Georgios Kalpakidis

Georgios Kalpakidis, also known as George Kalpakidis, Gorgi or GK (Greek: Γιώργος Καλπακίδης; born on 27 April 1978), is a Greek songwriter, former journalist, radio and TV host, best known for having composed the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest entry for Moldova, "Stay" by Anna Odobescu. He started his radio work at the age of 13 and continued his career in the media field until 2015. He made his television debut as a host on Europe One channel, with a show called "Join Me" and also started appearing as a guest host in several projects over the next few years, on other local stations. His breakthrough came in middle 2006, when a new contract brought him to one of the biggest national networks, Macedonia TV. It was during the Eurovision 2006 period in Athens, where he was given the task to cover the event and report daily on live TV. His "ESC '2006" special, entitled "Hard Rock Hallelujah", was noted as one of the shows with the highest ratings of the year.

Kalpakidis has been covering the Eurovision Song Contest as a journalist for radio and TV stations, magazines and newspapers from 2000 until 2008. He's also starred in two horror films in 2009 and 2010, directed by Nick Samaras. His musical steps began in 2003 when he decided to enter an online remix contest. He was the winner of the competition, having scored the maximum points, awarded by the voters who chose his rendition of the original "Adrenaline" by singer Maria Louiza Vasilopoulou ( MLV). Even though it was announced that the prize would be a collaboration with the artist on her next album, MLV was dropped by her label therefore Kalpakidis didn’t receive his reward. The next year would mark the beginning of a still ongoing course, in the Eurovision Song Contest. Kalpakidis counts several entries in national selections, all over Europe.

Entries in the Eurovision Song Contest YearCountryArtistSongMusic // LyricsFinalSemifinalPlacePointsPlacePoints2019 MoldovaAnna Odobescu "Stay" Gorgi, T. Reil, J. Reil, M. Broberg 12th85

Entries in Eurovision Song Contest Pre-Selections Year Country Artist Song ResultMusic // Lyrics 2004 Lithuania EVA "Be My Baby" 10th Gorgi 2005 Lithuania EVA & Ceslovas Gabalis "I'll Be There" 8thGorgi 2008 Lithuania My Magic "Lady" 5th (semifinal) Gorgi // S. Engel Ireland Nikki Kavanagh "Destiny" –Gorgi Spain Crystina Maez "Nuestro Destino" – Gorgi // Santana, Loredo 2009 Poland Nasty Ladies "For Once In My Life" – Gorgi // S. Engel Georgia Tika Patsatsia "Miracle" 4thGorgi 2010 Lithuania Audrius Zavadskis "Right Now" 8th (semifinal)Gorgi Ireland Nikki Kavanagh "Sacred Fortune" –Gorgi 2011 Switzerland Evelyn Zangger "Who Do You Love?" –Gorgi Switzerland Natalia Wohler "Voulez Vous" –Gorgi Moldova Marcel Rosca "Voulez Vous" 11th (semifinal)Gorgi Portugal Tania Tavares "Se Esse Dia Chegar" 10th Gorgi // T. Tavares, N. Valerio 2012 Belarus George Koldun "Heavy On My Heart" – G. Koldun // Gorgi Malta Kaya "First Time" 13thGorgi Moldova Mariana Mihaila "Live On Forever" 12th Gorgi // A. O' Connor LithuaniaDonata Virbilaite"Superman" 8th (semifinal)A. Anastasiou // Gorgi Lithuania DAR "Home" 2nd Gorgi, A. Martynenas // Gorgi 2013 Lithuania DAR "Jump!" 4th Gorgi, A. Martynenas // Gorgi Lithuania Samanta Tina & Vudis "Hey Chiki Mama" 4th (first round) A. Martynenas, Gorgi Belarus Ivan Buslay "Looking For Love" – Gorgi 2014 Lithuania Vaidas Baumila "Worlds Apart" 4th Gorgi, Y. Malachi // Gorgi 2015 Switzerland Kaya "In And Out Of Love" – Gorgi, E. Rydmark Cyprus Anastasia Liberos "Unicorn" –Gorgi, Y. Persson, L. Persson, M. Antoniou // Gorgi 2016 Moldova PRIZA "Rewind" 11th (semifinal) Gorgi, M. Huskic // Gorgi Moldova Anna Gulko "Never Let Go" 12th (semifinal) Gorgi, W. Taylor // N. Sofis Malta Corazon "Falling Glass" 8th Gorgi, J. Gladnikoff, S. Ljunggren 2017 Moldova Max Fall "If I Could" – Gorgi, S. Ekstrand // Gorgi, N. Sofis Lithuania Virgis Valuntonis "Victorious" 12th (first round) Gorgi, J. Gladnikoff, S. Ljunggren Lithuania Audrius Janonis "Run" 8th (first round) Gorgi, M. Huskic // N. Sofis 2018 Armenia Suren Poghosyan "The Voice" 10th (semifinal) Gorgi, N. Turner, J. Gladnikoff Lithuania Milda Martinkėnaitė "Hurricane" 7th (first round) Gorgi, T. Reil, J. Reil, M. Broberg Moldova Anna Timofei "Endlessly" 11th Y. Persson, L. Persson, N. Bergqvist, S. Johansson // Gorgi 2019 Belarus Angelika Pushnova "Stop Breathing" – Gorgi, S. Ekstrand // Gorgi, N. Sofis MoldovaAnna Odobescu "Stay" 1st Gorgi, T. Reil, J. Reil, M. Broberg 2021 Belarus CHAKRAS "Waterfall" – Gorgi

Participations in other festivals and contests Year Festival/Contest Location Artist Song Result Songwriters 2003Online Contest GreeceMLV"Adrenaline (Free Your Mind Remix)"1stGorgi (Remix) 2004 Sunflower Festival Zrenjanin, Serbia EVA "Be My Baby" Finalist Gorgi 2007B.O.S. World Contest RomaniaGorgi"On My Own"3rdGorgi 2009 International Short Film Festival Drama, Greece Gorgi Original Soundtrack –Gorgi2011Gayvision Song Contest Torremolinos, SpainAlejandro Sanchez"Es Logico"2ndGorgi, J. J. Santana Rodriguez2017Eurokids International Contest Maiori, ItalyCharlotte Summers"Unicorn"1stGorgi, Y. Persson, L. Persson // Gorgi2019Golden Stag Festival Braşov, RomaniaAnna Odobescu"Dreaming"–Gorgi, N. Bergqvist, S. Johansson, G. Gorceag

Further discography Year Artist Song Songwriters 2002 Gorgi "(Is There) Anyone Out There" (Duran Duran Cover) Duran Duran 2006 EVA "Busiu Ten" Gorgi "Istripstu Tenai" "Make It Right" 2009 Aleks Volasko "Fant" Gorgi2010 Vilija Mataciunaite "Lyg Pasaka" Gorgi, V. Mataciunaite 2011 Kaya "Your Touch" Gorgi Vudis "Gimme Your Love" Vudis, Gorgi Vudis & Bartas "Brand New Day" A. Martinenas, Gorgi Tomas Bareika "Sometimes" T. Bareika, Gorgi 2012 Kaya "Lonely Day" Gorgi, A. O' Connor Vicky Cornick "Hear What I Say" Gorgi George Koldun "Hypnotized" G. Koldun, Gorgi "Song With No Name" "Through The Light" DAR "Anytime" A. Martynenas, Gorgi "Take Me Far" "Everybody Knows" Nikos Karakalpakis "Turning the Tide" Gorgi 2013 George Koldun & Anastasiya Sheverenko "Hold Me Close" G. Koldun, Gorgi Silva Hakobyan "Leave A Light On" Gorgi 2014 George Koldun "Stop" G. Koldun, Gorgi "The Girl With The Mysterious Eyes" 2015 Daumantas "I Come Undone" A. Martynenas, Gorgi 2016 George Koldun "You Make Me Wanna Kiss You" G. Koldun, Gorgi2017Benjamin"Still Believe"Y. Persson, L. Persson, N. Bergqvist, S. Johansson, Gorgi2018Olga Przybysz"Forever"Gorgi, J. Gladnikoff, S. Ljunggren2020Sigurjón Örn"Burn"Gorgi, N. Bergqvist, S. Johansson, S. BöðvarssonVoColor feat. Eldar"Until the End"Gorgi, S. Ekstrand, N. SofisAnna Odobescu"My Oh My"Gorgi2021Julian Lesiński"Before I Go"Gorgi, N. Bergqvist, S. Johansson2024Gorgi"Giati"Leif Evert Brixmark, Gorgi

Remixes

Filmography Year Title Role 2009 Greek Psycho Cannibal Guy in car 2010 Conspiracy of Blood Evil stepbrother