Eleni Foureira

Foureira began her music career as a member of the girl group Mystique. She was discovered by Andreas Giatrakos, and the group also consisted of Alkmini Chatzigianni and Maria Makri.[8] They released their debut single "Se alli selida" in 2007, and later achieved success with the single "Min kaneis pos de thymasai" featuring Greek hip hop group NEVMA the following year. They broke up in 2009.

Foureira performing live in 2013.

After Mystique broke up, Foureira signed a solo contract with Universal Music Greece, the same label as Mystique. She appeared on the charity program Just the Two of Us, hosted by Mega Channel. She tied for first place along with singer Panagiotis Petrakis.[9] Foureira released her self-titled debut studio album in December 2010.[10] Afterwards, she signed with Minos EMI. Her second album Ti Poniro Mou Zitas was released in 2012, while her third Anemos agapis was released in 2014. From 2015 to 2016, she starred as Sofia in the musical Barbarella: the 80's Musical in Athens, alongside other Greek pop stars such as Ivi Adamou and Katy Garbi.[11][12][13][14] Following the release of Anemos agapis, she left Minos EMI and signed with Panik Records. She was a judge on season three of the Greek version of So You Think You Can Dance. Her fourth studio album Vasilissa was released in 2017.[15]

Foureira performing "Fuego" at Eurovision 2018.

Foureira has made several attempts to represent Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest. In 2010, she took part in the Greek national final for the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 with Manos Pyrovolakis, performing the song "Kivotos tou Noe". They placed second behind Giorgos Alkaios.[16][17] In 2013, she performed "Wild Dances" with Ruslana at Eurosong 2013 – a MAD show.[18][19] She later considered taking part in Eurosong 2015 - NERIT & MAD show, but ultimately did not.[20] She once again attempted to represent Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 with the song "Come Tiki Tam", but was rejected by Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT).[21][22] In 2017, she was rejected by the broadcaster for the Eurovision Song Contest 2017 once again.[23]

In February 2018, it was confirmed that Foureira would represent Cyprus in the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 with the song "Fuego".[24] The song was composed by Greek-Swedish songwriter Alex Papaconstantinou.[25][26] Foureira was seen as one of three ethnic Albanians competing that year, each of them representing different countries. Foureira posed with Albanian contestant Eugent Bushpepa, making the crossed hands gesture denoting the double eagle of the Flag of Albania. In response, nationalist Greeks spoke out against Foureira, saying she should be removed from the contest, but Cyprus continued to support her.[2] On 8 May 2018, she qualified from the first semi-final to the grand final.[27][28] In the final held on 12 May 2018, she finished as the runner-up to winner Netta from Israel, having received the fifth most votes from the international juries and the second most votes from the public televoting process; this marked Cyprus' best Eurovision placement in history.[29][30]

Shortly after Eurovision 2018, Eleni signed a record deal with Sony Music.[31] By doing so, she became only the second Greek artist to sign an international deal with a major record label after Helena Paparizou (who won the Eurovision Song Contest 2005).[32][33] In late June, she released her Greek single "Caramela", which topped the Digital Single Chart. In mid-October, she released the non-album single "Tómame", which was also number one hit.[34] Towards the end of the year, it was announced that "Fuego" has been certified platinum in Spain,[35] and gold in Norway and Sweden, becoming Eleni's first song to achieve this.[36][37]

On 17 May 2019, Eleni released her first international project, an extended play titled Gypsy Woman (EP), which includes the song "El Ritmo Psicodelico" as the lead single.[38] To further promote her studio project, she embarked on a European tour in various cities in Greece, Spain, and the United Kingdom.[39][40] Around the same time, during the Host Broadcaster press conference of the Eurovision Song Contest 2019, Foureira was announced as one of the four artists from previous contests that will perform as an interval act in the final, where she performed the 2007 runner-up Verka Serduchka's song "Dancing Lasha Tumbai".[41] Throughout the rest of the year, she mostly took part in collaborations with artists such as Kaan and Snoop Dogg,[42][43] and Claydee.[44][45] In March 2020, she released the electropop and R&B single Yayo.[46][47][48] In June, she released a Greek single "Temperatura", which was later accompanied with a Spanish version.[49][50]

In December 2019, she performed as a surprise guest at Festivali i Këngës 58, the Albanian national selection contest for Eurovision, held in Tirana, Albania. After performing a medley of her own songs and international hits, she sang a few Albanian folk songs alongside TV presenter Alketa Vejsiu, accompanied with a monologue in the Albanian language on her Albanian roots, since she moved from Albania during her childhood.[51]

Towards the end of 2020, Eleni Foureira released two dance-pop, electropop, nu-disco, and synth-pop records "Light It Up" (in October)[52][53][54] and "Dokimase Me" (in December), both of which contain 1980s and retrofuturism tropes.[55][56] Around the same time, during a live stream on her official Instagram account, the singer revealed that her forthcoming second extended play, entitled Light It Up, is set for release in early 2021.[57] In May 2021 she released a song with Greek rapper MadClip, titled "Mporei",[58] which was awarded as the best duet at Super Music Awards

In May 2022, she collaborated on "Mono Esy Kai Ego" with Greek singer Konstantinos Argiros. On 3 June 2022, Foureira released her fifth studio album, Poli Ploki, preceded by the singles "Mporei" and "Aeraki (To Thiliko)".[59]

She announced the "Reborn Tour" which will take place in stadiums and major theaters in Greece, Cyprus and abroad. The "Reborn Tour" kicks off in Athens on 27 May 2023.[60]

Since 2017, she has been in a relationship with Alberto Botía, a Spanish footballer who was playing in Greece for the team Olympiacos F.C. at the time.[61][62] On 13 November 2022, Foureira announced her pregnancy via her Instagram account.[63] She gave birth to a baby boy on 7 February 2023.[64][65]

Since the beginning of her career, the Greek media have speculated on Foureira's ancestral origins. As a member of Mystique, she claimed to be Brazilian.[66] She later claimed that her father was from Athens and her mother from Ioannina, although she had some Mexican ancestry as well.[67][68] In 2018, Foureira confirmed that she became a Greek citizen through descent,[5] and also declared that her grandfather was Greek.[69]

In 2013, it was reported by the Greek media that Foureira was born in Albania and that her birth name was Entela Fureraj.[70] Foureira did not comment on the reports until 2014, when she confirmed them.[71] She claimed that she did not reveal her origin in order to be accepted in the music industry in Greece. She continued claiming she never understood the issue, since she always felt Greek and she has received only Greek education.[72] Andreas Giatrakos, who discovered Foureira and recruited her to join Mystique, later stated that he wanted Foureira to be proud of her origin and would not have rejected her if he knew she was born in Albania.[8]

During the Eurovision Song Contest 2018, Foureira made the Albanian patriotic eagle gesture in a photo with Albanian singer Eugent Bushpepa. The image went viral in Albania and Greece, being well-received in the former but causing controversy in the latter.[73]