Leea Nanos captured Australia’s hearts in February, performing “Set Me Free” in Eurovision: Australia Decides. The performance marked her arrival on the Australian music scene and she is already looking ahead. Leea wants to build on her national final appearance by also making it to the Eurovision stage. And she hopes to do so by representing Greece, the country of her ancestry.
“Set Me Free” — Leea Nanos
Leea teased the idea of representing Greece in 2020 back in May, just as Eurovision 2019 got into full swing. She touted the idea on social media through a post on Instagram, with the hashtag #leeaforgreece2020. The post was met with overwhelming support in the comments, for which Leea is extremely grateful.
Speaking to wiwibloggs about the idea, she told us:
“I would be honoured to represent Greece for Eurovision 2020, to have the chance to represent Australia this year was a dream! My family are from Greece and so am I. My yia yia is currently unwell and I really want to do it for her. [Representing Greece] would be unreal and I’m so grateful.”
Leea’s passion for Eurovision is unquestionable. She recently covered Duncan Laurence’s “Arcade” and her Australia Decides journey was covered by Greek-Australian publication Neos Kosmos.
Greece at Eurovision
Greece has certainly had mixed fortunes of late, alternating between qualification and non-qualification. After eight consecutive Top 10 finishes between 2004 and 2011 — including Helena Paparizou’s win in 2005 — the nation has fallen into darker times at Eurovision. They haven’t finished in the Top 10 since 2013 and are looking to turn their fortunes around.
Greek broadcaster ERT is certainly not adverse to broadening its horizons and unearthing talent from the Greek diaspora. Eurovision 2008’s second runner-up Kalomira was born and raised in the United States while 2007 representative Sarbel was born in the United Kingdom. More recently, Eurovision 2019 representative Katerine Duska hails from Montreal, Canada. If selected, Leea would also join a long list of Greek representatives from the diaspora.
What do you think of Leea Nanos wanting to represent Greece? Do you think Greece should take a chance on the teenager from Down Under? Let us know in the comments below.
Inexperienced and nervous. She doesn’t have the experience for this contest . She does not have the thing that will make her stand out. Greece needs an experienced performer, a signer with massive confidence, someone who has appeared in many TV products. No more amateurs.
Hi thanks for your comment. Leea here , I don’t get nervous just excited and nerves are also a good thing they mean you care. It may have come off this way as I was literally in a dream. I have had a lot of experience no one has known about like , XFactor , channel 10 , channel 9 , channel 7 , channel 7two , SBS , sang at the regent theatre melbourne , state theatre , MCG. The biggest venues in Australia. Sang with and for Olivia Newton John , Guy Sebastian , Iggy Azalea , Jennifer… Read more »
I loved Set me Free, but enough with the ladies. Greece should really look around for a dude next year. Their last four top10 placings were all with male artists.
Interesting point- it’s interesting to see whether the gender of the act actually has a correlation to how a country performs. Although for your stats on Greece, the last act they sent with a major male element (ARGO) was their first non qualification, and unlike Yianna failed to make the top 10 with both the juries and televote. Overall, I’d say the only country with a clear gendered element to its success would be Ukraine, it’s male acts have placed 14th, 19th, 24th and 17th, while its lowest placed female act was Gaitana (who placed 15th in Baku) – Verka… Read more »
She’ll need something way better than “Set Me Free” to many any impact.
The songs I have been writing , I can’t even explain. Can’t wait to share
I’m not sure. “Set Me Free” was interesting, but her live performance in the NF was a bit underwhelming and looked really nervous. Maybe she’s not prepared yet.
It’d be a good learning experience for her, and would make her more prepared for similar contests.
Then we will have the same problems as other young singers without experience. Blanche and Eliot, for example, had good songss, but their lack of experiencie and the pressure in such a big contest really felt to heavy on them. Leea Nanos would become just another young singer with a good song too nervous to deliver it. I don’t get the downvote, but mark this comment in case she gets chosen. Eurovision is a great experience, but before trying you should also be secure or at least know how to manage the stress and nerves. So it would be good… Read more »
Hi thanks for your comment. Leea here , I don’t get nervous just excited and nerves are also a good thing they mean you care. I have had a lot of experience no one has known about like , XFactor , channel 10 , channel 9 , channel 7 , channel 7two , SBS , sang at the regent theatre melbourne , state theatre , MCG. The biggest venues in Australia. Sang with and for Olivia Newton John , Guy Sebastian , Iggy Azalea , Jennifer Hudson , Noah centineo and more. I’m ready for the big stage, it’s my… Read more »
thanks so much!!! I wasn’t nervous at all ,=, I just get excited the stage is my home 🙂
It may have come off as that as I haad alot of adrenaline
Even if Leea Nanos represents us (Greece) next year, we’ll probably get a 19th or 20th place once again
If she will have a song that doesn’t deserve better then yes.
We will wait. Hope for the best!
me too! grateful
As a Greek-Australian myself, I would love to see Leea Nanos represent Greece!
Thankyou all for your comments & love! Whatever happens I’m very grateful! Keep following your dreams ??
Set you free 🙂
You look and sound great in ‘Set me free’. It’s a great, catchy song! You should definitely try to represent Greece (or Australia). Good luck!
awww thankyou sooo much!!!
she’s young, talented and extremely likeable so issa yes from me
thankyouuuuu
Let me tell you something: Nobody knows her and nobody will even consider her. Thats a publicity trick which is already sucessfull since she became an article on the biggest eurovision site. Enough.
Almost every singer is unknown in their country. For example Duncan, Netta, Loïc, Aminata, they were unknown singers in their country yet managed to do well for their country.
Katerine Duska herself was a relative newcomer before she was picked to represent Greece.
At least she has been to Greece, unlike the Australian girl….
leea goes to greece nearly every year if you were to look at her social media. Alot of her family and cousins also live there.
yes true 🙂
Stop whining. Eurovision can be a stepping stone for her so why not?
thankyou sooooo much
I’m in! Set Me Free was amazing, with a better staging and another killer song this could be epic! #leeaforgreece2020
I’m down! Give her a good song and I’m sure she’d kill it. She’s clearly got the passion for it.
awwwww thankyouu
She really did not deserve that last place in the NF but she just needs to send a more stand- out song should she represent Greece or Australia.
Agreed, but she finished 9th, Ella Hooper was last.
If she does go for Greece or Australia or possibly San Marino (but I doubt she’d go for that) she needs to stay away from the staging process. She can sing and “Set me free” deserved to be in the top 5 of Australia Decides but the staging was autrocious.
Anyway good luck to her, being 17 years old and having the ambition to represent a country than the one she tried to go for this year.
#leeaforgreece2020??
I want her to try San Marino, too. She can try any of the three countries if she wishes to.
Greece is not taking part in 2020
Why? because they are bad loosers? Cyprus 12 points is already a disgrace so i dont mind if Greece took a break
I am laughing so hard at pathetic idiots like you. Greece and Cyprus will continue exchanging 12 points until all blocks stop existing.
When denmark gives 12 points to Sweden its good taste pathetic swedish troll right?
Send my kisses to Bjorkman, i heard he wont be in charge next year that will be so 2010 hahahahahah
You have so many issues dude, you are trashtalking a whole nation for something that your country and its friends do as well. Seek help
Yes… I don’t mind either. They hype their own singers, think they should be in top10 with very average songs and get super mad when their high expectations are not reached.
facepalm in your face
Leea is a great singer and it was exciting to watch her at Australia Decides this year although I didn’t like what they did to her performance. Not sure why she’s trying to represent Greece – I know she’s got roots from there and that she’s keen on doing Eurovision but it’s not like she won’t ever have a chance to represent Australia one day even though she competed this year. This leads me to think that she feels it’s perhaps easier to be representing Greece in the Eurovision than Australia given the (likely) hard competition in Australia, or is… Read more »
It’s not like there is no pressure in representing Greece. Australia had a good run so far but it’s only been four years, can’t compare that to Greece’s long run and history. It’s no less worthy to represent Greece rather than Australia, If anything this opens up opportunities for a young artist unknown in Europe 🙂
Pardon! It was never meant to sound condescending or something, I was just thinking back to the time when people said that Australia had to do great in order to return next year although that’s not a problem now since they’ll stay until 2023
No thanks, no more annoying pop act for Greece. I´d rather like to see Areti Ketime participating….
Hi my new music is more RNB I’m trying to go away from pop so I hope you like it when it comes out