Antique

成員：Helena Paparizou & Nikos Panagiotidis
by Dave Thompson
Best remembered for introducing Europe to the voice of vocalist Helena Paparizou, the Greek-Swedish duo Antique were formed in 1999 by Paparizou and guitarist Nikos Panagiotidis. Signing to the Swedish label Bonnier, Antique scored their first hit straight out of the box with the self-styled Nordic disco of "Opa Opa"; the single topped the Swedish charts in fall 1999, and also performed well in Norway and Switzerland. "Dinata Dinata" followed, while Antique's first two LPs, 1999's Mera Me Ti Mer and 2001's Die for You, were also major successes, as were both albums' title tracks. The duo's Greek background naturally led to similar successes in Greece and Cyprus and, in 2001, Antique were selected to represent Greece at the Eurovision Song Contest, staged that year in Copenhagen. They finished third performing "(I Would) Die for You," the highest position any Greek entry would achieve prior to the solo Paparizou's victory in 2005. Enlarging upon this success, Antique undertook several successful European tours over the next two years, while maintaining a constant stream of hit singles -- "Ligo Ligo" and "Why" in 2001, "Moro Mou" and "Alli Mia for A" in 2002, and "O Ti Theleis," "Me Logia Ellinika," "Kainourgia Agapi," "List of Lovers," and the aptly titled "Time to Say Goodbye" in 2003. Antique also recorded three further albums before the duo parted ways in 2003, Me Logia Ellinika (2002), Alli Mia Fora (2002), and Blue Love (2003). Paparizou launched a solo career later that same year. In 2006 a "new" Antique song appeared on the Internet. However, the ecologically themed "V-Power" was recorded shortly before the breakup in 2003; long-running rumors of an Antique reunion remain, for now, wishful thinking.