Greek Eurovision 2026 star Akylas responded to Ukrainian singer Leleka following her criticism of his recent t.A.T.u cover performance in Athens.
The Greek representative for Eurovision 2026, Akylas, has responded for the first time on Instagram to the criticism directed at him by the Ukrainian representative, Leleka. This follows his performance of the song “All The Things She Said” by the Russian duo t.A.T.u, who represented Russia at Eurovision 2003 and, according to Leleka, publicly support the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The singer clarified that his choice to perform the track stemmed solely from a personal connection to it, emphasizing that he did not intend to convey a political message or express support for Russia, and he apologized to Leleka and anyone hurt by his performance.
“Never a Political Intention”: Akylas Responds to Accusations
In response to the harsh claims made by Leleka, who stated that “it broke her heart to hear this song from Akylas” and that she “truly hopes this stems from a lack of awareness and not from indifference to terrorism,” the Greek artist publicly addressed the issue. He shared on Instagram that he had no intention of offending or disrespecting anyone. The artist further elaborated on his personal connection with the duo’s song, which accompanied him throughout his youth, stating that performing it live was the realization of a dream for him:
“My decision to sing this song came from that personal connection alone. It was never intended as a political statement or as support for anyone’s actions or beliefs.”
He concluded his message with a personal plea to the Ukrainian singer:
“I’m truly sorry if my performance hurt you or anyone else. That was never my intention. I sincerely hope we can all see a future filled with peace, understanding, and compassion.”
Leleka Criticizes the Greek Representative
The response from the Greek entry came after the singer shared last night that Akylas’s choice to perform a song by t.A.T.u at one of his concerts in Athens was particularly severe. She alleged that the members of the Russian duo publicly support the Russian invasion of Ukraine, noting that on the exact same day, one of the largest Russian attacks on Ukraine had occurred.
“Today is a day of mourning in Kyiv,” the singer stated. “At least 30 people were killed, 99 injured, and 10 are still reported missing. The song you shared was created by a Russian band that openly supports the terrorist state responsible for these attacks.”
“It breaks my heart to hear this song from you,” she added. “I truly hope this stems from a lack of awareness and not from indifference to terrorism, because indifference is something we simply cannot afford. Today this terrorism is destroying Ukrainian cities. Tomorrow, it could reach further.”
The incident has already sparked extensive discussion across social media, with the topic causing deeply divided opinions regarding both Leleka’s criticism and Akylas’s subsequent response as they prepare for the upcoming contest.
Greece at Eurovision 2026
“Ferto” (in English: “Bring it”) is the name of the song that was performed by the singer Akylas, which represented Greece in Vienna, Austria. The song, co-written by Akylas and Teo Pouzbouris, known as Freaky Fortune, one of Greece’s representatives at Eurovision 2014. The song finished tenth in the grand final, recieving 220 points. Which split to 73 points from the jury, placing him 12th, and 147 points from the public, placing him sixth.
Eurovision 2027: This will be Greece’s 47th 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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