The vocals were average and some critiques I’ve read involve unfavorable comparisons to Albania’s “Karnaval,” but it has a good beat and energy.
Notes on the Other Entries
“Asteromáta” (Klavdia)
Some out there in internet land enjoyed this one, which is perfectly fine. Lyrically and vocally, it was decent, but it was a little slow and lost me.
“Elevator (Up and Down)” (RIKKI)
I laughed about 15 seconds into this song. I am still not sure why. Every national final needs at least one ridiculous song, and this one was it. Kind of weak lyrics and vocals, but I have to admit, it was fun.
“Gi mou” (Kostas Ageris)
Unfortunately, it did not leave an impression and I cannot remember anything about it two hours after hearing it.
“Lost My Way” (Andy Nicolas)
This was not a bad song, but it was very generic and any country could send a song like this.
“Play It!” (Xannova Xan)
Might this be the dark horse of the competition? I did not love the vocals but this came through tied on our scoresheet for the most energetic song. Let’s see how it does live.
“Sirens” (BARBZ)
I did not hate it, but this was another one that made me glaze over.
“Unhurt Me” (Nafsika Gavrilaki)
One of a handful of songs that had the same “radio-friendly” feel that did not give me a Greek flavor.
