Antique

Formed in 1999 by vocalist Helena Paparizou and guitarist Nikos Panagiotidis, the Greek-Swedish duo Antique first drew notice for exposing European listeners to Paparizou’s distinctive delivery. After signing with Swedish imprint Bonnier, the pair notched an instant success with their self-described Nordic disco single “Opa Opa,” which ascended to the top of the Swedish charts in autumn 1999 and registered strongly in Norway and Switzerland. “Dinata Dinata” came next, while their opening pair of albums—Mera Me Ti Mer in 1999 and Die for You in 2001—likewise achieved widespread popularity, as did the records’ title cuts. Their Hellenic roots naturally translated into comparable acclaim throughout Greece and Cyprus, prompting their selection in 2001 to represent Greece at the Eurovision Song Contest held that year in Copenhagen. Performing “(I Would) Die for You,” they placed third, the strongest Greek result recorded until Paparizou herself triumphed as a solo entrant in 2005.

Capitalizing on that momentum, Antique mounted multiple well-received European tours across the ensuing two years and sustained an unbroken sequence of hit singles: “Ligo Ligo” and “Why” in 2001, “Moro Mou” and “Alli Mia For A” in 2002, followed in 2003 by “O Ti Theleis,” “Me Logia Ellinika,” “Kainourgia Agapi,” “List of Lovers,” and the fittingly named “Time to Say Goodbye.” Three additional albums appeared before the duo dissolved in 2003—Me Logia Ellinika, Alli Mia Fora, and Blue Love. Paparizou initiated her solo trajectory later the same year. A previously unheard Antique track, the environmentally themed “V-Power,” surfaced online in 2006, though it had been captured shortly before the 2003 split; persistent speculation about a reunion continues to lack confirmation.