Poseidonas Giannopoulos calls criticism of his collaboration with Keren Peles for Ethnikos Telikos 2026 “clear racism,” defending the artistic partnership.
Following the initial Euromix.co.il report about an Israeli songwriter penning a song for Greece’s Eurovision selection by Israeli songwriter Keren Peles and singer Xannova Xan, and Peles’s full response to harsh criticism directed at the Greek singer, another key songwriter has now been unveiled – a familiar name in the Eurovision world, whose stance on the controversy is clear: “This is blatant racism.”
The co-writer alongside Peles and Xan is Poseidonas Giannopoulos, a renowned Greek lyricist and music producer. Giannopoulos is no stranger to the big stage; he has written the Cypriot Eurovision entry for 2007, “Comme ci, comme ça“, and the beloved Greek Eurovision 2008 hit, “My Secret Combination“ performed by Kalomira. Now, 17 years since his last appearance, he is back in Greece’s “Ethnikos Telikos 2026”, hoping to reach Vienna 2026.
Giannopoulos Returns After 17 Years
In his first interview in Greece after the collaboration was revealed, Giannopoulos explained why he chose to return to a contest he had “already parted ways with”. He said he received a “very beautiful” melody (composed by Peles), liked the performing singer (Xannova Xan), and told himself: “You love the song, you love the voice, why not do it?”
The most intriguing part of the interview came when Giannopoulos was asked about possible hesitations because the composer is Israeli. His answer was an unequivocal view on the storm around Peles.
“I was a bit in the phase of, ‘Will there be backlash? Do I want to deal with that now?'”, Giannopoulos admitted candidly.
But he immediately added: “The moment I said that, I was angry at myself because I remembered the core that we forget. You send me your music so I can write lyrics… and I would say, ‘Wait, let me check your passport first’? Could there be anything more racist? This is clear racism.”
Giannopoulos concluded by saying that the very notion is “unthinkable”. He emphasized: “I wrote the piece because it’s good and meant for an excellent singer.”
Peles and Giannopoulos Address Criticism
Giannopoulos’s remarks echo Keren Peles herself, who noted “The very choice of me as an Israeli, against the background of boycotts and negative voices, is a small but significant step.” It appears her Greek partner firmly shares the same stance: what matters is the quality of the art and song, not the nationality on the passport.
Giannopoulos wrapped up by stating he believes the song is “very strong” and expects it will have “very good luck in Vienna”, should it first succeed in winning the Greek Eurovision selection.
Competition is Fierce: Will the Song Make It?
Will the song by Peles, Xan, and Giannopoulos actually succeed? As reported earlier today, the road to the final will not be easy. No fewer than 264 songs were submitted this year for the Greek selection, and the competition is expected to be especially tough. The entries chosen by the professional committee will be revealed in late December, with the national selection final set for the end of January 2026.
The Song: A Eurovision Collaboration
The song, created in partnership between Euromix.co.il and Greek site eurovisionfun, has already been submitted to Greece’s national broadcaster, ERT, and is performed by the intriguing Greek artist Xannova Xan. It’s a powerful and emotional ballad; the imprint of Keren Peles can be felt, yet the song sounds even more “Eurovision-esque” than her previous entries in the contest.
The lyrics will be in both English and Greek; the Greek segment was not written by Peles, but by major Eurovision lyricist Poseidonas Giannopoulos, who previously penned Cyprus’s 2007 entry, “Comme ci, comme ça“, and Greece’s much-loved 2008 hit, “My Secret Combination“. If selected, it would mark the first time an Israeli songwriter represents Greece at Eurovision.
Watch Xannova Xan’s performance from “Ethnikos Telikos 2025”:
Keren Peles’ Road to Eurovision 2026
Following last year’s successful revival of the open national selection — the first of its kind since 2003 — Greece’s broadcaster has decided to maintain the same format for 2026. This decision allows participation from artists not signed to Greek record labels, opening the door for creators like Keren Peles.
The 2026 selection will consist of three live shows: two semifinals and a grand final. A total of 28 songs will compete — 14 in each semifinal — with viewers alone deciding which seven songs from each semifinal advance to the final. The grand final will include 14 songs, with voting split evenly: 50% from the jury (divided between local and international panels) and 50% from the public televote, mirroring last year’s system.
The strong result achieved by Klavdia last year is expected to raise the bar for this year’s composers and performers. With Greece’s renewed motivation and a competitive lineup, Keren Peles will likely face tough competition on her path to potentially representing Greece at Eurovision 2026.
Greece at Eurovision 2025
“Asteromáta” (in English: “Eyes of Stars”) is the song performed by Klavdia, who represented Greece in the grand final of Eurovision 2025. Greece qualified for the grand final after placing fourth in the second semi-final with 112 points. In the grand final, Greece finished in sixth place with 231 points, with both the juries and the public awarding her eighth place.
This sixth-place finish is considered Greece’s best result since 2013, when the country also ranked sixth.
Eurovision 2026: This will be Greece’s 46th participation in Eurovision. Greece joined the competition in 1974 and achieved its best result in Eurovision 2005 when singer Helena Paparizou won first place with the song “My Number One”.
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Noy Yehoyada is an Israeli journalist and content creator at the EuroMix team since 2024, bringing a personal, feminine, and LGBTQ+ voice into the Eurovision sphere. A devoted Eurovision fan since the age of 16, she plays an active role in covering the contest—including on-site reporting at Eurovision 2025 in Basel and across European pre-party events. Alongside her writing and commentary, Noy plans the editorial schedule for the website, closely tracks national selections and song reveals, participates in live broadcasts, and creates digital content focusing on representation, musical diversity, and emotional connections.
Beyond her work at EuroMix, Noy has over six years of experience in the cosmetics and pharma industries, with a background in sales, personal consulting, and managing beauty departments. She enjoys pop, rap, contemporary art, and traveling in Europe—and especially loves songs that make her want to dance, as well as those that tell a story.
