The significant turning point in Helena's life was the creation of Antique, a group she set up with her childhood friend Niko at the age of 17. Almost immediately, Antique signed their first record contract with the then newly founded record label Bonnier in Sweden. Their debut single ‘Opa Opa’ became a huge hit. It reached number one in the singles charts and gained gold status. Following that success, Antique released their debut album, and later in 2001 came the first major step in their career, when they represented Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest. They performed ‘I Would Die For You’ in Copenhagen and after starting as pre-contest favouries had to settle third place. However Antique's performance in the Eurovision Song Contest turned "I Would Die For You" into a big international hit (far bigger than the two song which finished ahead of it in Copenhagen). In turn this led to a successful career which included several platinum albums, a European tour, and collaborations with many highly successful artists from Greece and abroad.

Despite Antique’s great success, the group’s journey came to an end in 2003. Making one of her most difficult decisions ever, Helena decided to pursue a solo musical career. This brought her into contact with Sony Music with whom she signed her first contract as a solo artist. In December 2003, Helena Paparizou released her first solo single, ‘Anapandeetes Klisis’ (‘Missed Calls’), a song that was written especially for her by famous singer-songwriter, Christos Dantis. That song became a major hit and remained at the top of the Greek airplay charts as well as the sales charts for a very long time, reaching gold status. During the winter of 2003-2004, Helena appeared alongside one of Greece's biggest male singing stars, Antonis Remos, at Studio Pireos night club. In spring 2004, Helena released her first solo album ‘Protereotita’ (‘Priorities’) from which ‘Antithesis’, ‘Anamnisis’, ‘Katse Kala’, ‘Stin Kardia Mou Mono Thlipsi’ became major hits. Her success brought her to Fever Music night club where she performed the winter season 2004-2005 alongside Eurovision 2004 star Sakis Rouvas and Giorgos Mazonakis. 

Despite her success in Greece, Helena was not the first choice to represent Greece in Kyiv. The job was first offered to Greek star Despina Vandi, but her management could not agree terms with Greek television. Remarkably the second choice to get the ticket to Kyiv was Franz Ferdinand the U.K. based indie rock band, who's lead singer is of of Greek extraction. However despite showing initial interest in the offer, the schedule of promotion for Eurovision conflicted with the band's recording schedule and they too turned down the offer.

ERT then turned to Helena and she performed three potential Eurovision songs for Greek television viewers on March 2nd. Remarkably Helena did not sing the songs live but lip-synced them which was supposedly to provide the best possible interpretation of each song.  A combination of an expert jury and televoting chose "My Number One" written by Natalia Germanou and  Christos Dantis, which scored over 66% of the available votes. 

Christos Dantis’ career in music started when he was 16 years old. His first (platinum) album ‘Fingerprints’ was released in 1990. In 1991 his album ‘Aman’ was released in Greece. It went gold in his home country but was also a huge hit in the rest of Europe, with the video being featured on MTV and MCM. One of his most successful albums, ‘My Old Coat’, was released in 1999, the same year that Christos arranged a version of ‘24,000 Baci’ by Italian star Adriano Celentano for the movie ‘Safe Sex’. In 2004, his success story continued with the album ‘Maya-Maya’ which went gold. Although Christos is mainly a rock composer, he has written music in other genres, too.

Natalia Germanou was born and grew up in Athens. At the age of 16 she started working for young people’s magazines. She is a qualified journalist and has written various articles for Greek magazines. Natalia first started writing lyrics in 1990 and met with great success. She has written lyrics for 20 platinum and 36 gold records and is considered to be one of the most successful lyricists in her country.

From the moment that it was chosen at the beginning of March "My Number One" has been among the hot favourites for victory in Kyiv, and is currently the bookmakers favourite and is top of most internet polls. It has become a huge hit in Greece and Cyprus and Helena has followed Ruslana's example in 2004 and toured European television stations promoting this song.

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When I heard the three songs which were to contest the Greek final, this was the one which I thought was by far the worst, some awful contrived rhymes, and a very poor chorus let down was was a pretty decent melody. Therefore I was surprised when it won, and shocked when I saw it doing so well in the polls and with the bookies. I could understand what made "Shake It" the favourite in Istanbul, but even in this hugely weaker field, I'm still waiting to hear what others obvious do in this run of the mill ethnic dance song. How will it do? Well the draw has been kind, and Helena can sing, but if this gives Greece it's first win, I'll be surprising and disappointed in equal measures. - Keith Mills (webmaster)

It will be battling it out for the win with Selma. Personally I'm hoping for Selma to come through, but realistically speaking, this one may take it. - Ralph (Canada)

Last year but they had a better song and an amazing dance routine. I doubt that this will measure up. - David Berlinger (Israel)

The big favourite this year? I don’t even think it will make the top 5 to be honest, it’s proven to be a very popular choice, but it reminds me of Iceland in 2002. Greece, the same as Cyprus will not be taken seriously in the contest until they stop this stupid neighbourhood rubbish. High score, not a winner despite the odds!. - John Rodriguez (UK)

Her number one, everyone's number one. It's going to take a good one to keep Greece off the top spot. Anyone for Athens next spring? - David Bridgman (UK)

Here comes the controversial bit, I'm guessing 6th or 7th for Greece, not quite the same bite as Sakis last year and despite all the bookies odds and internet polls, I cant see this winning, also Greece should beware that the more educated Eurovision fans have long memories and often hold back from voting for Greece, as its voting record is absolutely abysmal, one thing that is certain this year is that Greece will give Cyprus 12 points. - Clint Bembridge (UK)

Originality, freshness, quality. It is by far the best ethnic song of this year's contest and together with Switzerland, the UK, Israel, Iceland and Malta the best songs. I believe that Greece deserves to win this year. Helena is great and get ready for an amazing stage trick she is preparing. - Atmantas (Greece)

Helena Paparizou is one of best and most good looking singers of the ESC 05 plus the Greeks selected the strongest of the three songs from their NF, even if the slightly ethno flavoured pop song "My Number One" will have to compete against similar songs at the final. A song by Nikos Terzis might have been a even saver bet for Helena, but she's known for making the best out of any song, thanks to her performance and charisma on stage. So this might be one of the potential winners and a bookmaker fav. for sure.  - Paul Hutter (Germany   

Yet another returnee for this year. The video looks a lot like a fitness video. Song itself sounds more Irish than Greek in certain parts. However the song is fine if a little uninspired and repetitive and yet again we have another pointless break. - Dermot Manning (Ireland)

Like everyone else I think this can possibly win but i also thought that about Belgium last year. Be afraid Greece be very afraid. - Mark Wood (UK)

The formula for winning Eurovision in the last three years is to get a pretty girl, give her an ethnic song that wouldn't be out of place on a cruise ship cabaret and try to appeal to the lowest common denominator. This hits all the buttons, but why do I feel that it's just too much of a formula? The one to beat for sure, but something tells me it won't do it, but I can't see another winner. - Ian Carson (Ireland)

Before Greece first entered the competition in 1974, Greek singers had previously entered the contest singing for other countries, Nana Mouskouri had sung for Luxembourg and Vicky Leandros actually won the contest for the same country in 1972 . Greece's first entry was the unmistakably ethnically Greek entry, "Krassi, thalassa ke t'agori mou" which was probably a bit ahead of it's time in the era of 1970's Euro-pop. Greece learnt the lesson from it's early ethnic entries and by 1977 they were submitting up-tempo pop songs, and achieved a Top 5 result with "Mathema Solfege". In the following years Greece became a steady if unspectacular Eurovision performer, and didn't achieve another Top 5 result until 1992 when ethnic songs were better appreciated and their entry "Olou Tou Kosmou I Elpida" finished 5th. However a series of poor results followed until Greece broke with tradition in 2001 and entered their first bi-lingual entry "Die For You", sung by the Swedish based Greek duo Antique. That finished third and last year Greek superstar Sakis Rouvas repeated that result in Istanbul with "Shake It". 

* Points ratio measures how many points a country has received compared with how many it has given since 1975. The higher the number the better a country has done. The average is points ratio is obviously 1.00. 

Twice in the last four years (2001 and 2004) Greece has been the pre-contest favourite, but has only finished 3rd on the night. Once again Greece is favourite in 2005, and no country has ever been a favourite for three Eurovision Song Contests and never won.