Georgios Kalpakidis
Georgios Kalpakidis,[1] also known as George Kalpakidis, Gorgi or GK (Greek: Γιώργος Καλπακίδης; born on 27 April 1978 in Tübingen, Germany), is a Greek songwriter, former journalist, radio & TV host, best known for having composed the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest entry for Moldova, "Stay" by Anna Odobescu. He started his radio work at the age of 13 and continued his career in the media field until 2015. He made his television debut as a host on Europe One channel, with a show called "Join Me" and also started appearing as a guest host in several projects over the next few years, on other local stations. His breakthrough came in middle 2006, when a new contract brought him to one of the biggest national networks, Macedonia TV. It was during the Eurovision 2006 period in Athens, where he was given the task to cover the event and report daily on live TV. His "ESC '2006" special, entitled "Hard Rock Hallelujah", was noted as one of the shows with the highest ratings of the year.
Georgios Kalpakidis | |
---|---|
Also known as | Gorgi |
Born | Tübingen, Germany | April 27, 1978
Origin | Thessaloniki, Greece |
Genres | |
Occupation(s) | |
Years active | 2002–present |
Kalpakidis has been covering the Eurovision Song Contest as a journalist for radio and TV stations, magazines and newspapers from 2000 until 2008. He's also starred in two horror films in 2009 and 2010, directed by Nick Samaras. His musical steps began in 2003 when he decided to enter an online remix contest. He was the winner of the competition, having scored the maximum points, awarded by the voters who chose his rendition of the original "Adrenaline" by singer Maria Louiza Vasilopoulou (aka MLV). Even though it was announced that the prize would be a collaboration with the artist on her next album, MLV was dropped by her label therefore Kalpakidis didn’t receive his reward. The next year would mark the beginning of a still ongoing course, in the Eurovision Song Contest. Kalpakidis counts several entries in national selections, all over Europe.
Entries in the Eurovision Song Contest
Year | Country | Artist | Song | Music // Lyrics | Final | Semifinal | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Place | Points | Place | Points | |||||
2019 | Moldova | Anna Odobescu | "Stay" | Gorgi, T. Reil, J. Reil, M. Broberg | Failed to qualify | 12th | 85 |
Entries in Eurovision Song Contest Pre-Selections
Year | Country | Artist | Song | Result | Music // Lyrics |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2004 | Lithuania | EVA | "Be My Baby" | 10th | Gorgi |
2005 | Lithuania | EVA & Ceslovas Gabalis | "I'll Be There"[2] | 8th | Gorgi |
2008 | Lithuania | My Magic | "Lady"[3] | 5th (semifinal) | Gorgi // S. Engel |
Ireland | Nikki Kavanagh | "Destiny"[4] | – | Gorgi | |
Spain | Crystina Maez | "Nuestro Destino" | – | Gorgi // Santana, Loredo | |
2009 | Poland | Nasty Ladies | "For Once In My Life"[5] | – | Gorgi // S. Engel |
Georgia | Tika Patsatsia | "Miracle"[6] | 4th | Gorgi | |
2010 | Lithuania | Audrius Zavadskis | "Right Now"[7] | 8th (semifinal) | Gorgi |
Ireland | Nikki Kavanagh | "Sacred Fortune"[8] | – | Gorgi | |
2011 | Switzerland | Evelyn Zangger | "Who Do You Love?"[9] | – | Gorgi |
Switzerland | Natalia Wohler | "Voulez Vous"[10] | – | Gorgi | |
Moldova | Marcel Rosca | "Voulez Vous"[10] | – | Gorgi | |
Lithuania | Aurelija Slavinskaite | "The End"[11] | 11th (semifinal) | Gorgi | |
Portugal | Tania Tavares | "Se Esse Dia Chegar"[12] | 10th | Gorgi // T. Tavares, N. Valerio | |
2012 | Belarus | George Koldun | "Heavy On My Heart"[13] | – | G. Koldun // Gorgi |
Malta | Kaya | "First Time"[14] | 13th | Gorgi | |
Moldova | Mariana Mihaila | "Live On Forever"[15] | 12th | Gorgi // A. O' Connor | |
Lithuania | Donata Virbilaite | "Superman"[16] | 8th (semifinal) | A. Anastasiou // Gorgi | |
Lithuania | DAR | "Home"[17] | 2nd | Gorgi, A. Martynenas // Gorgi | |
2013 | Lithuania | DAR | "Jump!"[18] | 4th | Gorgi, A. Martynenas // Gorgi |
Lithuania | Samanta Tina & Vudis | "Hey Chiki Mama"[19] | 4th (first round) | A. Martynenas, Gorgi | |
Belarus | Ivan Buslay | "Looking For Love"[20] | – | Gorgi | |
2014 | Lithuania | Vaidas Baumila | "Worlds Apart"[21] | 4th | Gorgi, Y. Malachi // Gorgi |
2015 | Switzerland | Kaya | "In And Out Of Love"[22] | – | Gorgi, E. Rydmark |
Cyprus | Anastasia Liberos | "Unicorn"[23] | – | Gorgi, Y. Persson, L. Persson, M. Antoniou // Gorgi | |
2016 | Moldova | PRIZA | "Rewind"[24] | 11th (semifinal) | Gorgi, M. Huskic // Gorgi |
Moldova | Anna Gulko | "Never Let Go"[25] | 12th (semifinal) | Gorgi, W. Taylor // N. Sofis | |
Malta | Corazon | "Falling Glass"[26] | 8th | Gorgi, J. Gladnikoff, S. Ljunggren | |
2017 | Moldova | Max Fall | "If I Could" | – | Gorgi, S. Ekstrand // Gorgi, N. Sofis |
Lithuania | Virgis Valuntonis | "Victorious" | 12th (first round) | Gorgi, J. Gladnikoff, S. Ljunggren | |
Lithuania | Audrius Janonis | "Run" | 8th (first round) | Gorgi, M. Huskic // N. Sofis | |
2018 | Armenia | Suren Poghosyan | "The Voice" | 10th (semifinal) | Gorgi, N. Turner, J. Gladnikoff |
Lithuania | Milda Martinkėnaitė | "Hurricane" | 7th (first round) | Gorgi, T. Reil, J. Reil, M. Broberg | |
Moldova | Anna Timofei | "Endlessly" | 11th | Y. Persson, L. Persson, N. Bergqvist, S. Johansson // Gorgi | |
2019 | Belarus | Angelika Pushnova | "Stop Breathing" | – | Gorgi, S. Ekstrand // Gorgi, N. Sofis |
Moldova | Anna Odobescu | "Stay" | 1st | Gorgi, T. Reil, J. Reil, M. Broberg | |
2021 | Belarus | CHAKRAS | "Waterfall" | – | George Kalpakidis |
Participations in other festivals and contests
Year | Festival/Contest | Location | Artist | Song | Result | Songwriters |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2003 | Online Contest | Greece | MLV | "Adrenaline (Free Your Mind Remix)" | 1st | Gorgi (Remix) |
2004 | Sunflower Festival | Zrenjanin, Serbia | EVA | "Be My Baby" | Finalist | Gorgi |
2007 | B.O.S. World Contest | Romania | Gorgi | "On My Own" | 3rd | Gorgi |
2009 | International Short Film Festival | Drama, Greece | Gorgi | Original Soundtrack | – | Gorgi |
2011 | Gayvision Song Contest | Torremolinos, Spain | Alejandro Sanchez | "Es Logico" | 2nd | Gorgi, J. J. Santana Rodriguez |
2017 | Eurokids International Contest | Maiori, Italy | Charlotte Summers | "Unicorn" | 1st | Gorgi, Y. Persson, L. Persson // Gorgi |
2019 | Golden Stag Festival | Braşov, Romania | Anna Odobescu | "Dreaming" | – | Gorgi, N. Bergqvist, S. Johansson, G. Gorceag |
Further discography
Year | Artist | Song | Songwriters |
---|---|---|---|
2002 | Gorgi | "(Is There) Anyone Out There" (Duran Duran Cover) | Duran Duran |
2006 | EVA | "Busiu Ten" | Gorgi |
"Istripstu Tenai" | |||
"Make It Right" | |||
2009 | Aleks Volasko | "Fant" | Gorgi |
2010 | Vilija Mataciunaite | "Lyg Pasaka" | Gorgi, V. Mataciunaite |
2011 | Kaya | "Your Touch" | Gorgi |
Vudis | "Gimme Your Love" | Vudis, Gorgi | |
Vudis & Bartas | "Brand New Day" | A. Martinenas, Gorgi | |
Tomas Bareika | "Sometimes" | T. Bareika, Gorgi | |
2012 | Kaya | "Lonely Day" | Gorgi, A. O' Connor |
Vicky Cornick | "Hear What I Say" | Gorgi | |
George Koldun | "Hypnotized" | G. Koldun, Gorgi | |
"Song With No Name" | |||
"Through The Light" | |||
DAR | "Anytime" | A. Martynenas, Gorgi | |
"Take Me Far" | |||
"Everybody Knows" | |||
Nikos Karakalpakis | "Turning the Tide" | Gorgi | |
2013 | George Koldun & Anastasiya Sheverenko | "Hold Me Close" | G. Koldun, Gorgi |
Silva Hakobyan | "Leave A Light On" | Gorgi | |
2014 | George Koldun | "Stop" | G. Koldun, Gorgi |
"The Girl With The Mysterious Eyes" | |||
2015 | Daumantas | "I Come Undone" | A. Martynenas, Gorgi |
2016 | George Koldun | "You Make Me Wanna Kiss You" | G. Koldun, Gorgi |
2017 | Benjamin | "Still Believe" | Y. Persson, L. Persson, N. Bergqvist, S. Johansson, Gorgi |
2018 | Olga Przybysz | "Forever" | Gorgi, J. Gladnikoff, S. Ljunggren |
2020 | Sigurjón Örn | "Burn" | Gorgi, N. Bergqvist, S. Johansson, S. Böðvarsson |
VoColor feat. Eldar | "Until the End" | Gorgi, S. Ekstrand, N. Sofis | |
Anna Odobescu | "My Oh My" | Gorgi | |
2021 | Julian Lesiński | "Before I Go" | Gorgi, N. Bergqvist, S. Johansson |
Remixes
Year | Artist | Song | Remix |
---|---|---|---|
2003 | MLV | "Adrenaline" | Free Your Mind Remix |
2008 | Christian Deussen | "Lady" | Gorgi Remix |
2010 | Filipa Azevedo | "Ha Dias Assim" | Official Remix |
2011 | Jan Johansen | "It's Not Real" | Gorgi's Emperor Remix |
Joe Jonas | "Love Slayer" | Gorgi's King-of-Sorrow Remix |
Filmography
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
2009 | Greek Psycho Cannibal | Guy in car |
2010 | Conspiracy of Blood | Evil stepbrother |
References
- "Georgios Kalpakidis". M3P. Retrieved 2015-12-19.
- "Eva & Ceslovas Gabalis - I'll be there (Lithuanian Eurovision Final 2005)". 2011-02-17. Retrieved 2015-12-19 – via YouTube.
- "Eurovision 2008 Mymagic - Lady". 2008-01-27. Retrieved 2015-12-19 – via YouTube.
- "Nikki Kavanagh - Destiny (video)". 2011-02-17. Retrieved 2015-12-19 – via YouTube.
- "Nasty Ladies - For once in my life {Eurovision Preselection 2009} Poland". 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2015-12-19 – via YouTube.
- "თიკა ფაცაცია /Tika Facacia - Miracle/georgien Eurovision 2009 /". 2012-02-09. Retrieved 2015-12-19 – via YouTube.
- "Audrius - Right now (Video) Lithuanian Semifinal 2010 {Eurovision}". 2010-01-13. Retrieved 2015-12-19 – via YouTube.
- "Nikki Kavanagh - Sacred Fortune (video)". 2011-02-17. Retrieved 2015-12-19 – via YouTube.
- "Evelyn - Who Do You Love?". Retrieved 2015-12-19 – via YouTube.
- "Gorgi - Voulez vous (Original Demo) Eurovision Switzerland / Moldova 2011". 2014-12-21. Retrieved 2015-12-19 – via YouTube.
- "Aurelija Slavinskaite - The End {video} Lithuanian Eurovision Semifinal 2011". 2011-06-29. Retrieved 2015-12-19 – via YouTube.
- "Tania Tavares - Se esse dia chegar (final Studio version) Festival da cancao 2011 {Eurovision}". 2011-05-29. Retrieved 2015-12-19 – via YouTube.
- "George Koldun - Heavy on my heart (Eurovision Belarus 2012) Георгий Колдун". 2014-12-20. Retrieved 2015-12-19 – via YouTube.
- "Kaya - First Time (Malta Eurovision 2012)". 2014-11-22. Retrieved 2015-12-19 – via YouTube.
- "Mariana Mihaila - Live on forever {EUROVISION Moldova 2012}". 2012-01-17. Retrieved 2015-12-19 – via YouTube.
- "Donata Virbilaite - Superman (Lithuania - Eurovision Song Contest 2012)". 2012-02-21. Retrieved 2015-12-19 – via YouTube.
- "DAR- Home Eurovision Lithuania 2012)". 2014-12-20. Retrieved 2015-12-19 – via YouTube.
- "DAR - JUMP! (Lithuania 2013 National Final)". 2012-12-18. Retrieved 2015-12-19 – via YouTube.
- "Samanta Tina & Vudis - Hey chiki mama (Eurovision 2013 - Lithuania)". 2014-12-20. Retrieved 2015-12-19 – via YouTube.
- "Gorgi - Looking for love (Original Demo) Eurovision Belarus 2013". 2014-12-20. Retrieved 2015-12-19 – via YouTube.
- "Vaidas Baumila atliko Graikijos ir Izraelio dainų kūrėjų dainą "Words apart" (HD)". 2013-12-07. Retrieved 2015-12-19 – via YouTube.
- "KAYA - In and out of love (Eurovision Switzerland 2015)". 2014-11-25. Retrieved 2015-12-19 – via YouTube.
- "Anastasia Liberos - Unicorn (Eurovision Song Project Cyprus 2015) - YouTube". youtube.com. Retrieved 2015-12-25.
- "Priza - Rewind (Eurovision 2016 Moldova selection)". Eurovision Moldova. 2015-12-08 – via Youtube.
- "Anna Gulko - Never let go (Eurovision 2016 Moldova selection)". Eurovision Moldova. 2015-12-09 – via Youtube.
- eurovisionfest (2016-01-24), MESC 2016 Final - Corazon - Falling Glass, retrieved 2016-01-27