Prive!

 

The interview takes place in a bench in the square outside the building of the public television in Moscow. Thew weather seems very cold and the iinterviwer (Elena Katritsi) is obviously freezing. Sakis on the contrary seems quite comfortable and well adjusted to the climate.

 

Is this your first time in Moscow?

First time in Russia in general.

 

And what are your plans?

I have recorded a song in Russian, a duet with Philip Kirkorov, we'll probably release an album here too.

 

How did you find the Russian people?

I didn't have much time to get to know them, but it's very nice here, although the weather as you see is rather bleak, unlike Greece...

 

(freezing...) You're kidding me! We're on an ideal spot, you didn't want to do this interview inside after all, you wanted us to be on the streets...

Oh yes, we should get this feeling of Moscow!

 

I've read somewhere that there might be a movie of your life.

Tell me more, I don't know...

 

Haven't you heard about it?

No.

 

Yes, I read it somewhere. It's not true, is it? You should know I suppose...

No, where did you read that?

 

In a magazine.

Don't listen. Don't read. Why would they make a film of my life?

 

I don't know.

Neither do I.

 

Doesn't it have any interesting things in it?

It has some.

 

Of course there must be things we don't know about. The show is called "Prive", shouldn't we do something to justify it? Let's go on. Your birthday is in a few days, I won't ask how old you'll be...

You can do as you like.

 

No, I won't ask you, we all know anyway, 33?

(nods "yes" with his head)

 

Will you organize something? Do you like to share moments like those or do you prefer to be alone?

Those are beautiful days, it's nice to be with other people.

 

Do you blow candles?

Yes.

 

Do they make surprises to you?

Yes, many times.

 

What was the best?

It was when Nana Mouskouri got on stage, bringing me a cake and singing "happy birthday'. I was bewildered; I didn't expect that at all!

 

What do you consider as significant points in your life so far? I've read somewhere that you matured abruptly after some events. First of all, do you believe you have matured? Because I, or the public, would say that you're a big child.

I think we, human beings, mature one way or the other. Every experience, everything we do, matures us, it teaches us things, you know, so it happens automatically.

 

Do you deal with things "lightly" sometimes, or do you take everything that happens in a serious way?

I don't know, this depends on how something affects you, troubles you. You know, life is beautiful anyway, it's a big game. Many times tragic events may happen, but life goes on, and we should see it this way, it's nice to live it till the end.

 

Do you think The Eurovision contest was a turning point that made you see things differently from then on?

Yes. Yes, because it was a nice experience to me, a powerful one, I felt the people's love so strong, I felt the power people can have when they are united and believe in something. And I could feel that energy and power, I could feel it, they had sent it to me all together. It was an extraordinary point in my life!

 

We had talked about it earlier and we had said that it's so easy in Greece to be put to the top one day and be brought down the next. We had discussed what could happen if you didn't do well, and you had said "I don't want to think about it, I'll go ahead no matter what happens". And clearly from then on the best happened.

Not the best, almost.

 

It was the best, in Greece everybody loved you!

That's true, on my part, yes. You know, I feel I am the favoured one in this case, because I really felt that love so powerful, I got so much love, I got response and support from the people, and at some point I felt I didn't reward them to the extent that I should have. I wanted us to have won the Eurovision.

 

If you had the chance would you go again?

I experienced it, I don't know if I would do it again... If the conditions were right, so that the best could happen this time - that is to bring the Eurovision in Greece - maybe I would do it again.

 

But no-one can be sure about that...

No, but you know, there are certain things that help. It is a contest where people's voting is subjective, it's not an objective thing like scoring in football, and one should be able to affect people, to touch the heart and soul of people in all those countries that vote. So if there were the appropriate conditions, if I was given the necessary equipment to do this, then I would perhaps do it again.

 

Tell me, really, were you afraid?

There wasn't anything to be afraid of.

 

What about failure, the possibility of not doing well?

No! (laughs) No, I was feeling very well. It's something I have since I was an athlete, I knew when I was well and I would do well - I could feel it. I was in good shape, I could feel the audience, and I felt so good that nothing could go awful.

 

Now, thanks to the Eurovision, you have fans from 5 to 85 years old. I don't know how many in Greece have achieved this! I want you to describe one of the expressions of admiration from your fans that has impressed you, especially after the Eurovision.

Recently, during a trip in the USA, I was in a store, shopping, and suddenly I see two ladies - at about 85 as you said before - with their eyes wide open, rushing to me and saying: "Sakiiii, Sakiiii, we watched you at the Eurovision" - it was so funny - "have my blessing boy, you have moved us all", and so on...

 

Surely most of your fans don't give you their blessings exactly... They think you are so sexy, shining, handsome. What do YOU see when you look in the mirror by the way?

When I'm looking into the mirror I'm usually shaving, or I'm in the dressing room just before I go on stage...

 

What do you see? Do you see the same image that all of us can see or do you see a face that you'd like to change?

What I usually do is preparing to go onstage, so I'm in a concentration process...

 

So it's like you're seeing someone else?

No, it's me, but a bit different.

 

Would you like to change anything on your body?

No, I'm fine, thank God! (they both laugh)

 

Do you think that your success in Eurovision had anything to do with inviting you to participate in the Olympics Closing Ceremony?

You should ask Dimitris Papaioannou (director of both ceremonies) about that.

 

What is your feeling? Did your wide public appeal contribute so that he invited you?

It is possible, I don't know. I didn't sing "Shake it" though... (laughing)

 

No, you didn't, and I'd like to talk about this. You decided to sing a song that no-one ever expected - "Karapiperim" - and people commented on this...

The truth is that it wasn't my own decision, it was the suggestion of Dimitris Papaioannou.

 

And you decided to accept.

Of course, yes.

 

Why?

Basically because, you know, I like to try new things. I also trust Dimitris, I think he is extraordinary and I trust him - I liked it and wanted to give it a try.

 

The comments I heard afterwards were not so positive. People thought the image of Sakis singing that song was odd... Maybe they didn't expect to see you in that role, or they didn't want to, I don't know. Would you do the same now?

Yes, sure!

 

All those years you have been working hard - I think - a lot. A lot or hard?

A lot and hard and nice and pleasant.

 

In order to keep yourself at the top, to be a star...

In order to have a good time. I do all this to have a good time and to feel that I'm doing my best to improve myself as much as I can. And I always do this through a lot of hard work and having a good time.

 

And you always have a good time?

Yeah, it's true!

 

How do you manage? Usually someone who has a goal and works hard doesn't always have a good time, he has to do things he doesn't like in order to reach the goal.

I always like to have a goal, and the process leading to that goal makes me feel good.

 

Haven't you ever felt entrapped?

No, because it's fun to try to escape! It's a challenge. I see it all as a very nice game.

 

And how long will it last?

Until I die, who knows? As long as it lasts.

 

And for how long will you have the strenght to jump all around the stage for hours, to have this amazing energy?

I think the strenght really comes from within, it has nothing to do with how well you jog.

 

But you can't do this at 60, it's a fact.

So I believe the strenght comes from within, and as we grow older the strenght grows bigger, we become better, more mature, more experienced, wiser; and this fulfils us, it makes us stronger. So I think this inner energy grows bigger in time. It is irrelevant how one chooses to demonstrate it, either through a tension in voice, or a facial expression, or a flip.

 

What do you think you'd like to be doing some years after, would you like to keep singing for as long as you can?

I like what I'm doing so much, I don't know what I'll be doing some years after.

 

Doesn't it cross your mind at all?

No, I like what I'm doing now. To tell you the truth I can't imagine myself not singing. But this is today, I don't know what will happen in 5 or 10 years.

 

In an interview you've said: "I'm a person of the extremes, ambitious and hard-working, I like self-sarcasm, I'm strong-minded and - even if it doesn't show - I am conservative". My question is this: How conservative can a man who does so provocative covers be?

Have I said all those things? (laughing)

 

Yes, you have, and then you had done that cover we all remember, for the Nitro magazine, where you were naked, holding a dynamite on your private parts. How can it be? How conservative can you be?

(laughing) Who knows? It must be the Capricorn with the Gemini. The Capricorn makes me conservative while the Gemini makes me crazy!

 

(short intermission to present some interesting places in Moscow)

 

(freezing) I told you that I want to do again what we did this time, to come in Moscow for Christmas...

We can go to Siberia next time.

 

I think it's the same thing, I feel like I'm already there! Do you sleep fast at nights?

Yes, especially here.

 

Of course, because you're so tired.

(laughs)

 

Don't you have any stress?

No, over what?

 

Generally speaking, isn't there anything that bothers you and might keep you awake?

Oh no, I sleep like a baby.

 

Why? This can only mean one of two things: either that you are so distanced from what happens to you and you don't really care...

Or that I just fall asleep so easily?

 

How can that happen when you have problems? Don't you ever have problems?

It's O.K., problems are there to be solved. There are no problems, only solutions.

 

For everything?

For everything, why not?

 

Do you solve them yourself or do you let other people solve them?

It's always good to have some friends who can help you solve your problems.

 

And by the way, who do you think crossed my mind? Your manager, Ilias Psinakis, who - as we found out recently - has decided to work for other artists too.

Really?

 

Don't you know?

Oh, yes. (laughing) I know.

 

So you've also heard that. Does it bother you that someone will not work exclusively for you?

Look, Ilias has a lot of energy, he is a very active person.

 

You mean that he can't exaust his energy on you?

Yes, he's so active that he wants to do other things too, and that's very good.

 

You once said - I liked that very much - "I know many handsome people, but no-one is Sakis Rouvas".

(Sakis looks surprised)

 

Yes, you've said that. It's something most women would agree with.

Now you got me! I don't remember that! Shall I interpret it as it sounds to me now?

 

Yes, and as you meant it back then, I guess.

I've probably said that I know many handsome people, many ugly, many famous, many not famous, talented, untalented, yet none of them is Sakis Rouvas, because every person is unique anyway. It doesn't matter what he is, handsome or ugly, he is unique. And this singularity is beautiful by itself.

 

Have you ever cried during a movie? Are you sentimental?

Yes, I've cried.

 

Do you remember what movie was that?

(trying to recall) I've cried with "E.T.", for example - I was much younger then of course. Yes, I've cried, I've cried many times with a beautiful song. I'm sometimes alone in the car and I get emotional, so I get tears.

 

Does this happen when you are upset?

I guess so.

 

When something has affected you? A personal, a professional matter? What is it that shakes you the most?

Hard to say, it depends on my emotional state at the moment. It touches a string and it all comes out with tears or crying...

 

This translation is the work of a fan