OK, sit down, grab a cup of tea or coffee, cause this is one of the biggest post that I have ever done, but it worth it!!!
The last month, one of my friends, Dimitra Theofanidi, got the chance to sing in the television program THE VOICE OF GREECE. We started this journey together and I will just say that I am so proud of her! You will have the chance to hear the songs that she sang, I'll put all the links.

Pictures: Are taken with my phone or with friends phone or are screenshots of The Voice of Greece from SKAI TV.
BLIND AUDITIONS
Everything started with the blind auditions. The piece that Dimitra had chosen was Disco Inferno. She managed to turn three chairs, and I like to think that also the fourth one was about to turn... you will tell by yourself watching the video. Then she had to choose the team and after intense and funny moments between the three coaches that pressed the button, she entered the #teamsakis. Let's spend a word for Sakis Rouvas... I love him, end of the story! Ahahaha, the reality is that he is the first Greek singer that I heard and I basically learned Greek language through his songs, so I am a big fan of him.
Everything was so new for me, the studio, the people, the feelings... I am so happy that I shared all of this with another friend of Dimitra, Ilektra.
I'll try to answer the most common questions that I have been asked.
Question: How is the studio?
The studio is all black and super elegant, in my opinion is quite big, but three of the girls that came with me said that they were expecting it bigger. My favourite thing of the studio are the lights, they are incredible and everywhere. And I love when the screens change based on the different songs.
Question: How is Laura Narjes?
Guys, she is really beautiful, I mean, I couldn't even concentrate on what she was saying, she is like a doll.


BATTLES
The game at this point became harder, cause Dimitra had to sing a duet. I think that this was the most difficult part of all the journey, cause she had to be enough good to pass, without overcoming with the voice the other singer, cause in the end it was a duet, not a fight. The song that they had to perform was Shallow, by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. The result has been, in my opinion, one of the best duets of the Voice of Greece this year! That's why Sakis couldn't choose between the two. In TV we saw a couple of minutes of indecision, but in reality we stayed there for more than 20 minutes, Iokasti and I (Dimitra's cousin) were melting down. In one point I just wanted him to say any name to stop that agony. The story had an happy ending cause Sakis chose Dimitra and Louis, the other guy was stolen by Helena Paparizou.
Question: How are the coaches?
The coaches are exactly how you see them in TV. Nothing is prepared, they are natural and spontaneous and the jokes are not calculated. Everything is so... real... at least from my experience. And yes, Sakis and Helena are really so goodlooking!!!!!
But my love goes to the TVpresenter Giorgos Kapoutsidis, he is sooooooo talented! He is so professional and funny at the same time, it couldn't be anyone better.
P.s. In the edited pic they say that the guys were so good that Bradley Cooper can sing better only in his dreams.
Question: How many hours did you have to stay there?
MANY! The first day we had to be there at 12.00 and we left at 00.30 (immagine that we had to drive back home other two hours and a half 😞)
Then the normal was from 15.00 till 00.30.
They record from two to three episodes in the same day, and sometimes the coaches and the presenters dress up in the same way two days in a row, so they can decide in which order they edit the episodes. They almost never show the episodes in the real order of performance. This is logic if you think of blind auditions: immagine if in one episode they take none and the next one everyone... they have to mix the things up.






KNOCKOUTS
It was time for the knockouts, in few words three players had to perform and only one could pass to the next level. Dimitra's song was Superstition by Stevie Wonder. Her look was more aggressive this time! Perfect for the song that she had to perform. For the occasion I was accompanied by Konstantina, one of Dimitra's friends. The verdict was once again really hard to take, and after few  thoughts of the coach Sakis we had the result: unfortunately the game was over for us.
Question: Do the performers make up and dress up by themselves?
At the blind auditions and the battles they wear their own clothes, but hair and makeup are done by The Voice of Greece professionists. From the knockouts and on, they are totally in the hands of stylists and makeup artists that try to follow the vibe of the song. Even if, of course, the performer can decide if it is good and comfy enough for him or not.
Question: Do the musicians play live?
Yes, they do, I don't even know how they can stay focused for so long, as I said they play for five hours in a row nonstop, everyday different songs, and they are not allowed to do mistakes, cause the attention is focused on the singer. Clap clap for them.
E' giunto il momento dei Knockouts, in poche parole tre performers devono cantare il loro pezzo e solo uno può passare al livello successivo. La canzone di Dimitra era Superstition di Stevie Wonder. Il look in confronto alle volte precedenti era più aggressivo! Perfetto per la canzone con cui doveva esibirsi. In questa giornata sono stata accompagnata da Konstantina, una delle amiche di Dimitra. Il verdetto è stato ancora una volta molto difficile da prendere, e dopo alcuni momenti di riflessione del coach Sakis abbiamo avuto il risultato: purtroppo il gioco sarebbe finito qui per noi.
Domanda: I cantanti si truccano e si vestono da soli ?
Alle blind auditions e alle battles indossano i propri vestiti, ma capelli e trucco sono sistemati dai professionisti di The Voice of Greece. Dai knockouts in poi, sono totalmente nelle mani di stilisti e truccatori che cercano di adeguarsi allo stile della canzone. Anche se, naturalmente, il cantante può decidere se la scelta è adeguata e abbastanza comoda per lui o meno.
Domanda: I musicisti suonano dal vivo?
Sì, e non so nemmeno come possano rimanere concentrati per così tanto tempo. Come ho anticipato, suonano per cinque ore di seguito, canzoni diverse ogni giorno, e non gli è permesso fare errori, perché l'attenzione è incentrata sul cantante. Ci vuole un applauso per loro!




PLAYOFFS
Exactly the day after the Knockouts, Dimitra was woken up by a phone call by the production. For the first time in the Voice of Greece, we had the Playoffs! That means that four singers from each coach had the chance to perform one more time and only one for each could enter the game again. (The singers could be taken from the stage of Battles and Knockouts). She had a second chance! And she used it in the best way! The song was Listen by Beyonce, and I don't even want to spend too much time to explain you what happened... the studio was ON FIRE, none would stop to clap and shout, and I could hear the people screaming name of Dimitra all around me. I even had to force me not to cry, the song in the studio was soooooooo powerful, that you can't immagine. (You can see my eyes shine in the end of the video). I am really sorry for the other three players, cause they were really good! I think that in the Playoffs the team Sakis was by far the best. But I believe that to beat Dimitra that day, the only woman in charge could have been the real Beyonce.
Question: How many cameras do they have?
For what I could count they have four fix cameras (three from the front and one diagonal), one camera on a slider, two cameraman for the families and for the entrance of the players, one camera on a big crane and a cameraman with the most incredible wear-on stabilizer sistem (he is the one that goes on stage and can turn around the singers), the bonus one is the camera in the room with Laura Narjes.
I insert this question here, cause it was so hard to try not to cry with a camera all the time on your face... I did my best!
Question: Do they already know who is gonna win... in few words, is it fake?
I didn't have this impression, I don't know what's happening in the backstage, but I had the idea that the game was not piloted.
PLAYOFFS
Ακριβώς την επόμενη μέρα μετά τα Knockouts, η Δήμητρα ξύπνησε με ένα τηλεφώνημα της παραγωγής. Για πρώτη φορά στο The Voice of Greece, είχαμε τα Playoffs! Αυτό σημαίνει ότι τέσσερις τραγουδιστές από κάθε coach είχαν την ευκαιρία να τραγουδήσουν ξανά και μόνο ένας για κάθε κριτή θα μπορούσε να εισέλθει ξανά στο παιχνίδι. (Οι τραγουδιστές θα μπορούσαν να ληφθούν από το στάδιο Battles και Knockouts). Είχε μια δεύτερη ευκαιρία! Και την εκμεταλλεύτηκε με τον καλύτερο τρόπο! Το τραγούδι ήταν το Listen by Beyonce και δεν θέλω να αφιερώσω πολύ χρόνο για να σας εξηγήσω έγινε... το στούντιο ΠΑΝΗΓΎΡΙΣΕ, δεν σταματούσαν τα χειροκροτήματα και της φωνές και άκουγα από παντού το όνομα Δήμητρα. Κρατιόμουν να μην κλάψω, το τραγούδι στο στούντιο ήταν τόσο δυνατό, που δεν μπορείτε να το φανταστείτε. Λυπάμαι πραγματικά για τους άλλους τρεις παίκτες, γιατί ήταν πολύ καλοί! Νομίζω ότι στα Playoffs η ομάδα του Σάκη ήταν μακράν η καλύτερη. Αλλά πιστεύω ότι για να νικήσουν τη Δήμητρα εκείνη την ημέρα, η μόνη γυναίκα θα μπορούσε να ήταν η πραγματική Beyonce.
Ερώτηση: Πόσες κάμερες διαθέτουν;
Απ'οτι μπορούσα να υπολογίζω, έχουν τέσσερις κάμερες (τρεις μπροστά και μία διαγώνια), μία κάμερα σε ένα slider, δύο cameraman για τις οικογένειες και την είσοδο των παικτών, μία κάμερα σε ένα μεγάλο γερανό και ένας κάμεραμαν με το πιο απίστευτο σύστημα σταθεροποίησης (αυτός είναι αυτός που πηγαίνει στη σκηνή και μπορεί να γυρίσει γύρω γύρω από τους τραγουδιστές), το μπόνους είναι η κάμερα στο δωμάτιο της Laura Narjes.
Εξηγώ για τις κάμερες εδώ, γιατί ήταν τόσο δύσκολο να προσπαθήσω να μην κλαίω με μια κάμερα όλη την ώρα στο πρόσωπό μου!
Ερώτηση: Γνωρίζουν ήδη ποιος θα κερδίσει... με λίγα λόγια, είναι ψεύτικο το πρόγραμμα;
Δεν είχα αυτή την εντύπωση, δεν ξέρω τι συμβαίνει στο παρασκήνιο, αλλά δεν είχα την εντύπωση  να είναι ένα παιχνίδι στημένο.






LIVE CROSS BATTLES
Dimitra made it to the live! It was incredible cause she made it so far. I was really wondering if she would have enough support from the people. The song was Un-break my heart, another ballad. The look of Dimitra was again, like for the song Listen, so airy, fairy and sweet. She was shining from head to toe with an amazing metalic purple dress, that was matching the elegant purple jacket of Sakis. This time we were four girls for support: Iokasti, Konstantina, Danai and I. Unfortunately our journey stopped here, but the difference was 41% 59%, so really not that big! And I take this opportunity to thank all the people that voted for Dimitra, you were there with us, and we almost made it!!!!!
The thing that I am most proud of is Dimitra's performances, she never let us down, even in the last one!!!!!!!
Question: Is the live really live?
Yes it is! This time we even had to pass the metal detector and a giant dog skilled to smell specific substances.
Question: Is Sakis really so strict?
Yes he is, but he is not bad. He is one of the judges that is gonna say what is wrong no matter what! Even if you are from his team. This means that if he is proud of you, you really have done well. And I can tell you that he never said a single critic to Dimitra, I can prove it cause I was there. So I am even more proud of her.
Dimitra è arrivata ai live! È incredibile che sia arrivata fino a qui. La cosa di cui ero più preoccupata era se avrebbe avuto abbastanza sostegno dalla gente. La canzone assegnata era Un-break my heart, un'altra ballata. Il look di Dimitra era di nuovo, come per la canzone Listen, arioso, dolce e svolazzante. Brillava dalla testa ai piedi con un fantastico vestito viola metallizzato che si abbinava all'elegante giacca viola di Sakis. Questa volta eravamo in quattro a supportarla: io, Iokasti, Konstantina e Danai. Sfortunatamente il nostro viaggio si è fermato qui, ma la differenza è stata 41%, 59%, quindi davvero non così grande! Colgo l'occasione per ringraziare tutte le persone che hanno votato per Dimitra, eravate lì con noi, e ce l'abbiamo quasi fatta!!!!!
La cosa di cui sono più orgogliosa sono le esibizioni di Dimitra, non ci ha mai deluso, nemmeno nell'ultima!!!!!!!
Domanda: Il live è davvero in diretta?
Sì! Questa volta abbiamo persino dovuto passare il metal detector e un cane gigante che annusava sostanze specifiche.
Domanda: Sakis è davvero così severo?
Sì, lo è, ma non è cattivo. È uno dei giudici che dice cosa non va, in ogni occasione! Anche se sei della sua squadra. Ciò significa che se è orgoglioso di te, sei davvero stato superbo. E posso dirvi che non ha mai fatto una singola critica a Dimitra, posso provarlo perché ero lì. Quindi sono ancora più orgogliosa di lei.