The wonder of Alexia

I will soon go into discussing the entires for this year's final, but I have to highlight another fabulous singer of the Eurovision first. 1987 was in many ways a very crucial year for me, as it was the first edition of ESC that I had on video. And as I watched it. It is, in fact, the only videotape I ever wore out. After ten years, it lost sight and sound, and I had to find a replacement copy.

One of the best ones of 1987, in my humble opinion, was Cyprus. This, children, was way before they lost their way and started dancing on tables, and when they knew that a direct and easy melody line was the way to euroheaven.

"Aspro Mavro" is a very straightforward little number, and who cares if it was really written by Torgny Söderberg? (Will we ever find out, anyway?) Alexia really is the icing of the cake also, and she belts out her song with real conviction, sporting a top that would probably have rendered her a few years in jail a few years earlier home on the island.

A few years later, when spending my holidays in Cyprus, I found out she had also been one of the members of Island back in 1981, and I also purchased three albums of her, something that put her on heavy rotation in my sound system.

"Nerobogies", probably her best album, is still a fantastic collection of songs that she released back in 1992 before growing a bit serious, so to speak. I love her cheesy pop output and would love to see her back in Eurovision one day. And get her sunny island back on track.

Imagine my joy when I found an Alexia fan on YouTube, who had loads and loads of clips. Dig in on the entire collection here or enjoy my select ones:



Island - Monika - Cyprus 1981
6/20



Alexia - Aspro Mavro - Cyprus 1987
7/22



Alexia - Psevtikos kosmos



Alexia - Nerobogies



Alexia - Ela mia nichta



Alexia - Orkisou



Alexia - Ela Ela



Alexia - Pezo ke hano