A revealing and interesting interview was given by Christos Nikolopoulos in the Enjoy insert of Dimokratia newspaper.

Speaking to the journalist Maria Andreou, the successful creator and master of the bouzouki had a lot to say about the popular song and the singers of today, but also his predictions for the future.

-In the last few years, television also entered your life, initially through the “Court of Colors” and then “Nychta Stasos”, two music shows. Did you make the decision to take on the role of TV host easily?

“The truth is that I was a little worried at first. But then, after they explained to me how the show would be, what we would do there, that we would choose the topics for the songs, I made the decision to go because the type of song we were presenting was what represented me and I had stories to tell. So I did and we got along, thank God».

-Is it something you want to continue in the next seasons?

“We’ll see about that, I’ll have to see my biological potential as well because I’m old. It is a very tedious process a shoot due to the fact that it takes many hours».

-Are there great bouzouki talents in Greece?

“Of course they exist, only they cannot utilize their talent, because there is no bouzouki in most of today’s songs. However, there are many good bouzouki artists. I can say better than us who caught up and wrote our own history.

There are great masters today, among them Karantinis, Stergiou, Karantini’s son, Andreas, Thanasis Vasilas, Michalis Paouris, who has of course escaped from the popular and writes classical works that also receive awards».

-Why isn’t the bouzouki in the foreground anymore? Have the Greek’s preferences changed? Partying without a bouzouki?

“Today’s kids grow up with pop folk genre of song. The pioneer of this genre is Antonis Remos. Then there are the “Remakia”, as I call them, younger than him who imitate him.

This is a different genre from authentic folk. It has many times influences from Turkey, Arabia, it has vernacular elements falsified in it. And of course there is also a multitude of artistic creators who are great.

These types have always gone hand in hand. And the artistic and the simple folk and the authentic folk. For a while, the struggle songs of great creators, such as Theodorakis, went hand in hand».

-Are there genres you can’t stand listening to? How do you feel about, say, the trap scene that is so popular among the youth?

“These kids are very popular, indeed, but don’t forget that these are popular kids. They are kids from neighborhoods who make a band and stand out. I believe that some will stand out.

My opinion is that they should realize that they need to change their lyrics a bit, as it is aggressive, sometimes abusive.

Some even have it already. I also have friends, artists of the genre, such as Nikolas Thanassimos, who is very good. If they flesh out their verse a bit, I think they’ll have some staying power. Otherwise it’s a genre I think will pass».

-How do you see the artistic “marriages” of different types of music?

“Today’s singers do everything to stand out. In this context I see them as such an effort. Everyone does what they can and what they think suits them.
Ever since social media was established, most people rely on it. Imagine that there are many up and coming artists who don’t even go on television, they rely on social media.

I think this is how it will go for many years and the next generations will only recognize artists that will be promoted by social media. Today, Argyros, Oikonomopoulos and Vertis are top, very good singers, Oikonomopoulos even has a folk tone.

But don’t be surprised if two or three generations from now the young people won’t even know them anymore. You’ll ask them who Argyros is and they won’t know.

They will know a Marianna who came out of Youtube, went to Eurovision, who will be involved in another musical genre, like the girl who represented us this year, Marina Satti.
Things go in circles, except this circle I’m afraid won’t include the folk song we served».