Eurovision 2018: Cyprus’ Eleni Foureira is ‘the Cheryl of Greece’ - pop history revealed
EUROVISION 2018 frontrunner Eleni Foureira left viewers raving earlier this week with her song Fuego at the first semi-final - and it’s no wonder.
The 31-year-old is a huge star in her native Greece, and might even be likened to our own Cheryl.
Originally a member of a girlband - in this case Mystique - she then pursued a solo career when they split in 2009.
Her self-titled solo debut was released in 2010 with Universal Music Greece, spawning a big domestic Top 10 hit in To 'cho (Pom Pom).
From there, she went on to release two Top 10 solo records: Ti Poniro Mou Zitas, and Anemos agapis, the latter of which hit No3 in her homeland.
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Her most recent set, Vasilissa, hit No15 in the Greek album chart upon its release in December last year.
Like Cheryl, she has also been a judge: she was a panelist on the third season of Greece’s version of So You Think You Can Dance last year.
But it’s not just a career trajectory that she has in common with our own Geordie pop superstar: Foureira knows how to put on a show-stopping performance.
As was evident from her rendition at the Eurovision Song Contest semi-final on Tuesday night, she is able to pull off a choreography-heavy routine that perfectly compliments an uptempo anthem, and leaves crowds screaming.
Remiscent, almost, of Cheryl's now iconic performances on The X Factor and The Voice.
And by the look of the Fuego video, Foureira - who is representing Cyprus rather than Greece - can also work the camera; posing in a series of artistic, lavish outfits to great effect.
International stardom could be her next step, as Fuego begins to ignite on charts across Europe.
Prior to tomorrow night’s Eurovision Song Contest final, it is beginning to creep up the UK iTunes chart, and is charting even higher on the digital stores in some territories - No1 in Greece, for example.
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She’ll face a lot of competition if she wants to win: Israel’s Netta is rebounding back up the bookies’ lists, while Ireland’s Ryan O’Shaughnessy is mounting an unexpected late challenge too.
But if she manages to replicate the reaction she got at Tuesday’s semi-final, continental superstar status seems to await.
The Eurovision Song Contest airs at 8pm on BBC One tomorrow night.