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    He is one of our-loved songwriters, his creations have accompanied many of our personal moments, his voice has kept us companionships many days and nights, the greatest record Greek companies for 25 years give named him "The Diamond", in the field is the No1 throughout Greece having the unique charisma of Midas, whatever he does he turns it into gold!
    Nektarios Tyrakis is a true artist, a rare friend and a valuable man. It is not just the long friendship that affect me and express so enthusiastic but his personality, his hard work and the zeal who reached him where he is today.
    Starting from Arta, his birthplace, Nektarios began to express his musical concerns through radio broadcasts on Radio Arta (1988) and at the Art Fm (1989). Going to Athens to study "Communication and Mass Media" in Panteion University, he continued his radio career starting from ANT1 Radio in 1991. It was the beginning of an important course in Athens greatest radios: Kiss Fm, Klik fm, Nitro Radio, Status fm, Best Radio (Programme Director) and Dromos fm.
    But his career was not only on the radios of Greece, the most important job that Nektarios Tyrakis do is in the biggest record companies of Greece! Started in BMG as International Promo Manager to bring out a side that no one thought he had. Catapulting the sales of the foreign repertoire he beginning to be high demanded, and from the BMG he continuous to Sony Music Greece as International Promo Manager, excel once again! Simultaneously he undertook the post of Marketing Manager and A & R Manager at Powerplay Music of Universal Music. He signed an exclusive contract with Sony Music Greece as lyricist and assumes the Greek sector of the company's repertoire.
    In 2005 - 2007 Mega Channel hires him as Music editor of the show "So You Think You Can Dance", while since 2006 working for Universal Music Greece as International Promo Manager. The unique capabilities in his professional work gave him the opportunity to take simultaneously the post of Compilations and Catalogue Company Manager.
    From 2014 till today, after 23 years of successful career, he jumped on Warner Music Greece and take parts of International Marketing Manager, International A & R Manager, Compilations, Catalogue and Special Marketing Manager.
    I'm happy for giving me the opportunity to explain to the public the great career of Nektarios Tyrakis, it is important to know that this is not just an acclaimed lyricist with countless hits, gold and platinum records, but an intelligent man responsible for the success of many other artists in the areas he serving for 25 consecutive years in the major record companies in Greece.
    Apart from the significant career as lyricist was Author and magazine Pop Corn period 1994-2000.

It is a great honour to host in our website one of the greatest minds of Greek Show Biz, Mr. Nektarios Tyrakis. Nektarios, thank you very much for granted us this interview since I know that you don’t give interviews easily, you are committed to your goals and dedicated to the music industry.

Our long friendship gave me the privilege to live your multidimensional character. But let's put things in order, as a kid what you dreamed to become, have you had the germ of the artist or it came later?
    No, not really, the first thing I dreamed to be was a seismologist, but I changed my mind. Of course music fascinated me from the beginning, but I wanted to do something that is was not possible, obviously that's why I had chosen the seismology. Eventually the music industry won, which I currently serve 25 years now.

When did you realize that you have a special gift in writing lyrics?
    I began to wrote from my youth but I never gave theme to anyone, I didn’t want anyone to see what I do and share them. I done it completely randomly, my first song was the recording of the song “Tha se agapo” (I'll love) of Manto in 2000 which was an adaptation of the French song "Je Te Dis Oui", the lyricist who had selected returned to the company with the song because he could not write it, and eventually I had written lyrics on my own and the next day I went to the record company, they liked it and finally the song has been released with my lyrics. From there I started to become impertinent and get the courage to give my songs, so it was the first contact for me with the lyrics as a profession.

Do you remember who was the one who believed in you and your talent and pushed to make your dream a reality?
    The man who basically put me in the music industry and helped me be what I become today is Georgos Polihroniou, he first believed in me and then my first manager at BMG Miltos Karatzas.

What was the first song released with your own lyrics?
    In 2000 the song “Tha se agapo” (I'll love you) of Manto, released in the album “Se ali diastasi”(In another dimension) which was an adaptation of the French song "Je Te Dis Oui" of Lana Sebastian, Lyvia d'Alché and Paul Sebastian, interpreted by Michèle Torr in 1999.

He chose a difficult artistic industry, and I say difficult because we often hear songs that have no coherence and no lyrical quality, how difficult is it to combine the music with the lyrics?
    Well basically I don’t want to judge the lyrics of others, I don’t like it, when someone writes deposit part of his soul, that’s what at least I want to believe. On the other hand, of course I have an opinion and a point of view, there are lyrics that I like and others I do not like, but that does not mean that the lyrics I don’t like are not good or do not resonate, they are two different things.
    The truth is that in recent years there has been an attempt by the lyrics to be different from a great portion of lyricists, but there is another lyricists portion that they using the same old thing. Yet these songs become hits. Of course it is difficult to combine the music with lyrics especially when you have a "pilot", it gives you more press to write a song. However, from my side I done it with an ease way, it’s like learning bike, you never forget.

Can you describe your own way of writing? When you have been given a tune what exactly you do, what is your process?
    Basically I hear the melody too many times to see what I want to write and what will be the theme of the song and then always I write first the refrain. I find the title and refrain, and then I write the couplet, this is the process.

You've written lyrics for many famous Greek artists, your lyrics have made people live plethora of emotions. How do you feel that your creations touch people's souls?
    Basically my creations touch first my soul because most songs that I've written are experiential, they concerning situations that I have experienced in my life and so I think that every one of these songs have in them a piece of mine. I like when this thing passes to the world and they identify with the song, this is the highest award that a lyricist can take. Of course I feel great and it is always as it was just the first time, such as when you give a gift to a child, it feels every time the same joy, the same thing happens with me.

How do you realize the music and the lyrics of the songs you hear? You enter the process of comparing or you letting yourself to feeling?
    Yes, many times I started the process of comparison or multiple times I am writing lyrics of my own for the song I hear, I have done it many times in the past. On the one hand, I try to see what lyrics I could write for the song That I hear. On the other hand, most of the time I let myself to the feeling and what the song give me, it’s depending on what feelings have each song, each singer, the way in which it interprets all play a role, the physical and psychological situation in which I am in the same time.

There is a tendency in recent years the singers to write lyrics and music of the songs that interpret, sometimes with good and bad results. Do you applaud this tendency or you consider that is rare one artist can do it all?
    Look, there are some people who can do it and to support it, abroad is mainly this trend not in Greece, I have not seen many Greek artists to write their own songs.
   Abroad become in tons, I think the artist try to do it all to show that they can be creators simultaneously, not only a creation of a record company that depending on what the company wants from the artist, but that it has a view that can write songs that can be both producer and many more.
   In Greece it doesn’t happen often. There are cases abroad that I like very much the lyrics that the artist wrote, there are cases where I do not like at all, and I think it is wrong for the artist to take the role of lyricist.
   Generally, in this piece I think that each one must be on his speciality.

You're in the music world many years now, you have been successful radio producer and radio station manager. You worked with the largest record companies and in your sector you are No1 in Greece. You've missed the radio and your contact with the world?
    Yes, it is a completely different thing, the contact with the world is much more direct, when you feel that on the radio you been listened by various people, they live with your songs, they pass various moments of their lives by listening you. It is a completely different relationship is more direct, someone can take the phone and tell you that this time he is somewhere and listen you, you simultaneously carry all the feelings that he feels. It is a relationship that I do not think that for those who have lived it, they don’t seek for it. Just in recent years from both a matter of time that I have, and from that point the radio has become completely different from the radio which I do, I abstain. This does not mean that the radio relationship is not a relationship of life.

Really, when Eurovision entered your artistic life? When was the time that you wanted to write a song for the contest?
    First I saw the contest in 1977, being too small then, but I remember that in 1988 I had already decided to write a song and I announced to some friends who were obviously thought that I was crazy. Still life, God and the universe brought the situations so I managed to make my dream reality, was something that I wanted to do, is the third time that I took part officially in the contest and I am very happy about this. There are other times that do not have achieved my goal of representing the country or other countries, that does not mean to put my dream down or that discouraged me, yes I was feeling sad the times that I wasn’t reached my goal but that does not mean that it created me an aversion to the whole process. I am glad every time I write songs, every time I represent a country and I wish to claim to God to have as many entries as I can.

You have always been an admirer of the competition? You watched it as a child?
    Yes of course since 1977 as I said before, and since then every year continuously I follow the progress of the competition every year.

2004 and Shake it, how your collaboration was with Nikos Terzis and Sakis Rouvas then? What do you remember most vividly from your participation?
    First of all, I have to say that the award had been made to Terzis Nikos Nikos, he chose me to write three candidate song, the responsible from the Greek delegation listened to the songs and was chosen the song "Shake it" as the most commercial of all and the song that would fit more on the contest form. It was an unexpected cooperation, to start and make your dream come true with Sakis Rouvas, one of the most remarkable and enlightened Pop Star of Greece, of course it was created an extra stress, but this stress was functional, it was creative and beautiful.
    I although and bad moments but over the years these bad times do not exist anymore in my mind and I always keep the good times from every cooperation, also the result was more than I expected and I do not think I should have in my mind anything else. A third place in the competition with 252 points, higher than the points of Greece’s victory next year, finally I believe that our effort took place.
    There are still people who deal with "shake it" if it was of poor quality, if it was a light song and stuff like that. I hear all this, although with sadness but not throwing anymore, the story has been written, the song has jagged from history and time and a song that still sounds today so pleasantly I think that has achieved its target and its purpose.

How many times have you try to go to Eurovision with Greece? Have you represented in the past other country in the contest?
    Many times I have tried to represent Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest started in 2003 with Nina Lotsari, 2005 I gave a song to Elena Paparizou, 2006 I gave a song to Anna Vissi, 2007 to Tamta, in 2008 I give 2 songs for Kalomira and Chrispa, so yes I have tried many times, they are basically that people don’t know. Those who know are “Shake it” with Sakis Rouvas, in 2004 with the song of Émigré “Touch me deep inside”, and with Dora in 2012 and “Baby I'm yours”. And I also represent Belarus in 2005 with the song “Love me tonight” by Angelica Aurbash.

But let's move on to a large section of your career, Nektarios Tyrakis and Serhat Hacıpaşalıoğlu. In an interview that he gave us a few days ago, Serhat referred to you as "my beloved brother", when this acquaintance – cooperation started?
    And for me the same applies, is being my favourite and I call him "dear brother", he is a man who in addition to excellent partner and singer, who is a perfectionist and wants every last detail control, I believe that so many years we know each other, we have developed a very brotherly and friendly relationship and for that reason and I respect and love over artist and as a person.

How this represented of San Marino came up, what are your feelings about this distinction?
    First was the proposal to Serhat to represent the country, ten songs chosen initially, after the ten were three and then a San Marino committee hearing these 3 songs and chose mine.
   I am delighted to represent the Republic of San Marino, although it is a small country but with a great history and I think it has very nice places too great culture and excellent sights. I believe that representation will send the state stead and we are all in a good position in this year's Eurovision.

The history of San Marino in the Eurovision counts seven years with only one entrance to the grand finale, is this stressful?
    Look, the truth is that I always see the statistics with anxious, not because they did not pass the previous entries, with anxious what will make our participation in the competition. I think everyone will give our best, the group already contains very big names like Manfred Thierry Mugler and all of us will try so that San Marino will be in the final.

Serhat revealed that for him the choice of the song “I did not know” was easy, he loved it from the very first demo. How difficult was for you to write a song for the competition, and what does this song means to you?
    The song “I did not know” is a deeply emotional song containing personal data from a particular situation I have experienced in my life, so the song is experiential.
   In this way I tried to put more emotion and to enrich my own with situations where I lived. For this reason, I believe in this song, and each song that contains truth, and I'm very proud for “I did not know.”

There is finally the "magic" formula for a successful song in the Eurovision Song Contest?
    No, there is nothing at all, we have seen masterpieces songs be sunk and songs blithely make success. I do not think that there is a recipe, also Eurovision has proven us that they can come up below!
   Hundreds of times we see songs that they were high in bets and not going well. Nevertheless, I think that if someone works on his participation he might have more chances to be as good as possible.
   Besides I think it is not only three minutes of Eurovision, a song is judged on the course which will make after the contest, we have seen songs that have not gone well at Eurovision to make success. So a song judged the whole result, regardless of the score or outcome will have a song.

Sixty-one years of Eurovision Song Contest, which songs you loved the most and which songs do you think were very clever lyrics?
    My favourite ever song in Eurovision I think you know ... is from Roger Bens "Femme dans ses rêves aussi" from France in 1985, the number two of my songs at Eurovision is in the same year the Spanish participation with Paloma San Basilio and "La fiesta terminó", and my third best is "For a Thousand Years" of Darja Švajger the participation of Slovenia in 1999. "For a thousand years" I consider it has great lyrics, of course there are slogans lyrics who have success in Eurovision, this course covers the situation in which everyone is, I have gone well with Verka Serduchka - dancing Lasha Tumbai for dancing, and even grandmothers from Russia. I think every song is depending on the time you hear it, your psychology your disposal.

Through your career as an artist - songwriter, how do you see the evolution of the competition? With the official entrance of Australia, a portion of people claim that the term "Eurovision" lost its essence, how do you understand it?
    No, I think that Eurovision is a living organism, not like this thing of excommunication to hear from various quarters, that must remain all the same, the competition depending on the conditions must evolve.
   Australia came in the fact that as the nation like very much the Eurovision, have high viewing figures, so I entered the competition section. It was participated las year experimental and I see that it continues this year, it is nice and it votes also this year.
   Although, we the oldest, we have specifically in mind the term “Eurovision”, only the states of Europe and some other impurities initially may have seemed somewhat surprising us all but what I imagine it will get used.
   I want to believe that Eurovision will evolve, it will regain the glory it had, I also believe that it sees successes songs, because that is the key to a contest. We have seen years when even the entire top 10 were successful, what I want from the Eurovision is to have great songs, to have fun and listen to songs on course and duration.

And as we ending this wonderful interview I would like to tell me what you learned from your experience in the Eurovision Song Contest?
    The truth is that I have gained good times, intense moments, unforgettable, one of those I now come to mind is the 2004 time the score did not understand anything, had drunk so much with Nicos Terzis and simultaneously was so much tension, I watched the board with the points and was going all up and down, this whole thing was completely unprecedented for me and I had to sit several hours and years to realize the score. Each participation has its own, whether participation went to Eurovision or not.
   Of course everyone who participates gets the best out of the experience, I think basically that experience plays a role, and that your dream becomes reality and certainly moments!

At the closing would you like to send a wish for this year's Eurovision entries of Greece and San Marino?
        I always wanted Greece to go well at Eurovision and see it as a spectator, I do not see it as a creator. On the part of the author, when I wrote to Greece, from that time in my mind something changed, and even the appearances that we had did not like it I entered the process to like me. Because everyone when representing a country has a huge weight on it, and I always try to find the positive in each participation.
   And as I have said already, I ask for forgiveness from two entries in the past because I judged them slatternly. Because when I came to their place, to see bad reviews and there is bad atmosphere I did not like, so I revised and refute.
   I always want Greece go well and I am of those who put a stone to be Greece a protagonist in the competition. I will always have in me the flame to represent again and always I want Greece to be in the final.
   So I wish success in Greece, Cyprus and of course in San Marino.

I like to thank the wonderful man and friend Nektarios Tyrakis for this valuable interview. My colleagues and I wish him every success and happiness to Eurovision and his life.

We also thank all visitors of our website 12points.gr for your support.