Antique (duo)
| Antique | |
|---|---|
| Origin | , Sweden |
| Genres | Laïko, Eurodance |
| Years active | 1999–2003 |
| Labels | V2, Bonnier, Virgin Schallplatten, KA, Urban, Popular |
| Members |
Elena Paparizou Nikos Panagiotidis |
Antique was a Swedish-Greek singing duo consisting of Elena Paparizou (Έλενα Παπαρίζου in Greek) and Nikos Panagiotidis (Νίκος Παναγιωτίδης in Greek) originating from Sweden which combined Greek popular music and lyrics with a Nordic dance pop beat. Both Paparizou and Panagiotidis were born and raised in Sweden by Greek parents. They were the first ever to be nominated for a Swedish Grammis in the category modern dance with a Greek song. In 2001, Antique were selected to represent Greece at the Eurovision Song Contest in Copenhagen with the song "Die for You", sung in a blend of English and Greek, ending with a third place – only behind Estonia and hosts Denmark.
In 1999, some DJ friends of Elena Paparizou's brother asked her to make a demo of the Notis Sfakianakis hit "Opa Opa". Paparizou told them that the lyrics are for a man, so she asked to sing it with her childhood friend Nikos Panagiotidis, whom she had met through her siblings at a Greek diaspora celebration in . At that time, some record producers were undergoing a project to sign a duo consisting of a male and a female that would sing covers of traditional Greek hits oriented towards the Greek diaspora of Sweden, finally coming in contact with Paparizou, who recommended Panagiotidis; they formed Antique and were signed to newly formed indie label Bonnier Music, settling on the name because it left an impression of being "classic" and "timeless". Paparizou admitted that Greek music had been something of an acquired taste for her, and that the name "Antique" was probably a reflection of her childhood impression of it being something rather distant and old-fashioned; something that she only really associated with her summer holidays in Greece. Their debut single "Opa Opa" became a hit amongst the Greeks in Sweden and eventually entered the top ten in Sweden and Norway, making them the first act to enter into the Swedish top five with a song sung in Greek. Their later singles "Dinata Dinata", "Follow Me", and "Moro Mou" also charted well.
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