Sakis Rouvas

Sakis Rouvas, whose full name is Anastasios Rouvas, was born and raised in Corfu. His professional music career began in 1991 with an appearance at the Thessaloniki Song Festival. Recording and live performance soon became central to his public career. By 1998, the album Κάτι από μένα (Something from Me) formed part of an expanding catalogue. His work would reach listeners through records, concert stages and television, combining singing with a strong interest in the physical presentation of a performance.

In 2004, Rouvas represented Greece at Eurovision with Shake It and finished third. He also performed at the closing ceremony of the Athens Olympic Games that year. In 2006, he co-hosted the Athens Eurovision contest with Maria Menounos, returning as Greece’s contestant in 2009. This Is Our Night finished seventh. Alongside these international appearances, he explored acting and theatre. In an interview with Giota Sykka in 2020, he discussed playing Dionysus in Βάκχες (The Bacchae) and the challenge of trying different artistic forms. His Greek recording career continued with the album Στα καλύτερά μου (At My Best) in 2021 and later singles, including Έρωτας σκοτεινός (Dark Love) in 2025.

Rouvas’s work includes Greek albums, international television songs and collaborations with different composers. Κάτι από μένα (Something from Me), released in 1998, belongs to his earlier album catalogue. Όλα καλά (All Is Well), from 2002, brought him together with Phoebus and producer Desmond Child. His official website later recalled that collaboration when announcing a renewed recording partnership with Phoebus. The album Στα καλύτερά μου (At My Best), released in 2021, credits Phoebus with music and lyrics.

The Eurovision songs have a different language profile. Shake It, from 2004, is in English, with music by Nikos Terzis and lyrics by Nektarios Tirakis. This Is Our Night, from 2009, is also in English: Dimitris Kontopoulos composed it, with lyrics credited by the EBU to Graig Porteils and Cameron Giles-Webb. These songs are part of his Greek representative career, but his Greek recordings provide the language itself. Καλημέρα (Good Morning), from 2018, was written by Arcade. Its official artist-channel video credits Giannis Dimolitsas as director. The familiar greeting in the title gives beginners a manageable word to recognise before they attempt the song’s fuller language.

Rouvas connects several ways audiences encounter Greek popular culture: recordings, live shows and television. His official website and artist channel provide a starting point for exploring that range. For a small Greek activity, choose the official video of Καλημέρα (Good Morning). Recognise the title, then practise a short greeting exchange with this page’s adapted passage: Καλημέρα (Good morning) in the morning and Καλησπέρα (Good evening) in the evening. Ask a partner to choose the greeting for each situation. Listen to a short part of the recording and describe your impression with γρήγορος ρυθμός (fast rhythm) or δυνατός ήχος (loud sound). These simple descriptions are your own responses to the music.

• His music career began at the Thessaloniki Song Festival in 1991.
• He competed at Eurovision twice and co-hosted it in 2006.
• Both his Eurovision entries are in English.
• Arcade wrote Καλημέρα.