Leeds Conservatoire Jazz student Eleni Olympiou reached the final of the TV talent show The Voice of Greece last year. We spoke to Eleni about her experience on the show, time at Leeds Conservatoire and upcoming plans.
Hi Eleni - why did you decide to apply for The Voice?
It's a funny story because the truth is that The Voice was never really in my plans, and I never applied myself. Someone else filled in the application form for me, and I still don't know who this person is! It all started on a sunny July morning back in Cyprus when my phone started ringing. I picked it up cautiously, as I saw it was an unknown number and heard the voice of a woman on the other side of the line telling me, 'we are calling you from The Voice of Greece regarding your application. We are inviting you to audition next Friday'. Initially, I thought it was my friends playing a prank, but I slowly realised that this was real, and the following week I was in the audition room.
Can you tell us a little bit about the audition process?
Each blind audition filming consists of twenty-five applicants. Everyone must be there early in the morning because there is a lengthy process before the audition consisting of interviews, wardrobe, soundcheck and rehearsals. The filming didn't actually start until late in the evening. Unluckily for me, I was the last one to audition, at around 1:30 a.m. It was an exhausting process, but it was really worth it!
How did it feel to be chosen for Team Helena?
Helena Paparizou is a vocalist and performer that I've admired ever since I can remember! I still remember a five-year-old me listening to her and watching her perform, saying that I want to be like her when I grow up. I always wanted to meet her, and being given the opportunity to work with her and have her guidance as my coach was such an honour! She was undoubtedly my first choice, and the feeling I got when she pressed the button was indescribable!
What's the most important thing you learned from being featured on the show?
The pressure, stress and competition are not shown enough in the show. A lot more happens behind the scenes than the audience or viewers at home are aware of. No matter what is happening in your life you need to be ready to perform at your best each week. You have have one minute to prove your abilities to the whole world and convince everyone you are the best at what you do. If you let anything else affect you, you lose that chance.
How did you handle the pressure of performing in the final?
In the final, I had no stress or pressure at all. All the pressure was during the earlier stages. Thoughts such as 'Is my coach going to choose me? What if I leave today? Will people vote for me? What if they don't? What if I'm not good enough?' were running through my head 24/7 until the moment my name was announced as one of the finalists. Once my name was announced, I was relieved and proud to say, 'Okay I made it, so now just enjoy it'!
Listen to Eleni perform 'Make It Rain' in the Voice of Greece final:
Would you recommend programmes like this to other singers?
I think it depends on what you want to achieve. All I can say is that it's a huge opportunity for people to notice you and start building followers, which helps with your first steps in the music industry. It allows you to meet, work and play with important people in the industry and make contacts to help you boost your future career. If anyone chooses to apply for such a show, they should be ready to face the pressure and competition. It's not easy to handle, and you need to be well-prepared for everything.
How did your training at Leeds Conservatoire help prepare you for this opportunity?
The conservatoire has helped me develop both as a musician and a vocalist. When everyone around you is really talented and passionate, you are inspired to become better every single day. The conservatoire, in general, was very supportive of the competition, and they sent me emails asking me how it went and understood that I needed to miss a few classes to be able to perform at the show. My one-to-one tutor was also massively supportive. She gave me a lot of advice and tips about everything; the show, the performance, the singing technique. We used a couple of lessons to prepare for the song I was about to perform. I'm so blessed that I had all this support from everyone in the conservatoire.
Learn more about Jazz at Leeds ConservatoireAt Leeds Conservatoire, you study on the Jazz programme. Was it strange singing in a pop style? Or do you often sing in different genres?
I enjoy every kind of music! I'm in love with music in general. I started my musical journey at eight when I started playing the classical piano. There were points in my life when I only listened to a specific kind of music, such as rock, blues, soul, etc. Every genre has many things to offer, and I find new fascinating sounds in each one. I have to admit that I love singing pop and find the technique an exciting challenge.
What's your favourite thing about studying at Leeds Conservatoire?
The best thing about the conservatoire is the community; everyone is really friendly! I love to talk, collaborate and play with people from different pathways. I also really love the fact that we can have a close relationship with our tutors, and they can give us advice and help us at any time. The whole environment in the conservatoire feels like home.
Do you have anything coming up that you would like to share with us?
I'm now working on my debut single, which will be released this Summer. I cannot wait for people to hear it! I've been working really hard on this, and I have put all my heart into this song. This song is what represents me as an artist and as an individual.
