Securing second place in the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest with the track Fuego, Eleni Foureira achieved the highest placement in Cypriot history for the competition. Since entering the industry in 2007, she has transitioned from girl group member to a solo artist, eventually becoming the most streamed female performer originating from Greece.
Early Background and Beginnings
Born Entela Fureraj in 1987 in Fier, Albania, she relocated to Greece during the civil unrest of 1997, eventually settling in Athens. She spent three years working in theatre and developing guitar skills before entering the professional music scene. Her debut came in 2007 as a member of the girl group Mystique, which she joined alongside Alkmini Chatzigianni and Maria Makri after being discovered by Andreas Giatrakos. The trio produced work until their 2009 separation.
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Following the dissolution of Mystique, she signed with Universal Music Greece and participated in the charity program Just the Two of Us, tying for the top spot. Her self-titled debut album appeared in 2010. Over the following years, she shifted labels to Minos EMI, releasing Ti Poniro Mou Zitas in 2012 and Anemos Agapis in 2014. By 2015, she moved to Panik Records, releasing her fourth album, Vasilissa, in 2017. Her prolific output continued with the 2022 release Poli_Ploki—the first album by a woman in Greece to earn Diamond certification—and her sixth studio album, Hybrid, in 2025.
Eurovision and International Impact
Before her successful 2018 representation of Cyprus, she made multiple attempts to compete for Greece, including national finals in 2010 and unsuccessful submissions in 2016 and 2017. Her 2018 performance of Fuego earned 436 points in the grand final, placing her behind the winner, Netta. Post-Eurovision, she secured a contract with Sony Music, becoming the second Greek artist to sign with a major international label. Her 2019 EP Gypsy Woman supported a multi-country European tour, and by 2024, industry records confirmed her status as the most streamed female artist from Greece.
Fast facts
- Born: 7 March 1987, Fier
- Group origin: Mystique
- Eurovision year: 2018
- Eurovision placement: 2nd
- Debut album: Eleni Foureira (2010)
- Significant certification: Diamond (Poli_Ploki)
- Languages spoken: English, Modern Greek
Questions readers ask
Which record label does she work with?
She has been signed to Universal Music Greece, Minos EMI, Panik Records, and Sony Music during her career.
Did she represent Greece in Eurovision?
No, despite multiple attempts, she represented Cyprus in 2018.
