Cyprus in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004
{{Short description|none}}
{{good article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox song contest national year
| Year = 2004
| Broadcaster = Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC)
| Country = Cyprus
| Flag variant = 1960
| Selection process = National final
| Selection date = 17 February 2004
| Artist = Lisa Andreas
| Song = Stronger Every Minute
| Writer = Mike Connaris
| SF result = Qualified (5th, 149 points)
| Final result = 5th, 170 points
}}
Cyprus was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2004 with the song "Stronger Every Minute", written by Mike Connaris, and performed by Lisa Andreas. The Cypriot participating broadcaster, the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC), selected its entry through a 10-song national final on 17 February 2004. While originally containing some lyrics in Greek, Andreas performed an English-only version of the song at the contest. Songwriter Connaris had twice written a runner up in Eurovision selection process for the United Kingdom.
To promote the entry, a music video was filmed in the United Kingdom and released prior to the contest. Cyprus was drawn to compete 14th in the contest's semi-final, held on 12 May 2004 and placed fifth, qualifying for the 15 May final. At the final, the nation's entry was performed 21st on the night and placed fifth out of the 24 competing entries with 170 points.
Background
{{main|Cyprus in the Eurovision Song Contest}}
Prior to the 2004 contest, the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC) had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest representing Cyprus 21 times since its debut in the {{escyr|1981||1981 contest}}.{{Cite web |title=Cyprus Country Profile: Eurovision Song Contest |url=https://eurovision.tv/country/cyprus |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906014453/https://eurovision.tv/country/cyprus |archive-date=6 September 2018 |access-date=22 October 2018 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU)|website=eurovision.tv}} Since then, it has only not participated twice in the annual event: in the {{escyr|1988||1988 contest}} when its selected song "{{lang|el-latn|Thimame|i=no}}" by {{ill|Yiannis Dimitrou|el|Γιάννης Δημητράς}} was disqualified for being previously released and the {{escyr|2001||2001 contest}} when it was relegated.{{sfn|O'Connor|2010|p=212}} By 2004, the Cyprus' best placing was fifth, which it achieved twice: {{esccnty|Cyprus|y=1982|t=in 1982}} with the song "{{lang|el-latn|Mono i agapi|i=no}}" performed by Anna Vissi and {{esccnty|Cyprus|y=1997|t=in 1997}} with "{{lang|el-latn|Mana mou|i=no}}" performed by Hara and Andreas Constantinou. The country's least successful result was {{esccnty|Cyprus|y=1986|t=in 1986}} when it placed last with the song "{{lang|el-latn|Tora zo|i=no}}" by Elpida, receiving four points in total. The nation's worst finish in terms of points received; however, was when it placed second to last {{esccnty|Cyprus|y=1999|t=in 1999}} with "{{lang|el-latn|Tha'nai erotas|i=no}}" by Marlain Angelidou, receiving only two points.
As part of its duties as participating broadcaster, CyBC organises the selection of its entry in the Eurovision Song Contest and broadcasts the event in the country. In years past, the broadcaster has used a variety of methods to select its entry, including internal selections; however, for the 2004 contest, CyBC opted for a national final.{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041117133214/http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/1858|archive-url=http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/1858|title=Cyprus to select through national final|first=Sietse|last=Bakker|date=15 October 2003|archive-date=17 November 2004|access-date=10 December 2023|website=ESCToday}}
Before Eurovision
= National final =
CyBC announced on 15 October 2003 that it would hold a national final to select its entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2004. Artists and composers were able to submit their entries to the broadcaster through 2 January 2004; all artists and composers were required to have Cypriot nationality. At the conclusion of the deadline, CyBC had received 62 entries, ten of which were announced on 7 February 2004, as the participants for the national final.{{Cite web|last=Christodoulides|first=Louis|date=January 26, 2004|title=Cyprus announces national final candidates|url=http://esctoday.com/2132/cyprus_announces_national_final_candidates/|website=ESCToday|access-date=3 July 2022}}{{Cite web|last=Grech|first=Deo|date=February 7, 2004|title=Cyprus announces names of performers|url=http://esctoday.com/2185/cyprus_announces_names_of_performers/|website=ESCToday|access-date=3 July 2022}} All competing entries were English-language songs.{{cite web|url=http://www.hri.org/news/cyprus/kypegr/2004/04-02-18.kypegr.html|title=Κύπρος - Eurovision - Επιλογή τραγουδιού|language=el|date=18 February 2004|access-date=3 July 2022|publisher=Cyprus News Agency}}
The national final took place on 17 February 2004 at the Pavilion Night Club in Nicosia, hosted by Loukas Hamatsos.{{cite web|url=http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/2102|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040218021009/http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/2102|archive-date=18 February 2004|access-date=30 December 2023|date=22 January 2004|website=ESCToday|first=Louis|last=Christodoulides|title=Cyprus releases details about 2004 selection}}{{Cite web|last=Barak|first=Itamar|date=17 February 2004|title=Lisa Andreas will represent Cyprus in Turkey|url=http://esctoday.com/2236/lisa_andreas_will_represent_cyprus_in_turkey/|website=ESCToday|access-date=3 July 2022}} "Stronger Every Minute", a power ballad performed by Lisa Andreas, was selected by a combination of votes from public televoting (60%) and a seven-member jury panel (40%).{{Cite web|url=https://eurovisionary.com/eurovision-2004-cyprus-lisa-andreas-in-focus/|title=Eurovision 2004: Cyprus' Lisa Andreas in focus|website=EuroVisionary|date=6 January 2021|access-date=7 July 2022|first=Gunec Gulun|last=Yazıcıtunc}}{{cite web|url=https://www.kentonline.co.uk/kent/news/kents-winners-flops-and-other-odd-entries-at-eurovision-227054/|title=Eurovision 2020: Kent's winners, flops and other odd entries at Europe's greatest song contest including Bucks Fizz and Blue|newspaper=Kent Online|date=16 May 2020|access-date=7 July 2022|first=Sean|last=Delaney}} The members of the jury were singer and television presenter Dafni Bokota, music producer Glykeria Andreou, Mamas Hatziantonis of CyBC Radio 3, Vaso Komninou of Politis, Artemis Georgiou of Radio Proto, choreographer Annita Hatjieftychiou and director Stathis Piperidis.{{cite web|title=2004 Cyprus Eurovision National Final {{!}} Επιλογή Κυπριακής Συμμετοχής Γιουροβίζιον 2004 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pqhm3ApW9_g |access-date=9 December 2023 |date=17 February 2004|language=en |via=YouTube}} In addition to the performances of the competing songs, the show featured guest performances by Stelios Constantas (who represented {{esccnty|Cyprus|y=2003|t=Cyprus in 2003}}), Mariada Pieridi, David D'Or (who would represent {{esccnty|Israel|y=2004|t=Israel in 2004}}), and Linas and Simona (who would represent {{esccnty|Lithuania|y=2004|t=Lithuania in 2004}}).
| class="sortable wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto; text-align:center;"
|+Final – 17 February 2004{{cite web|url=http://www.esctoday.com/annual/2004/final/14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050221182424/http://www.esctoday.com/annual/2004/final/14|title=Cypriot National Final|date=17 February 2004|website=ESCToday|access-date=30 December 2023|archive-date=21 February 2005}} |
| Draw
! Artist ! Song ! Songwriter(s) ! Points ! Place |
|---|
| 1
| align="left" | Mary Harki | align="left" | "Burning Fire" | align="left" | Michalis Rousos | 58 | 6 |
| 2
| align="left" | Mirto Meletiou | align="left" | "I Need Love" | align="left" | Paris Meletiou, Chrisanthos Chrisanthou | 90 | 3 |
| 3
| align="left" | George Platon | align="left" | "Millionaire" | align="left" | George Platon | 10 | 10 |
| 4
| align="left" | Eleni Skarpari | align="left" | "Come to Me" | align="left" | Michalis Pittas, Eleni Skarpari, Andreas Skarpari | 68 | 5 |
| 5
| align="left" | Scorpion | align="left" | "Tell Me" | align="left" | Lia Ioannidi | 26 | 9 |
| 6
| align="left" | Lefki Stilianou | align="left" | "Vision of Dreams" | align="left" | Lefki Stylianou, Andreas Paraskeva | 28 | 8 |
| 7
| align="left" | Stefanos Georgiadis | align="left" | "Cold" | align="left" | Konstantinos Kountouros | 36 | 7 |
| 8
| align="left" | United | align="left" | "Me" | align="left" | Aristos Moschovakis, Peter Andre | 76 | 4 |
| 9
| align="left" | Georgia Panayiotou | align="left" | "Analyze Your Love" | align="left" | Nikos Evangelou, Vangelis Evangelou | 92 | 2 |
| style="font-weight:bold; background:gold;"
| 10 | align="left" | Lisa Andreas | align="left" | "Stronger Every Minute" | align="left" | Mike Connaris | 96 | 1 |
= Promotion =
About a month after the song's selection, a music video for it was filmed in the United Kingdom and released on 20 March 2004 to serve as promotion.{{cite web |last=Christodoulides |first=Louis |date=20 March 2004 |title=Cyprus: video clip broadcasted Saturday evening |url=http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/2371 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050426051227/http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/2371 |archive-date=26 April 2005 |access-date=9 December 2023 |website=ESCToday}} The music video saw Andreas singing alone, her head in focus and in black and white before changing to color about a third of the way through the video.
At Eurovision
File:Lisa Andreas - Cyprus 2004.jpg in the semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2004]]
The Eurovision Song Contest 2004 took place at Abdi İpekçi Arena in Istanbul, Turkey, and consisted of a semi-final on 12 May and the final on 15 May 2004.{{cite web |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |website=eurovision.tv|title=Eurovision Song Contest–Istanbul 2004 |url=https://eurovision.tv/event/istanbul-2004 |access-date=1 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200501121631/https://eurovision.tv/event/istanbul-2004 |archive-date=1 May 2020}} This contest marked the first use of the semi-final round, which was introduced to accommodate the influx of nations that wanted to compete in the contest.{{cite web |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |website=eurovision.tv|title=Eurovision Song Contest 60th Anniversary Press Pack |url=https://www.ebu.ch/files/live/sites/ebu/files/Events/Communication/Press%20kit%2060th%20anniversary%20ESC.pdf |access-date=17 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190518121237/https://www.ebu.ch/files/live/sites/ebu/files/Events/Communication/Press%20kit%2060th%20anniversary%20ESC.pdf |archive-date=18 May 2019 |page=8}}{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/kent/3709979.stm|title=Kent Cypriot is a Eurovision hit|date=13 May 2004|access-date=6 April 2024|publisher=BBC News}} According to the Eurovision rules, all participating countries, except the host nation and the "Big Four", consisting of {{Esccnty|France}}, {{Esccnty|Germany}}, {{Esccnty|Spain}} and the {{Esccnty|United Kingdom|t=United Kingdom}}, were required to qualify from the semi-final to compete for the final, although the top 10 countries from the semi-final progress to the final.{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1hAEAAAAMBAJ|title=Eurovision 2004 Sets Record|first=Fred|last=Bronson|date=15 May 2004|page=63|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Holdings|access-date=26 January 2022}}{{cite web|url=http://www.eurovision.tv/ebu/rules.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040415024828/http://www.eurovision.tv/ebu/rules.htm|title=Rules of the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest|date=2004|access-date=10 December 2023|archive-date=15 April 2004|publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU)|website=eurovision.tv}} As Cyprus had not finished in the top 10 at the {{escyr|2003||2003 contest}} the previous year, its song had to compete in the semi-final. Cyprus was assigned to compete in the semi-final in position 14 in the running order, following {{Esccnty|Albania|y=2004}} and preceding {{Esccnty|Macedonia|y=2004}}.{{cite web |last=Baransi |first=Fouad |website=ESC Bubble |title=Throwback To Istanbul – Eurovision 2004 |url=https://escbubble.com/2020/06/throwback-to-istanbul-eurovision-2004/ |access-date=17 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028201218/https://escbubble.com/2020/06/throwback-to-istanbul-eurovision-2004/ |archive-date=28 October 2020 |date=11 June 2020}}{{cite web |last=Bakker |first=Sietse |website=ESCToday |title=Eurovision 2004: this is the running order! |url=http://esctoday.com/2382/eurovision_2004_this_is_the_running_order/ |access-date=17 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131025193649/http://esctoday.com/2382/eurovision_2004_this_is_the_running_order/ |archive-date=25 October 2013 |date=23 March 2004}}
The Cypriot performance saw Andreas on stage alone with no backing vocalists or dancers.{{cite web |last=Roxburgh |first=Gordon |date=6 May 2004 |title=Lisa: 'Politics shouldn't be involved' |url=https://esctoday.com/2609/lisa_politics_shouldnt_be_involved/ |access-date=26 January 2022 |website=ESCToday}} The nation qualified to the final, placing fifth in the semi-final with 149 points.{{cite web |title=Semi-Final of Istanbul 2004 |url=https://eurovision.tv/event/istanbul-2004/semi-final |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |website=eurovision.tv|access-date=18 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418181716/https://eurovision.tv/event/istanbul-2004/semi-final |archive-date=18 April 2021 |url-status=live}} The day of the final, Andreas took part in additional dress rehearsals, including one where she sang a verse of the song in Greek to much fanfare.{{cite web|url=http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/2744|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050217040357/http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/2744|title=First dress rehearsal of the final (2)|date=14 May 2004|access-date=6 April 2024|archive-date=17 February 2005|website=ESCToday|first=Gordon|last=Roxburgh}} In the final, Andreas performed 21st, following the {{esccnty|United Kingdom|y=2004}} and preceding {{esccnty|Turkey|y=2004}}; at the close of voting, the Cypriot entry had placed fifth, scoring 170 points.{{cite web |title=Grand Final of Istanbul 2004 |url=https://eurovision.tv/event/istanbul-2004/grand-final |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |website=eurovision.tv|access-date=18 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418181619/https://eurovision.tv/event/istanbul-2004/grand-final |archive-date=18 April 2021 |url-status=live}} This placement allowed Cyprus to automatically qualify for the final of the {{escyr|2005||next year's contest}}.{{cite web |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |website=eurovision.tv|title=Rules of the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest |url=http://www.eurovision.tv/searchfiles_english/574.htm |access-date=30 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060210010517/http://www.eurovision.tv/searchfiles_english/574.htm |archive-date=10 February 2006}}
= Voting =
{{see also|Voting at the Eurovision Song Contest}}
Below is a breakdown of points awarded to Cyprus in the semi-final and final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2004, as well as by the nation on both occasions. Voting during the two shows involved each country awarding a set of points from 1–8, 10 and 12 based on results from their respective public televote.{{cite web|url=http://www.myledbury.co.uk/eurovision/pdf/esc2004.pdf|title=Rules of the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest|publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU)|website=eurovision.tv|year=2004|access-date=30 January 2022|archive-date=25 May 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050525073534/http://www.myledbury.co.uk/eurovision/pdf/esc2004.pdf|url-status=live}} In the semi-final, Cyprus placed fifth with a total of 149 points, including the top 12 points from Greece and Monaco. In the final, the nation's 170 points included 12 points from Greece. Of the 35 other countries competing, all but three awarded points to "Stronger Every Minute". For both the semi-final and final, Cyprus awarded its 12 points to Greece.{{cite web |title=Results of the Semi-Final of Istanbul 2004 |url=https://eurovision.tv/event/istanbul-2004/semi-final/results/cyprus |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU)|website=eurovision.tv|access-date=19 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419083436/https://eurovision.tv/event/istanbul-2004/semi-final/results/cyprus |archive-date=19 April 2021 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=Results of the Grand Final of Istanbul 2004 |url=https://eurovision.tv/event/istanbul-2004/grand-final/results/cyprus |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU)|website=eurovision.tv |access-date=19 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419083410/https://eurovision.tv/event/istanbul-2004/grand-final/results/cyprus |archive-date=19 April 2021 |url-status=live}} CyBC appointed Hamatsos as its spokesperson to present the results of the Cypriot vote during the final, a role he also performed at the previous year's contest.{{cite web|url=https://esctoday.com/2750/and_here_are_the_votes_from-_the_spokespersons/|title=And here are the votes from… the spokespersons|date=14 May 2004|access-date=23 June 2024|first=Sietse|last=Bakker|work=ESCToday}} Additionally, "Stronger Every Minute" won Connaris a Marcel Bezençon Award in the composer category, as determined by a jury of participating composers who identified it as the "most original composition".{{cite web|url=https://eurovision.tv/about/in-depth/marcel-bezencon-awards|title=Marcel Bezençon Awards|access-date=9 December 2023|publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU)|website=eurovision.tv}}
==Points awarded to Cyprus==
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==Points awarded by Cyprus==
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References
{{Reflist}}
Bibliography
- {{cite book |last=O'Connor |first=John Kennedy |author-link=John Kennedy O'Connor |title=The Eurovision Song Contest: The Official History |date=2010 |publisher=Carlton Books |location=London |isbn=978-1-84732-521-1 |edition=2nd}}
{{Cyprus in the Eurovision Song Contest}}
{{Eurovision Song Contest 2004}}