Yianna Terzi
A Greek musical ambassador who blends contemporary pop with traditional motifs, carrying her nation's sound onto the Eurovision stage.
Born 1980 (age 46)·Greek singer and songwriter·Birthday: December 1·Generation X
Biography
Yianna Terzi was born into music; her father is the famous Greek singer and composer Paschalis Terzis, and her childhood was steeped in melody. She forged her own path, however, studying music in Boston and developing a sound that honors her roots while speaking a modern, global language. As a songwriter, she has crafted hits for major Greek artists, proving her knack for melody and emotional resonance. Her selection to represent Greece at the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest with 'Oniro mou' (My Dream) was a natural fit. The song was a sweeping, atmospheric ballad that featured the distinctive sound of the bouzouki, a bold statement of cultural pride on pop's biggest stage. While her Eurovision journey was brief, it solidified her role as a vital link in the chain of Greek music, a artist capable of honoring tradition while looking firmly forward.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Yianna was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Yianna Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Yianna's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Represented Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 with the song 'Oniro mou'.
- Has written songs for prominent Greek artists such as Eleonora Zouganeli and Demy.
- Released her debut solo album 'Afthentia' in 2017, which blended modern production with Greek musical heritage.
Did You Know?
She is fluent in Greek, English, and Spanish.
Her father, Paschalis Terzis, is one of Greece's most famous 'laiko' (popular) music singers and composers.
She lived in the United States for several years while studying at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.
“My music is a bridge between the Greek soul and the world's rhythms.”
