Stefania (singer)
{{Short description|Greek-Dutch singer, voice actress, YouTuber (born 2002)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Stefania
| native_name = Στεφανία
| native_name_lang= el
| birth_place = Utrecht, Netherlands
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|2002|12|17}}
| birth_name = Stefania Liberakakis
| genre = Pop
| years_active = 2013–present
| occupation = {{Hlist | Singer | voice actress | YouTuber}}
| past_member_of = Kinderen voor Kinderen, Kisses
| image = Stefania Liberakakis press photo 2020.jpg
| caption = Liberakakis in 2020
| website = {{URL|stefaniamusic.eu}}
}}
Stefania Liberakakis ({{Langx|el|Στεφανία Λυμπερακάκη|Stefanía Lymperakáki}}; born 17 December 2002), known simply as Stefania, is a Greek-Dutch singer, voice actress and YouTuber. She is a former member of the girl group Kisses, which represented the Netherlands in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2016. In 2020, she was internally selected to represent Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 with the song "Supergirl", but this edition of the contest was later cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|url=https://eurovision.tv/story/stefania-to-sing-for-greece-eurovision-2020|title=Stefania to sing 'SUPERG!RL' for Greece at Eurovision 2020|date=3 February 2020|website=Eurovision.tv|access-date=3 February 2020|archive-date=3 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200203202535/https://eurovision.tv/story/stefania-to-sing-for-greece-eurovision-2020/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://eurovision.tv/story/eurovision-2020-in-rotterdam-is-cancelled|title=Eurovision 2020 cancelled|date=18 March 2020|access-date=18 March 2020|archive-date=8 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200408073040/https://eurovision.tv/story/eurovision-2020-in-rotterdam-is-cancelled|url-status=live}} The Greek broadcaster ERT decided that Liberakakis would represent Greece in the 2021 contest, this time with the song "Last Dance", with which she finished in tenth place.{{Cite web|url=https://ogaegreece.com/archives/79130|title=🇬🇷 ΕΛΛΑΔΑ: Η ΕΡΤ θέλει τη Στεφανία και για τη Eurovision 2021!|date=18 March 2020|website=OGAE Greece|language=el|access-date=18 March 2020|archive-date=18 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200318222240/https://ogaegreece.com/archives/79130|url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://eurovoix.com/2020/03/18/greece-stefania-eurovision-2021/ |title=Greece: Stefania Will Represent Greece at Eurovision 2021 |first=Emily |last=Herbert |date=18 March 2020 |website=Eurovoix |access-date=20 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200320102154/https://eurovoix.com/2020/03/18/greece-stefania-eurovision-2021/ |archive-date=20 March 2020 |url-status=live}}
Career
= Early career =
In 2013, Liberakakis was a contestant in the third season of The Voice Kids in the Netherlands. She joined Team Borsato after her blind audition, but was eliminated in the battle rounds. She then joined the children's choir Kinderen voor Kinderen, which she left after two years.{{Cite web|url=https://egocompany.nl/stefania|title=Stefania|website=EGO Company|language=nl-NL|access-date=18 January 2020|archive-date=27 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191227114854/https://egocompany.nl/stefania|url-status=live}}
| class="wikitable collapsible" style="width:70%; margin:1em auto 1em auto; text-align:center;" |
| colspan="4" style="background:#BFBFBF;"| The Voice Kids performances and results |
|---|
| scope="col"| Episode
! scope="col"| Song ! scope="col"| Original artist ! scope="col"| Result |
| Blind Audition
| "No One" | Joined Team Marco Borsato |
| The Battles
| "Hoe" (How) | Nielson & Miss Montreal | Eliminated |
= 2016: Junior Eurovision Song Contest =
File:JESC 2016 Kisses (Netherlands).jpg]]
{{Further|Netherlands in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2016}}
In 2016, Liberakakis auditioned for Junior Songfestival, the Dutch preselection for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. She was internally chosen to represent the Netherlands in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2016 in Valletta as part of the girl group Kisses. The group performed the song "Kisses and Dancin'" and placed 8th out of 17 entries.
= 2017–2019: Solo career and acting =
In 2018, Liberakakis released her first solo single named "Stupid Reasons". In 2019, she released three more singles: "Wonder", "I'm Sorry (Whoops!)" and "Turn Around". In June 2019, she performed a cover of the song "Con Calma" (together with Konnie Metaxa and Ilenia Williams) at the MAD Video Music Awards, which was broadcast on Greek television.
From 2018 onwards, she stars as Fenna in the TV-series Brugklas (English: The First Years). She also starred in the Dutch movies Brugklas: De tijd van m'n leven, De Club van Lelijke Kinderen (as singer) and 100% Coco New York (as Lilly).
= Eurovision Song Contest 2020 and 2021 =
{{Further|Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020|Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021}}
In late 2019, Liberakakis was named as a potential candidate to represent Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 to be held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.{{Cite web|last1=Kevorkian|first1=Krikor|url=https://ogaegreece.com/archives/73070|title=🇬🇷 ΕΛΛΑΔΑ: Σχεδόν επίσημο: Η Stefania στο Rotterdam με pop κομμάτι!|date=28 December 2019|website=OGAE Greece|language=el|access-date=18 January 2020|archive-date=3 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200203191404/https://ogaegreece.com/archives/73070|url-status=live}} On 3 February 2020, it was confirmed by broadcaster ERT that she had indeed been selected to succeed Katerine Duska as the Greek representative. She would have performed the song "Supergirl" in the second semi-final on 14 May 2020. However, on 18 March, the EBU announced the cancellation of the contest due to COVID-19 pandemic. On the same day, ERT announced that Greece would participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021, with Stefania as the country's representative.
In the 2021 contest, Stefania participated with the song "Last Dance", which was released on 10 March 2021.{{cite web|url=https://escxtra.com/2021/03/10/stefania-last-dance-greece/|title=🇬🇷 Stefania reveals Eurovision song "Last Dance" for Greece|website=ESCXTRA|date=10 March 2021|access-date=10 March 2021|first=Nick|last=van Lith|archive-date=10 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210310151939/https://escxtra.com/2021/03/10/stefania-last-dance-greece/|url-status=live}} She performed the song in the second semi-final, in which she also qualified for the final, on 20 May 2021.{{Cite web|last=Groot|first=Evert|date=17 November 2020|title=2020 Semi-Final line-up to stay for 2021|url=https://eurovision.tv/story/2020-semi-final-line-up-to-stay-this-year|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118125722/https://eurovision.tv/story/2020-semi-final-line-up-to-stay-this-year|archive-date=18 November 2020|access-date=17 November 2020|website=eurovision.tv|publisher=Eurovision Song Contest}} Stefania was accompanied on stage by dancers George Papadopoulos, Nikos Koukakis, Markos Giakoumoglou and Costas Pavlopoulos, while Fokas Evangelinos was the choreographer and the artistic director of the entry.{{Cite web|url=https://escxtra.com/2021/02/22/last-dance-by-stefania-to-be-released-on-march-10th/|title='Last Dance' by Stefania to be released on March 10th|last=Luukela|first=Sami|date=22 February 2021|publisher=ESCXtra|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210222222331/https://escxtra.com/2021/02/22/last-dance-by-stefania-to-be-released-on-march-10th/|archive-date=22 February 2021|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.ethnos.gr/lifestyle/96923_fokas-eyaggelinos-tha-eimai-sto-pleyro-tis-stefanias-sti-eurovision-2021|title=Fokas Evangelinos: I'll be next to Stefania at Eurovision 2021|date=29 March 2020|access-date=29 March 2020|website=Ethnos|first=Akis|last=Fotopoulos|archive-date=30 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200330102112/https://www.ethnos.gr/lifestyle/96923_fokas-eyaggelinos-tha-eimai-sto-pleyro-tis-stefanias-sti-eurovision-2021|url-status=live}} Stefania performed in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2021, where she finished in 10th place.
Personal life
She was born to Greek parents, Koula and Spyros Liberakakis, in Utrecht, Netherlands.{{Cite web|date=4 March 2021|title=Στεφανία Λυμπερακάκη: Το Eurovision girl φωτογραφίζεται για πρώτη φορά με τη μαμά της και κάνει αποκαλύψεις|url=https://www.tlife.gr/eidhseis-nea/stefania-lymperakaki-to-Eurovision-girl-fotografizetai-gia-proti-fora-me-ti-mama-tis-kai-kanei-apokalypseis/1158929/|access-date=21 May 2021|website=TLIFE|language=el|archive-date=21 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210521140418/https://www.tlife.gr/eidhseis-nea/stefania-lymperakaki-to-Eurovision-girl-fotografizetai-gia-proti-fora-me-ti-mama-tis-kai-kanei-apokalypseis/1158929/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=Eurovision 2020 {{!}} Η 17χρονη Στεφανία με καταγωγή από τον Έβρο ξεσπά σε δάκρυα χαράς • Top Stories|url=https://freshpost.gr/eurovision-2020-h-stefania-me-katagoi-apo-ton-evro-xaspa-se-dakria-xaras/|access-date=21 May 2021|language=el|archive-date=21 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210521140420/https://freshpost.gr/eurovision-2020-h-stefania-me-katagoi-apo-ton-evro-xaspa-se-dakria-xaras/|url-status=dead}} Her family originates from Thourio and Sofiko, small villages in Evros, Greece.{{Cite web|url=https://www.e-evros.gr/gr/diaskedash-politismos/4/eurovision-2020-h-stefania-lymperakakh-me-katagwgh-apo-ton-ebro-8a-ekproswphsei-thn-ellada/post28953|title=Eurovision 2020: H Στεφανία Λυμπερακάκη με καταγωγή από τον Έβρο θα εκπροσωπήσει την Ελλάδα|date=4 February 2020|website=e-evros.gr|language=el|access-date=4 February 2020|archive-date=4 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200204133130/https://www.e-evros.gr/gr/diaskedash-politismos/4/eurovision-2020-h-stefania-lymperakakh-me-katagwgh-apo-ton-ebro-8a-ekproswphsei-thn-ellada/post28953|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=Eurovision 2021: Έτσι θα εμφανιστεί η Εβρίτισσα Στεφανία Λυμπερακάκη στην σκηνή – Η πρώτη πρόβα της|url=https://www.evros-news.gr/2021/05/10/eurovision-2021-%ce%ad%cf%84%cf%83%ce%b9-%ce%b8%ce%b1-%ce%b5%ce%bc%cf%86%ce%b1%ce%bd%ce%b9%cf%83%cf%84%ce%b5%ce%af-%ce%b7-%ce%b5%ce%b2%cf%81%ce%af%cf%84%ce%b9%cf%83%cf%83%ce%b1-%cf%83%cf%84%ce%b5/|access-date=21 May 2021|website=EVROS NEWS|language=el|archive-date=21 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210521143330/https://www.evros-news.gr/2021/05/10/eurovision-2021-%ce%ad%cf%84%cf%83%ce%b9-%ce%b8%ce%b1-%ce%b5%ce%bc%cf%86%ce%b1%ce%bd%ce%b9%cf%83%cf%84%ce%b5%ce%af-%ce%b7-%ce%b5%ce%b2%cf%81%ce%af%cf%84%ce%b9%cf%83%cf%83%ce%b1-%cf%83%cf%84%ce%b5/|url-status=live}} She is niece of the Greek actor Yannis Stankoglou.{{Cite web|date=17 March 2021|title=Γιάννης Στάνκογλου - Στεφανία Λυμπερακάκη: Σχέσεις στοργής - Το κορίτσι της Eurovision και ο διάσημος θείος του|url=https://www.protothema.gr/gala/article/1105440/giannis-stankoglou-stefania-luberakaki-sheseis-storgis-to-koritsi-tis-eurovision-kai-o-diasimos-theios-tou/|access-date=18 May 2021|website=ProtoThema|language=el|archive-date=18 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518112858/https://www.protothema.gr/gala/article/1105440/giannis-stankoglou-stefania-luberakaki-sheseis-storgis-to-koritsi-tis-eurovision-kai-o-diasimos-theios-tou/|url-status=live}}
Discography
= Singles =
== Solo ==
== As part of Kisses ==
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col" style="width:16em;"| Title
! scope="col" style="width:1em;"| Year ! scope="col" style="width:12em;"| Album |
|---|
| scope="row"| "Kisses and Dancin'"
| 2016 | {{n/a|Non-album singles}} |
Filmography
= Television =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="margin-right: 0;" |
| scope="col" style="width:5em;"| Year(s)
! scope="col" style="width:13em;"| Title ! scope="col" style="width:12em;"| Role ! scope="col" style="width:8em;"| Notes |
|---|
| style="text-align:center;"| 2018–2020
! scope="row"| Brugklas | Fenna & Stefania | Season 7 & 8 |
| style="text-align:center;"| 2020
! scope="row"| Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light | rowspan=3|Herself | Guest via video message |
| style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"| 2021
! scope="row"| Your Face Sounds Familiar | Guest star on the 8th live show |
| scope="row"| Eurovision Song Contest 2021
| Greek entrant – 10th place |
= Television (as contestant) =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="margin-right: 0;" |
| scope="col" style="width:5em;"| Year(s)
! scope="col" style="width:13em;"| Title ! scope="col" style="width:12em;"| Role ! scope="col" style="width:8em;"| Notes |
|---|
| 2023
| Herself | |
= Film =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="margin-right: 0;" |
| scope="col" style="width:3em; align:center;"| Year
! scope="col" style="width:15em;"| Title ! scope="col" style="width:12em;"| Role ! scope="col" style="width:8em;"| Notes |
|---|
| rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;"| 2019
! scope="row"| Brugklas: De tijd van m'n leven | Fenna | — |
| scope="row"| Wonder Park
| June | Dutch voice |
| scope="row"| 100% Coco New York
| Lilly | — |
| scope="row"| De Club van Lelijke Kinderen
| Singer of propaganda song | — |
| scope="row"| Trouble
| Zoe Bell | Dutch voice |
| style="text-align:center;"| 2020
! scope="row"| Dolittle | Lady Rose | Dutch voice |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [https://stefaniamusic.eu/ Official website]
- [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvmlXxxVNtR0KzCB4Hk2wtA YouTube channel]
- {{IMDb name|10151205}}
{{S-start}}
{{s-ach}}
{{Succession box|
| before = Katerine Duska
with "Better Love"
| title = Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest
| years = {{escyr|2020}} (cancelled)
| after=Herself
with "Last Dance"
}}
{{Succession box|
| before = Herself
with "Supergirl"
| title = Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest
| years = {{escyr|2021}}
| after = Amanda Tenfjord
with "Die Together"
}}
{{S-end}}
{{Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest}}
{{Netherlands in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest}}
{{Eurovision Song Contest 2020}}
{{Eurovision Song Contest 2021}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stefania}}
Category:Musicians from Utrecht (city)
Category:Greek voice actresses
Category:Dutch voice actresses
Category:The Voice Kids contestants
Category:Modern Greek-language singers
Category:English-language singers from the Netherlands