At the beginning of the performance, Akylas appears on stage wearing oversized red boots, a puffy suit and sunglasses. Very quickly, the stage transforms into a video game setting inspired by “Super Mario”. At the end of the first verse, two dancers join him, while a slot machine featuring Akylas’ face appears on the screen behind him. Two additional dancers then enter, and the LED backdrop fills with references to various other classic video games, all starring Akylas’ face as the main character. During the quieter section of the song, Akylas remains alone on stage as it fills with calm blue lighting, creating a softer contrast to the rest of the performance. When he mentions his mother, he adopts a more serious tone, which fades as the final chorus returns. The overall staging is colorful, light-hearted and playful.

“Ferto” presents a manifesto of boundless ambition and an uncompromising desire to reach the top. The lyrics portray a character driven by inner fire and an intense hunger for success, someone unwilling to settle for small progress and instead demanding everything: fame, money, power and influence. The repeated call of “bring it” reinforces the sense of constant demand for more, as though the world itself is expected to surrender to the speaker’s aspirations.

The song creates an atmosphere of strength and control, with imagery of luxury, status symbols and living large. At the same time, it touches on a deeper emotional motive. Behind the pursuit of wealth and recognition lies a desire to close past gaps, provide security for family and ensure that scarcity is never part of life again. It blends almost flamboyant self-confidence with a genuine need to prove, to himself and to the world, that he can achieve anything.

Akylas, or by his full name Akylas Mytilinaios, competed this year for the first time for a place at the Eurovision Song Contest. Akylas is a rising pop singer who, in recent years, has built a name for himself within the Greek indie scene thanks to his distinctive persona and artistic identity. He blends pop music with emotional lyricism and a queer edge. This season, Akylas was considered one of the leading favorites to win — both within Greece and internationally. Data from betting platforms, YouTube and Spotify consistently and significantly pointed to Akylas as a frontrunner to win “Sing for Greece 2026”.

Since the release of “Ferto” last month, social media has been flooded with praise for the song. Many fans have even compared both the artist and the track to Käärijä, Finland’s representative and runner-up at Eurovision 2023 with his song “Cha Cha Cha”.