What They Say

"What They Say" is a song by Greek singer Victor Vernicos, released on 12 March 2023.^[1] The song represented Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 after Vernicos was internally selected by the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT), the Greek national broadcaster for the Eurovision Song Contest.^[2][3]

"What They Say"
Single by Victor Vernicos
Language	English
Released	12 March 2023
Length	3:00
Label	Panik
Songwriter(s)	Victor Vernicos Jorgensen
Victor Vernicos singles chronology
"Brutally Honest With You" (2022) "What They Say" (2023) "The 968 Paradox" (2023)
Music video
"What They Say" on YouTube
Eurovision Song Contest 2023 entry
Country	Greece
Artist(s)	Victor Vernicos
Composer(s)	Victor Vernicos Jorgensen
Lyricist(s)	Victor Vernicos Jorgensen
Finals performance
Semi-final result	13th
Semi-final points	14
Entry chronology
◄ "Die Together" (2022)
"Zari" (2024) ►
Official performance video
"What They Say" (Second Semi-Final) on YouTube

Background

In an interview on Greek TV channel Skai TV, Vernicos reported that he had composed "What They Say" at the age of 14, producing the song by himself. Both Vernicos and his father reported that it was their favorite song Vernicos had written to this point, and he released the song as a potential candidate to represent Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023.^[4] The song was written during the COVID-19 lockdown, with Vernicos stating that it was the first time he found himself in a state of stress.^[5]

In a press statement given out by Panik Records, the record company Vernicos is signed with and with whom he released the song with, the song is meant to celebrate younger generations "who dare to dream and create despite difficulties."^[6]

Eurovision Song Contest

Main article: Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023

Internal selection

On 26 August 2022, ERT opened a submission period where artists and composers were able to submit their proposals for consideration by the broadcaster until 9 October 2022. Seven entries were then shortlisted by a seven-member artistic committee and were announced on 28 December 2022.^[7][8] The seven acts were then evaluated by a public committee consisting of a total of 70 members randomly selected from 2,982 applications based on five age groups: 25 members in the 18 to 24 category, 20 members in the 25 to 34 category, 15 members in the 35 to 44 category and 10 members in the over 45 category.^[9] On 19 January 2023, ERT shortlisted three final songs from the seven, which was the outcome of the public committee vote, followed by a respective evaluation by the artistic committee.^[10]

The combination of votes from the public committee (50.6%) and the artistic committee (49.4%) then selected the Greek entry.^[11] Vernicos earned 740 artistic committee votes and 509 public committee votes, earning a total of 1,249 votes, winning by a margin of 117 votes over second-place finisher Melissa Mantzoukis. As a result of winning, Vernicos was scheduled to represent Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023.^[1]

At Eurovision

According to Eurovision rules, all nations with the exceptions of the host country and the "Big Five" (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom) are required to qualify from one of two semi-finals in order to compete for the final; the top 10 countries from each semi-final progress to the final. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) split up the competing countries into six different pots based on voting patterns from previous contests, with countries with favourable voting histories put into the same pot. On 31 January 2023, an allocation draw was held, which placed each country into one of the two semi-finals, and determined which half of the show they would perform in. Greece was placed into the second semi-final, held on 11 May 2023, and scheduled to perform in the first half of the show.^[12] Greece's song did not pass to the final.^[13]

References

1. Adams, William Lee (12 March 2023). ""What They Say" — Greece's Victor Vernicos reveals his Eurovision 2023 song and music video". Wiwibloggs. Archived from the original on 13 December 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
2. Falk, Simon (30 January 2023). "Victor Vernicos will sing "What They Say" for Greece at Eurovision 2023". Wiwibloggs. Archived from the original on 13 December 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
3. Jiandani, Sanjay (30 January 2023). "Greece: Victor Vernicos will fly to Liverpool!". ESCToday. Archived from the original on 30 January 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
4. "Victor Vernicos: "Our stage presentation will be minimal"!". OGAE Greece. 6 February 2023. Archived from the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
5. Kouvara, Marili (12 March 2023). "Eurovision 2023: Στον αέρα το τραγούδι της Ελλάδας- Αυτό είναι το επίσημο video clip του 'What They Say' (video)". Daily Post (in Greek). Archived from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
6. Tsinivits, Kyriakos (12 March 2023). "Greece: Victor Vernicos releases his Eurovision 2023 song 'What They Say'". Aussievision. Archived from the original on 12 March 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
7. Argyriou, Giannis (28 December 2022). "Ελλάδα: Ένας από αυτούς τους 7 θα μας εκπροσωπήσει στην Eurovision 2023!" [Greece: One of these 7 will represent us at Eurovision 2023!]. Eurovision Fun (in Greek). Archived from the original on 28 December 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
8. Argyriou, Giannis (28 December 202). "Ελλάδα: Οι τίτλοι των 7 τραγουδιών της shortlist της ΕΡΤ!" [Greece: The titles of the 7 songs of the ERT shortlist!]. Eurovision Fun (in Greek). Archived from the original on 28 December 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
9. Granger, Anthony (19 December 2022). "Greece: Public Jury to Assess Entries on December 28". Eurovoix. Archived from the original on 19 December 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
10. Argyriou, Giannis (19 January 2023). "It's the final countdown: One of them will represent Greece at Eurovision 2023!". Eurovision Fun. Archived from the original on 19 January 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
11. Charalambopoulos, Sotiris (2 December 2022). "Eurovision 2023 – Ελλάδα: Έτσι θα επιλεγεί το τραγούδι, η ανακοίνωση του προέδρου της ΕΡΤ" [Eurovision 2023 – Greece: This is how the song will be chosen, the announcement of the president of ERT]. iEidiseis (in Greek). Archived from the original on 2 December 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
12. "Eurovision 2023: Allocation Draw results". Eurovision Song Contest. European Broadcasting Union (EBU). 31 January 2023. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
13. "Eurovision 2023: The Second Semi-Final Qualifiers". eurovision.tv. 11 May 2023. Archived from the original on 11 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.