In June her Australia Decides song “Set Me Free” won the Pop category at the European Songwriting Awards — a prestigious competition for up and coming artists judged by top executives at labels including Warner, Universal and Ultra. And now Greek-Australian singer Leea Nanos hopes to win another prize: the right to represent Cyprus at the Eurovision Song Contest.
In 2019 teen queen Leea told Wiwibloggs that she’d love to represent Greece at Eurovision, seeing it as a way to honour her heritage. And now, in the great tradition of Greek stars Tamta and Eleni Foureira, she says she is just as keen to sing for Cyprus.
Speaking to INFE Greece, the 17-year-old said:
“My family is Greek and my culture means the world to me. Going to Greece a couple years ago I felt like I was home. I would be honoured to represent Cyprus. I saw some of the acts like Foureira who represented and she has inspired me so much as an artist, I would love to follow in her footsteps. The love I have received from Cyprus and Greece online has been so overwhelming and I’m so grateful, I would love to make them proud.”
Leea hasn’t sat still since her breakout performance at Eurovision: Australia Decides 2019. Last August she released the well-received single “Don’t Call Me” — an edgy collab with Caleb.TheRapper. Setting aside her sweet and innocent demeanour, she unleashed attitude and swagger to match the rapper’s fierce interlude, proving she’s a woman who does things on her own terms. As Wiwiblogger Sebastian wrote at the time: “We’re definitely seeing a superstar in the making, ripening well for a berth on a Eurovision stage.” Go girl!
Like so many of you, Leea has spent lockdown mastering TikTok.
Showcasing her humour and loveable spirit, she’s been racking up the views as she dances, sings and makes fun skits about everything from dating to cutting her hair.
In one of her most popular videos, she lets TikTok decide what colour she should dye her locks and models a fierce blonde balayage look.
Would you like to see Leea on stage at ESC for Cyprus? Do you follow her on TikTok? Let us know what you’re thinking down below!
She’s like the Australian Aly Ryan. 😛
She is waayyyy less toxic though
She wasn’t ready for Australia Decides in 2019 and her inexperience showed in her stage performance. Her song wasn’t that strong either.
Having said that, she definitely showed enough potential to be an ESC-quality act in the future. Don’t know how much I like the “I might represent Greece. I might represent Cyprus.” thing but if she chose one country, and worked towards it, I expect that she’d get the opportunity.
I mean I actually loved Set Me Free. It was my 3rd that year.
She would definitely do good!
She is a great singer! But she definitely DOESN’T deserve to represent Cyprus, when there are so many Cypriot singers (Cypriot blood, origin, not Greek or whatnot). So many singers are trying to represent ANY country, using it as a boosting step for their career (which is partially ok IF the singer is from a country they intend to represent). Also, Eleni Foureira (bad singer/good dancer/unoriginal copycat only sexy routine performer) should have been “used” as a singer for Greece, not Cyprus. Leea shouldn’t even be taken into consideration by Cypriot delegation.
You can argue most Greek artists don’t deserve to go for Cyprus, but is anyone from Cyprus even willing at this point? Or even better, is CyBC ever willing to give Cypriots a chance themselves?
I really hope she gets on that stage and wins for the first time for Cyprus! She is such a lovely and talented singer-songwriter. <3
I am sure there are enough qualified artists who are actually from Cyprus and want to go to Eurovision. For some reason, the Cypriot broadcaster doesn’t give them a chance since the last few years – maybe because they don’t dare to take risks anymore, which is unfortunate. In my opinion, they should start working with artists and songwriters from Cyprus again. Eurovision offers one of the only opportunities to witness the music scenes of countries from Europe and beyond, and the Cypriots should not be left out. The more artists and songwriters from different countries, the more diversity. Also,… Read more »
Wow!!! Thankyou so much for the support, this truly means so much! I would be honoured love you soooo much ?????
Hello, we wish you all the best!!