One year after the detailed interview by Riana Kourakou (Internet portal tralala.gr) with Nikos Economopoulos, a new meeting of this popular journalist with the brightest young Greek singing star truly got the quality of the psychoanalytic dialogue.
Riana again managed to find the keys to the heart of the artist and created a conversation full of both humour and reflections.
Knowing Nikos from his first steps in the world of the big music business, Riana was able to talk with the singer on a variety of topics. Nikos answered all her questions willingly and sometimes in detail. It seemed, he was opening one after another the cards which suddenly turned to be fragments of the certain picture. But since the questions appeared quite spontaneously (even though some of them were organized by the script already used for the last year interview, where the title of each song from the new album became the subject of discussion), the first reading of the interview gives an impression of a free flowing conversation. But later here comes the feeling that this friendly chat gradually formed into something definite and exciting. This can be compared to how we see the impressionist painting. Multi coloured dabs of paint at a distance coalesce into a vivid image. The seemingly randomness appears to be important parts of a whole and we start seeing a portrait in front of us.
Thus, sometimes laughing, sometimes thinking aloud, Nikos reveals through his answers the most important aspects of his personality including the features that an artist may not have thought to open.
From the first glance on the unexpectedly risen to our view psychological portrait the most impressive quality presented here is an exceptional personal integrity of Nikos. He literally does not separate himself from his work. Responding to the questions of a personal kind he appeals to his life in music and vice versa. In general (though not entirely seriously) Nikos sees himself as a typical artist: “I'm cranky, fussy and not compatible with many other people. I"ve got it. I think all the artists, singers and actors are very special and sensitive people.” Moreover, the young singer admits that he can not imagine his existence without a song. Nikos responses with the striking candour to a quite provocative Riana's question about what he would do if, for example, even greater crisis comes to Greece and all the clubs are closed. Having carried this idea to the realm of the science fiction, however Nikos said: “Look, if this is ever to happen I will not leave the music and singing. I will be singing anyway! I will keep on singing for money or without money. I would do that none the less, be sure!” But only a year ago in some interviews Nikos’ respond to such questions was different, the young singer was putting off with a jest that he would return to fishing, to the business he was working for as a child.
Does it mean that during this year Nikos was changed as a person? And is it possible at all?
The singer says he is the same as he was before, while answering to the Riana’s question regarding his feeling about his success: "You know me, know me from the beginning, since I started from zero. Not that I'm a number one now, I'm still at zero, but you know me from the beginning ... So I am, what I was then. Nothing has changed! It is important to be genuine, to be what I am and not to be changed for any reason".
So, Nikos believes, that he is not changed. Indeed, he was always a hard working and talented person with his childhood dream to become a singer. Now, when he established himself as one of the most popular musical stars in Greece, he can say openly what he knew always – he is a singer and he is going to be a singer no matter what happens in this world.
The cheerful facade of a young man hides passionate nature which sometimes breaks through his statements regarding his profession, the replicas on his moral values or social position. For example, when Riana asked about what he does in his spare time, Nikos exclaims, "I give my whole soul to my work, and I say it frankly - I give my soul!"
The confession of Nikos that he feels like a rock musician, that he does not want to be associated with pop music sounds passionate too! Nikos believes that Laika musician should be a rocker at heart.
The situation with Laika music leads him deeper into the problem of the current existence of the Greek culture in general. “I want to feel smart and I like to speak Greek, since I am Greek! And I behave as a Greek! …Why when I go to other countries people are speaking there their own language? But we (Greeks in our own country – L.V.) speak languages other than our own! I am mad! Whatever it was, this is the truth! …What are you laughing? Do I say a lie? I can not tell the truth?”
No less typical for Nikos are such qualities as modesty and kind-heartedness, which are rare for a big music star. . Even the very fact of him requesting Eleni Giannatsoulia to write certain lyrics for the song as a gift to his fans, says a lot. Nikos Economopoulos really loves his public. When Riana asked him if the doors of his dressing room are always open for the visitors, he confirms: “Always! Apart from 2 weeks, when I was very sick and could not speak at all. Yet I sang, because it was not possible not to sing, but then I would go straight home to get my medicines, to be able to work next day.”
Or, for example, an explanation of the song title “Tha me vriskeis brosta sou” (“You'll find me near you”) sounds very characteristic in the mouths of Nikos Economopoulos:
“…And indeed they found me near them. Not only women ...but friends and relatives too...”
But most vividly Nikos showed himself in this interview as a very independent person. These qualities were manifested in his freedom of opinion and the way he answered questions about a personal life or of a political nature.
For example, referring to the song “Alla mou taxane” ("I was promised a lot") Nikos opens the heart and speaks out the accumulated bitterness of the younger generation. “Alla mou taxane” I sing every night in the club and dedicate it to all young people in this difficult moment of life, when they are finishing their studies and having no work. All of them were told to go to study to become a lawyer, a doctor… they are studying …and end not having place to work. They are working in pizzerias, cafes and their diplomas are kept at home. They look and realize that studied for so long to eventually become a barista coffee maker. It is nothing wrong to be a barista coffee maker, but to have done so many sacrifices and at the end to learn there is no work, - it's tragic! However, everything starts from family ... From '80 to 2000 everybody in Greece was trying to make out of their children civil servants. It is a big evil! It is all about to sit on a chair and get paid without working! How to move forward the country this way, why a child should not become a plumber, an electrician, why not to do such work? All must be doctors, lawyers and civil servants? Well, it is done in such a small country! It is wrong! Fortunately we have very good politicians to help people to do good work. (Laughs) What work ...? To stay at home!”
Nikos shows his independence and in the moments of the interview, which touch his personal life. Responding to a question concerning his loneliness, he says:
“To be clear, loneliness is very nice, but only if you choose it yourself, not when it chooses you! What am I doing during my lonely day? I sleep after the gig and when I wake up I watch a little bit TV and then think about my work ... (laughs).”
We learn from Nikos that when he has a spare time he composes songs.
“I write lyrics. Out of music I do only the melody, I create it in my mind, because I don’t know how to write it. These songs I do not want to show, because I do not want to do everything. There are people who do it better than me! May be one day I will do it. At present let others do, because they are good in it. “
It may look that Nikos is a sort of a workaholic, but when he speaks about the song “Mia kardia. ston anemo” ( “A heart on the wind”) he admits:
“I am a lonely man, I live several hours a day by myself and I love it, I've come up with loneliness. But sometimes I complain and wish I would have at the moment somebody to love me, to give me a hug, to tell me something good, something beautiful ... This song is complainer and I feel like that sometimes!”
At the same time Nikos feels quite happy and this appears through his jokes.
For example, Riana admits: "You would not believe it, I read a comment on your video “Ksimeronei" (‘Dawning”) - Nikos immediately inserts: "Did they swear?”
Or, in a very amusing manner he explains the song
''De me noiazei poia isoun” (“I don’t care were you were”):
“I created in my mind the script that I am with a woman, who cheated on me, to say it simply. Then she cheated on me again and again and she cheated on me one more time! But I forgive her and say “I don’t care were you were”
At the same time Nikos is a dreamer and he does not hide it. He believes in eternal love, he wishes to go to Paradise when he will die after being a good man in this life, and on the earth he sees the paradise somewhere in the Caribbean islands.
When it comes to the choice between his mind and his heart, Nikos follows the heart, as he says answering the question regarding the song “Simeiosate diplo” (“Bet on deuce”)
He respects his colleagues, likes a fair competition, he puts the friendship high and warmly loves his fans. (Till the point that in contrary to his words that he hates when people speak English in Greek media, he finished his topic with the line in English “I love you”, which was addressed both to his admirers and to Riana, who so masterly led the interview .)
Let us believe the draft of the Nikos Economopulos’ verbal portrait which has emerged from his interview can be considered finished. The life will add to it and change some details, which we will more than ones describe in the future.
For now we only can say again; it is rare, when a big talent is combined with the hard work and a success coexists in harmony with the humble nature.
Smart, charismatic, passionate and open minded Nikos grows as a singer and a person into a major star of Greek music. And let it be so!
The songs from the CD “Doro Gia Sena”, mentioned in the article:
Doro Gia Sena – A Gift For You (E.Giannatsoulia – V.Gavrilidis)
Alla Mou Taxane - I Was Promised a Lot ( P. Falaras – M. Rossi)
Tha Me Vriskeis Brosta Sou - You'll Find Me Near (S.Giatras – A.Chrisovergis)
Ksimeronei – Dawning (V.Karatzanos – A.Fraseris)
Mia Kardia Ston Anemo – One Heart On the Wind ( N.Vaxavanelis – P.Brakoulias)
Simeiosate Diplo – Bet On Deuce ( N. Vaxavanelis –Panagiotis Brakoulias)
De me noiazei poia isoun - I don’t care were you were (A.Chrisovergis -S.Giatras)
Special thanks to George Vaxavanelis
Guido D’Arezzo
