Greece’s Marina Satti brings her unique song “Zari,” translated as “Dice,” to the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 in Malmö.

Collaborating with a talented team, including composers Gino the Ghost (Gino Borri), Jay Stolar (Jay Lewitt Stolar), Jordan Palmer (Jordan Richard Palmer), Kay Be (Konstantin Plamenov Beshkov), and Nick Kodonas, Marina promises a performance that seamlessly blends traditional Greek elements with modern pop sensibilities.

The lyrical depth of “Zari” is crafted by Marina Satti, OGE, and Solmeister (Manolis Solidakis), ensuring a captivating and memorable experience for Eurovision audiences.

Scroll down to read the “Zari” lyrics

Greece at Eurovision 2024: Marina Satti with “Zari”

Marina Satti is a Greek singer, composer, music producer, and actress. Her music is characterised by a fusion of traditional sounds with urban elements, rhythms, and production.

In 2007, she received a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music as an outstanding musical talent, graduating in 2011 with a degree in orchestration and production.

A decade later, in 2017, her song “Mantissa,” inspired by Epirotic and Cretan rhythms, went viral. It has now surpassed 56 million views on YouTube to date.

How the title “Zari” was inspired

Regarding the song title, the singer revealed to Greek national broadcaster ERT that when OGE sent her the song, which was far from its final form, he had named it “Zari.” “I was thinking ‘will it work, won’t it work’ and I liked all this aspect of luck,” Marina said, emphasising that “ZARI” is a collage of many ideas.

“When ERT announced my participation, they sent about 200 songs and ideas. Not all were complete; some were just lyrics, others were melodies. We contacted the creators whose ideas we liked the most, met with them, and the five songs became three etc. There were two/three factors that played a role in choosing this particular song. I told myself that I had one opportunity, three minutes. What impression did I want to leave? A ballad or a dynamic piece, full of energy, temperament? And I always ended up with the latter. So we ruled out the softer pieces, thinking that this must be presented on stage,” she added.

Marina also explained in another interview that the inclusion of the “ta ta ta” parts in the song is primarily to infuse it with a more energetic vibe and rhythm.

What do the “Zari” lyrics mean?

“Zari” is a song that explores themes of pain, change, and letting go. The lyrics convey a sense of uncertainty and a willingness to embrace whatever comes next, even if it brings pain or difficulty. The repeated refrain of “And let whatever happens happen” suggests a surrender to fate or destiny, acknowledging that some things are beyond our control.

The imagery of falling and rolling like a die symbolises the unpredictability of life and the feeling of being tossed around by circumstances. Despite this, there’s a determination to do things one’s own way and to move forward, even if it means pretending to forget past hurts.

The song also touches on themes of longing and waiting, as well as the pain of separation. There’s a sense of vulnerability in lines like “Alone I die if you’re elsewhere,” conveying the deep emotional impact of distance or absence.

Overall, “Zari” is a reflective and emotive song that captures the complexities of human relationships and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

“Zari” lyrics and translation Marina Satti (Greece Eurovision 2024)

Lyrics: Marina Satti / OGE / Solmeister / VLOSPA
Music: Gino The Ghost / Jordan Palmer / Jay Stolar / Kay Be / Marina Satti / Nick Kodonas / OGE

Greek text

Ta ta ta…

Pónos mi mas érthei makári
Péfto kai kyliémai sa zári
Káno pos xechnáo t’ ónomá sou
Ki óla allázoun gýro mou apótoma

O ánemos gia pou tha mas párei
Péfto kai kyliémai sa zári
Káno pos xechnáo t’ áromá sou
Ki óla allázoun gýro mou

I’m gonna do it my way
Sto myaló sou tha bainovgaíno
Giatí de mou ‘doses to chéri
Oúte gia na piastó
Kápote eícha póno gia séna kryfó
T’ afíno óla na vgoúne

Páme
Put your hands up
Káno óti den ítane pséma
Ríxe álli mia teleftaía forá
Ki áse na mas férei ó,ti thélei metá
Ta ta ta…

(Ta ta ta….)
Ki áse na mas férei ó,ti thélei metá
(Ta ta ta….)
Na mas férei ó,ti thélei
(Ta ta ta….)
Ki as eínai na mas férei ó,ti thélei metá
(Ta ta ta….)
Na mas férei ó,ti thélei

Na mi thymithó
Tis óres pou kónteva na trelathó
Áse na mi thymithó
Den písteves
To kárma óti eínai alithinó

Páme
Put your hands up
Káno óti den ítane pséma
Ríxe álli mia teleftaía forá
Ki áse na mas férei ó,ti thélei metá
Ta ta ta…

Móni ki an méno
Pánta se periméno
Trémo san flóga
San spírto anamméno
Ótan charázei
Me tróei to marázi
Móni pethaíno an eísai alloú

(Ta ta ta….)
Ki áse na mas férei ó,ti thélei metá
(Ta ta ta….)
Na mas férei ó,ti thélei
(Ta ta ta….)
Ki as eínai na mas férei ó,ti thélei metá
(Ta ta ta….)
Na mas férei ó,ti thélei

Pónos mi mas érthei makári
Péfto kai kyliémai sa zári
Káno pos xechnáo t’ ónomá sou
Ki óla allázoun gýro mou apótoma

O ánemos gia pou tha mas párei
Péfto kai kyliémai sa zári
Káno pos xechnáo t’ áromá sou
Ki óla allázoun gýro mou apótoma

(Ta ta ta….)
Ki áse na mas férei ó,ti thélei metá
(Ta ta ta….)
Na mas férei ó,ti thélei
Ki as eínai na maѕ férei ó,ti thélei metá
(Ta ta)

Ki óla allázoun gýro mou apótomа

English translation

Ta ta ta…

May pain not come to us
I fall and move like dice
I pretend to forget your name
And everything changes around me abruptly

Where will the wind take us?
I fall and roll like dice
I pretend to forget your scent
And everything is changing around me

I’m gonna do it my way
I’ll come in and out of your mind
You never gave me a hand to hold
Not even to hold myself
I used to want you secretly
Now I’m letting it all go

Let’s go
Put your hands up
Pretend it wasn’t a lie
Fall one last time
And let whatever happens happen
Ta ta ta…

(Ta ta ta…)
And let whatever happens happen
(Ta ta ta…)
And let whatever happens happen
(Ta ta ta…)
And let whatever happens happen
(Ta ta ta…)
Let whatever happens happen

I don’t want to remember
The hours where I almost went crazy
Let me not remember
You didn’t believe
That karma was real

Let’s go
Put your hands up
Pretend it wasn’t a lie
Roll it one last time
And let whatever happens happen
Ta ta ta…

Even if I stay alone
I will always be waiting for you
I’m trembling like a flame
Like a lighted up match
When the dawn comes
I pine away
I die alone if you are not here

(Ta ta ta…)
And let whatever happens happen
(Ta ta ta…)
Let whatever happens happen
(Ta ta ta…)
And let whatever happens happen
(Ta ta ta…)
Let whatever happens happen

May pain not come to us
I fall and move like dice
I pretend to forget your name
And everything changes around me abruptly

Where will the wind take us?
I fall and roll like dice
I pretend to forget your scent
And everything is changing around me abruptly

(Ta ta ta…)
And let whatever happens happen
(Ta ta ta…)
Let whatever happens happen
And let whatever happens happen
(Ta ta)

And everything iѕ changing around me аbruptly

What do you think of the “Zari” lyrics from Marina Satti? Will Greece qualify for the final? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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ANDREW BROWN
ANDREW BROWN
6 months ago

Sad that Greece doesn’t send anything good nowdays.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 months ago

“Ta” also means “thanks” in some parts of the UK, so I find that repeated lyric quite hilarious. 🙂
P.S. “Let whatever happens happen” could be a risky message this year considering what is actually happening in the world. (I think I wrote that before. I’m getting déjà vu.)

pluma
pluma
6 months ago

I dont use to vote for eurovision song contest, but for this song defo i will do, both semi and final
Viva Grecia

Ben
Ben
6 months ago

My winner this year. Good luck Greece, you deserve the top!

Vjera Brdar
Vjera Brdar
6 months ago

Marina is my 4th fav this year!
Sucha cool song.
Looking forward to the live performance.

Sun
Sun
6 months ago

I wish Greece all the best but this year it won’t have my vote. I can’t connect with those sounds that are so strident and annoying in my opinion. Good Luck Marina

Anita
Anita
6 months ago
Reply to  Sun

Wait for the live performance, it will come together there.

Penny Bleta
Penny Bleta
6 months ago
Reply to  Sun

Did you just call our traditional music strident and annoying? Did you even have any culture in your villages?

Eurogambler
Eurogambler
6 months ago
Reply to  Penny Bleta

everyone has a right to an opinion. Greek TV openly takes the piss out of Chinese music on almost a weekly basis so lets just accept that not everyone on the planet is going to be down for the zourna.

Kor
Kor
6 months ago
Reply to  Penny Bleta

I actually enjoy Greek traditional music but I would agree with Sun that this mix of traditional and modern is nort enjoyable for me. I see that a lot of people like it and I respect that…. I am usually huge fan of most traditional music around the world, but I rarely find any fusion with modern sounds good…

ANDREW BROWN
ANDREW BROWN
6 months ago
Reply to  Sun

It’s overhyped by Greeks only, nobody else even likes it. Most of people just say they like it so they won’t get hated.