Michalis Rakintzis

Michalis Rakintzis (born April 3, 1957) is a Greek pop rock singer-songwriter known for his long-running musical career and his appearance at the Eurovision Song Contest 2002. He blends rock and pop with other genres, including new wave and even heavy sounds, creating a unique style that has evolved over decades. Active since the early 1980s, Rakintzis has released numerous albums and remains a notable figure in Greek pop rock music.

Early Life and Influences

Rakintzis was born in Athens, Greece, and has family roots from the island of Crete. His father, a musician who played the traditional Cretan lyre, influenced Michalis’s early interest in music. As a child, he started playing the guitar and by age 10 he was already performing in school bands. Despite his passion for music, he pursued higher education and studied Mechanical Engineering in London, United Kingdom. While in London, he continued to nurture his musical talent. He played in a local funk and reggae band during his student years, honing his skills in a variety of musical styles. After completing his studies, Rakintzis returned to Greece to fully embark on a music career.

Band and Solo Career Beginnings (1980s)

In the early 1980s, Michalis Rakintzis co-founded a rock band called Scraptown upon returning to Greece. Scraptown performed in English and released three albums between 1982 and 1985, plus a couple of maxi-singles. The band’s sound fused rock with funk and reggae elements, and they even achieved a hit in Europe with the song “Viva Sahara,” which gained popularity outside Greece. However, at the peak of Scraptown’s success, after a series of concerts in France, the group disbanded in 1985.

Rakintzis then launched his solo career, singing in Greek and exploring a blend of Western rock and Eastern musical influences. His debut solo album, Moro Mou Faltso (1987), marked a turning point in his career. This album was a breakthrough, featuring a collaboration with singer Eleni Dimou and combining modern pop-rock with traditional sounds. He also experimented with electronic music on this record. By the late 1980s, Rakintzis had scored several hits in Greece and composed the soundtrack for the Greek film Isovia (“Life Sentence”). These successes established him as a prominent artist in the Greek music scene. In 1989, he participated in the Greek national final for the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Nana”. The song ended up in 6th place.

Success in the 1990s

During the 1990s, Michalis Rakintzis became one of Greece’s leading pop-rock artists. In 1991, readers of the popular music magazine Popcorn voted him “Best Singer of the Year”. Around this time, he began fruitful collaborations with other artists. In 1990 he teamed up with Greek pop singer Sofia Arvaniti, producing successful duets and songs. His creativity and talent also led him to work with international stars: notably, he collaborated with British rock legend Ian Gillan (lead singer of Deep Purple) and Welsh pop-rock icon Bonnie Tyler in the early 1990s. Rakintzis performed live on stage with Ian Gillan in 1993, a rare East-meets-West rock moment in Greece.

Furthermore, Michalis wrote songs for many other Greek artists, ranging from pop to folk singers. For example, he has penned tracks for singers like Paschalis, Eleni Dimou, and folk-pop star Vassilis Karras. Some of these collaborations yielded major hits. One song he composed for Karras became the singer’s most commercially successful track. Rakintzis’s music in the ’90s often blended modern rock with traditional Greek laïko elements, showcasing his ability to fuse genres. By the end of the decade, with numerous albums and hit singles, he had cemented his status as a household name in Greek pop rock.

Eurovision 2002 and International Exposure

In 2002, Rakintzis stepped onto the international stage when he represented Greece at the Eurovision Song Contest in Tallinn, Estonia. He performed the techno-rock track “S.A.G.A.P.O.”, an acronym that means “I love you” in Greek. The performance stood out for its unconventional, futuristic style. Rakintzis and his band donned matching black, armored outfits with a sci-fi look. The song finished 17th out of 24 entries in the Eurovision 2002 final. Rakintzis’s costume choice that night earned him the tongue-in-cheek Barbara Dex Award for the worst-dressed act of the contest, a humorous fan-voted recognition of his flashy attire. 

Later Career and Projects

After Eurovision, Michalis Rakintzis continued to produce music and evolve artistically. He released several more albums through the 2000s, often experimenting with new sounds and trends. For instance, his mid-2000s records like Bar Code (2005) and Made in Greece (2006) incorporated elements of electronic dance and even reggaeton influences, showing his willingness to adapt to contemporary styles. He also helped mentor new talent. He formed and produced a short-lived group called Talenta Dihos Avrio (“Talents Without Tomorrow”) and later collaborated with the trio Trilogy, expanding into group projects during this period. In 2008, Rakintzis released the album Energia, and in 2011 he put out Back to the Future, both of which continued his trend of blending genres and revisiting his earlier hits in fresh ways.

Not only active in studio recordings, Rakintzis made appearances in other media as well. He composed music for television programs and commercials, further proving his versatility. Notably, he even appeared in a Greek chips (potato snack) commercial that spoofed his Eurovision act, featuring him in the same charismatic persona from the 2002 performance. In 2018, Michalis released a new studio album titled Insane, which marked his return with original material. He continues to perform live in concerts and special events, often delighting audiences with classic hits from his extensive catalog.

Awards and Recognitions

Over his career, Michalis Rakintzis has earned several awards and recognitions for his contributions to music. In 1991, he was honored as Greece’s “Best Singer of the Year” by Popcorn magazine’s readership.

Rakintzis’s real legacy, however, is reflected in his successful albums and hit songs across decades. Many of his records achieved commercial success in Greece, and he has been credited with multiple gold and platinum album sales.