Thanasis Papakonstantinou. His name has left -and still leaves- its indelible mark both on the music scene and the souls of the people who listen to him.
Born on April 26, 1959, in Elassona, a beautiful Greek town, this man lights up our days a bit more with his talent and his uniqueness. A singer, composer, poet, and songwriter who shares his light with us all with such kindness, respect, and humbleness, creating through his music a unique fusion of folk, rock, and traditional Greek music. In his musical journey, Thanasis Papakonstantinou takes us with him, showing us in an unfiltered and “naked” way both his musical education, which started when he first played the guitar, and the love for his audience – for whom he leaves a small piece of his soul on the T-shirt he wears at every concert.
If you find yourself at one of his concerts, you will easily notice this common “beat” that characterizes all his creations. As soon as the lyrics of “Andromeda” come out of his mouth or the characteristic intro of “Pechlivanis” reaches your ears, it’s as if suddenly the concert hall shakes. Everything moves to the rhythm of his melodies. One could say that the entire crowd seems to share a heartbeat that is Thanasis and his songs.
The secret ingredient to his voyaging music and lyrics which make his art so endearing and unique is that you can relate to and feel them. While they may be characterized by simplicity, accompanied by a poetic form of words, they nevertheless have a dynamism and a rebellious and humanistic style that manages to enliven the crowd. The way he performs his songs embraces you, creating a sense of belonging.
Thanasis Papakonstantinou is an artist in every sense of the word. His authenticity is what makes him so beloved. He not only sings his songs, but he also creates them from his soul. It’s like he has a piece of clay – the music and the words – that he molds as he pleases each time, to create what we call art.
Of course, his influence extends beyond music, as he has a strong presence in the country’s political culture, being a source of inspiration for many of us. Through his songs such as Heliopetra, Aypni Poli, and San Michele (aveva un gallo), bravely but humbly, he does not hesitate to “fight” for what he stands for on the front line. He seeks to shake us up, so that together, as one, we can see the truth of what he brings out through his music.
Therefore, if you ever get the chance to go to one of his concerts, don’t let it pass you by. You definitely won’t regret it! Seeing Thanasis giving his heart and soul on stage will make you feel that absolute “methexis” flooding you. Your presence and your participation, as well as that of the whole crowd, will at that moment seem ritualistic and somehow mystical.
And somewhere in there among the crowd, you will probably hear us cheering the usual motto, asking him to stay up on stage all night long and keep playing!
