ATHENS – Zealous fans can’t get enough of the kitschy, campy annual Eurovision contest and Greece hopes to get another winner in 2023 after a 70-person Audience Committee picked seven finalists.

Greece in 2021 and 2022 managed to get into the top 10 and the state-run ERT broadcaster used the panel to make a shortlist from which the entry will be selected but it’s being kept under tight wraps.

They are:
Konstantina Iosifidou — “We Are Young”
Melissa Mantzoukis — “Liar”
Victor Vernicos — “What They Say”
Monika — “I’m Proud”
Leon Of Athens — “Somewhere To Go”
Klavdia — “Holy Water”
Maria Maragou & Antonia Kaouri — “Shout Out”

The committee was picked from a draw of 3,000 applicants to take into account the various age groups that watch the contest that this year will be held in Liverpool instead of Ukraine – whose entry won early in 2022 – but can’t host because of Russia’s invasion.

Last winning in 2005 with Helen Paparizou’s hit My Number One, Greece had 10 out of 13 top 10 results from 2001-23, including third-place finishes for Antique in 2001 (with Paparizou as lead singer), Sakis Rouvas in 2004 and Greek-American Kalomira in 2008.

Greece didn’t get back into the top 10 from 2014-19, twice not even getting to the semi-final stage that’s televised – in 2016 and 2018 – but in 2021, Stefania finished 10th with Last Dance and Greek-Norwegian singer Amanda Tenfjord finished 8th in performing Die Together in 2022.