Silia Kapsis is representing Cyprus: "I will freestyle in my Eurovision performance"

She comes from Australia, but given her Cypriot and Greek roots she was offered the possibility of representing Cyprus at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 in Malmö.

Her name is Silia Kapsis, and she's the second Australian act in a row that the Cypriot broadcaster (CyBC) has internally picked for the song contest and she's set to bring a pop banger to the stage. Something Cyprus has been keen on... Let us remind you of Eleni Foureira's "Fuego" from 2018, Tamta's "Replay" in 2019, and Elena Tsagrinou's "El Diablo" in 2021.

And when you've got a pop banger in your hands, you'd better be prepared because the organizing broadcaster might just pick you to open Eurovision 2024. That's what will happen with Silia, who spoke to Eurovisionworld just a day after the announcement:

– I don't know how to feel, I am ecstatic and so excited, Silia Kapsis says.

– I literally can't believe I am opening Eurovision and in the first Semi-final... It's crazy, I didn't think I'd be opening the show!

She seems a bit overwhelmed but can you blame her? After all, Silia Kapsis is the youngest competitor at this year's Eurovision:

– But I am excited. It's a fun song, I will be dancing and therefore the Semi-final will just start with a bang, I hope it sets the mood for the show.

It'd be unrealistic to say the final result doesn't matter to Silia Kapsis, but she's trying not to let it get to her:

– What I am trying to put into my head is that if I just give a good performance, it will go well. I really hope I make it into the Final and if I do that, I think we may just get it. I am manifesting it!

She's 17 and Eurovision may be quite a lot to take when you're that young. Luckily, she seems to be happy with the team she has, and Andrew Lambrou (Cyprus 2023) also made sure to give a few words of comfort to the young singer:

– I was a bit sceptical at first because I was meeting new people that would come with me to Eurovision. I could only hope it would go all right, and it was actually Andrew that calmed me down, she says.

– He said for me not to be worried because I had the best team around me. That really gave me a lot of confidence and it turned out right. I travelled to Greece and Cyprus and I already feel like they're my second family.

– We spoke about nerves... Well they are the reason I am doing all right. They truly helped with my performance and my confidence on going towards it because I trust them, they support me and encourage me.

The selection process

To do Eurovision, one must be older than 16. Silia just turned 17 in December of last year ("I am a Sagittarius" she says at one point). While she's always been a Eurovision fan, she only recently became eligible to sing in the show. That's when she started looking for the opportunity, even though she admits she'd always felt clueless on how to possibly get into it... So how did her chance come about?

– I came to understand it'd be mostly through national selections, but it wasn't my case. I followed Dimitris Kontopoulos, the producer of "Liar," on Instagram, and he saw my stuff including videos of me singing, she explains.

– So, he had a conversation with my mother first where he asked her if I could speak Greek and if I was of Cypriot descent which she confirmed. We ended up going to Greece on holidays... We go every year and he invited us to his studio. That's where we recorded the song along with other two.

I couldn't sleep that nightSilia Kapsis

From the three songs, one being a slower tempo, she preferred "Liar":

– I obviously gravitated towards "Liar" due to the fact it was very dancy, and only then he told me they could use me for a project. The project was Eurovision.

It was about one o'clock in the night when Silia's mother got the call:

– Due to the time difference, I was about to go to bed when my mom comes in my room saying "Silia! Guess what?" I was surprised because it was late but that's when she told me I would go to Eurovision and represent Cyprus.

– Let me tell you, I couldn't sleep that night. I called my friends, my family group chat... It was a boost of energy, I really couldn't go to bed.

"Liar" and social media

"Liar" is a pop dance track with an anthemic chorus, and once you give it a listen and read its lyrics you may just think she's referring to someone. But there could be more to it:

– I am not sure if you know but the song isn't exactly about a specific person. It's about us living in a fake world exposed to body shaming, sexualism, where social media is the main act.

– I have been lucky enough to not go through that pressure myself with it but I am aware that some people do struggle given all of those stereotypes it sells, so I hope that this song helps people breaking out from this "fake world."

How do you feel about social media?

– I have been using it since I was around 10 in order to boost my career, and at the end of the day social media is a massive platform for so many artists' lives and, in some cases, their income so I think that's the good part about it, she says.

– But, of course, there are disadvantages such as the ones we've mentioned.

She goes back to the song, and on to share a few details on what to expect for the Malmö stage:

– It's a song about breaking out from this fake world and living the truth and that will be a main part of the performance as well.

There'll be a bit of freestyle as wellSilia Kapsis

Given the secrecy of the show, there's not much more she can share, but Silia admits there'll be "dancing throughout the whole song, four dancers, some cool LEDs happening," and that the golden outfit will not be used:

– The outfit is completely different and the music video won't serve as inspiration aside from that one "L" move I do when walking, that'll be in it.

The four dancers have been revealed as Martin Daugaard, Sebastian Laurentius Nielsen, Theo B. Kofoed, and Thomas Hegnet, all from Denmark.

How about your involvement in the performance?

– I will say that, at first, I was a bit shy but as soon as I got more comfortable with my team, I started sharing my ideas and we bounced off each other's ideas. They did listen to me and, most of the times, agreed with me which is great.

She teases one more detail:

– There'll be a bit of freestyle as well so it will be cool and fun.

We go on to speak about her goals with this Eurovision participation:

– I'd like people to remember me for that 17-year-old who did her best on stage and smashed it. I want everyone to get up and dance... To have fun, she says.

– I also want to achieve a bigger audience, for people to get to know me as an artist and being introduced to my music. The thing is, I am just really happy that I get to share what I love to do and to share music because it truly unites.

And that's how she looks into the contest:

– Eurovision has always been a part of most people's lives, at least, of those who watch it and I don't even look at it as a competition, rather as a show of unity. I also know some people bring politics into it but they shouldn't because when you listen to a song and you like it, then you like it and you enjoy it, music is music in itself and nothing else.

A pop music lover

Music (and dancing) is her main passion, but Silia's talent goes beyond that. She made her debut as an actress in 2022 and has been a part of Nickelodeon projects for a while. Working for such a big network opened many doors and boosted her confidence. Her music career, per se, also kicked off two years ago with the release of "Who Am I," even if it was written when she was 12.

"No Boys Allowed," "Disco Dancer," and "Night Out" followed. While different from "Liar," the pop essence is still in all of those:

– This is who I am and it's important that I share this sound with my audience because it's what I want to be known for. It also represents me as a dancer, I love pop and R&B music and I am always ready to just get up and dance.

It comes as no surprise that Silia's main references are three big popstars: Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez and Ariana Grande.

– Oh yes. Whenever I see Jennifer Lopez's stage presence, I am simply amazed. Beyoncé is a huge role model to me, she has an amazing voice quality and the fact that she can sing and dance at the same time and still be on tune is amazing. As for Ariana Grande, I just love her angelic voice.

When did you understand you loved music?

– When I was younger, according to my mother, I was just a crazy child who used to dance and sing around the house... I was loud and could never sleep and that's when she thought maybe there was something. So, one day she took me to a dance class and I literally didn't want to leave, she laughs.

– That's when I knew that was me. It was during one of those classes that she also realized I could sing and took me to singing lessons.

All of this commitment and passion culminated with Silia being chosen to sing and dance for the Australian Youth Company that traveled all around the country, being her first "career opportunity."

At the age of 17, she has proven she can act, sing, dance, and will in a few months step onto the world's biggest stage. What's coming after?

– I'd love to release more music after Eurovision because I really want to continue creating and continue this journey of getting to be known for my music. I'd love to tour the world, she says.

Before we conclude our 20-minute chat, we also speak about this year's entries:

– I have three favorites, and mostly because they're pop and make me want to dance, she says.

– I love Malta, Luxembourg and Austria... Oh, and of course, Greece! Such a great song.

She's a girl's girl and a pop lover!

Silia Kapsis is set to open the first Semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest with her song "Liar" on 7 May.