Antique (band)
| Company type | Musical duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Founder | Helena Paparizou, Nikos Panagiotidis |
| Headquarters | Sweden, Greece |
Area served | Scandinavia, Greece, Cyprus, Germany, Italy |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Number of employees | 2 |
Antique is a musical duo consisting of Helena Paparizou (born 1982) and Nikos Panagiotidis (born 1978), combining elements of Greek popular music with Nordic dance-pop influences. Both artists were born and raised in Sweden to Greek immigrant families. They made history as the first act nominated for a Swedish Grammis award in the modern dance category with a song performed in Greek. Representing Greece at the Eurovision Song Contest 2001, Antique performed the bilingual English-Greek track "Die for You" and secured third place, following Estonia and Denmark. Their popularity extended across Scandinavia, Greece, Cyprus, Germany, and Italy. After a 19-year break, the duo reunited in March 2022 in Greece, releasing a cover from the 1990s to mark their comeback.
Career
In 1999, Helena Paparizou was approached by DJ acquaintances to record a demo version of Notis Sfakianakis' hit "Opa Opa". She invited her childhood friend Nikos Panagiotidis to collaborate, thus forming Antique. They signed with the independent label Bonnier Music, aiming to reach the Greek community living in Sweden. The name "Antique" was selected to convey a sense of classic and enduring style. Their debut single "Opa Opa" gained significant popularity among Greeks residing in Sweden and climbed into the top ten charts in Sweden and Norway, becoming the first Greek-language song to enter Sweden’s top five. Follow-up singles "Dinata Dinata", "Follow Me", and "Moro Mou" also achieved notable chart success.
Eurovision Song Contest 2001
At that time relatively unknown within Greece, Antique entered the national selection and were chosen to represent Greece at the Eurovision Song Contest 2001 held in Copenhagen, Denmark with "(I Would) Die for You," composed by Nikos Terzis and Antonis Pappas. They tied for first place in the national final by public vote and ultimately finished third overall at Eurovision with 147 points—Greece’s highest placement until Paparizou won as a solo artist in 2005. The single earned Platinum certification in Greece, reached number three on charts both there and in Sweden, and charted internationally. This achievement solidified Antique’s presence in the Greek music scene and influenced their future career trajectory.
Following their Eurovision success, Antique released four studio albums that experienced moderate commercial performance, embarked on European tours, and collaborated with artists such as Katy Garbi and Slavi Trifonov. In 2002, they recorded "V-Power" in both English and Greek for a promotional album comprising 14 tracks produced by V2 Records for Royal Dutch Shell's premium gasoline brand V-Power. The duo amicably parted ways at the end of 2003 to pursue individual solo careers. Helena Paparizou went on to win the Eurovision Song Contest 2005 representing Greece with "My Number One." Although no official reunion plans have been announced, both members have expressed openness to collaborating again in the future.
2019–2022: Release of New Works
Following a break of sixteen years, Antique reunited on July 13, 2019, for a commemorative anniversary show in Sweden, where they performed a selection of their most popular tracks to a local crowd. During the Super Music Awards held in Cyprus, Panagiotidis honored Paparizou with the award for Best Female Adult Artist.
In April 2022, Antique planned to release their rendition of the 1990s hit Ti Ti, originally by Giorgos Alkaios, with the cover announced in March. They also took part in Sweden’s Vi som älskar 90-talet (translated as Us Who Love the 90s) festival on three dates—July 2, 9, and 23—where they performed multiple well-known singles.
On November 17, Antique appeared at Het Grote Songfestivalfeest hosted at Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome, delivering a live performance of Die For You. This concert was later televised by the Dutch public broadcasting service.
2023–present: Recent Developments
In April 2025, coinciding with their 26th anniversary, Spotify refreshed Antique’s catalog by making all their albums and EPs accessible with enhanced digital artwork.
Discography
- Mera Me Ti Mera (1999)
- Die for You (2001)
- Me Logia Ellinika (2002)
- Alli Mia Fora (2003)
- Blue Love (2003)
Tours
- European Tour
- North American Tour
- Rex 2001-02
- Apollonas 2002
- We Who Love 90's Festival (Sweden) 2019, 2022
Awards
- Nominated for Best Modern Dance Song with "Opa Opa" (2000)
Eurovision Song Contest
- Achieved third place with 147 points (2001)
Pop Corn Music Awards
- Won Best Group (2001)
- Nominated for Best Dance Song with "(I Would) Die for You"
Planeta TV Music Awards
- Awarded Best Pop Video for "Why?" (2003)
MAD Video Music Awards
- Elena Paparizou nominated for Best Dressed Artist in a Video ("Alli Mia Fora", 2004)