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    Eurovision Song Contest 2016, the national broadcaster of Greece, ERT, decided to send in the 61st song contest a band that has caused a sensation in the recent months, Argo. The band not just manage to surprise all of us but also to impress us and gain our appreciation.  The song "Utopian Land" which will take part in the first semi-final impressed the Greek audience and worthily gained our respect.
    I had the pleasure and honour to be able to meet in person the members of the band and be able to “steal” some of the valuable time of Vladimiros Sofianidos, singer of the band, to make a brief but comprehensive interview.

Argo and Greece 2016, how did this represent came?
     We requested to write a song from the production and finally ended at Eurovision without knowing. We didn’t know anything!

You were always fans of the Eurovision Contest?
     Yes! I always followed the evolution of the contest, I remember that as a little boy I liked the contest of Eurovision.

How did Argo formed?
    Argo are not formed for the competition, we existed before. We formed in 2001 and I remember we released our first cd single for fun, we were then 16 to 17 years old. Most members of the group are the same but the recent years, because of the unforeseen economic conditions some of the band left for Germany and abroad to find work, surely they left 2-3 people from till now. The others who stayed here continued to do what we do until today. We stopped live performances but we gathered at the Studio, and created, wrote, played, the work progressed.

You are a band that mixes tradition with modern music, it is difficult to create such songs?
    It is very difficult, and I want to say something on this, hopefully one that was so many years to a small extent to evolve and become more great because now we have the opportunity. I remember parents coming to me who have young children 8-9 years old and they did not know the Pontian dialect while came from Pontus, and wanted to learn through the songs because as you know from the lyrics the language expressions learned better and easier and you can use them in your everyday life. This for me was a great honour, I felt that what I do had resonance, it filled me mentally. As a member of my generation I am helping with my own way to continue the tradition, the dialect and the Pontiac history.

The song that will represent us in Eurovision "Utopian Land", what it means to you and what message you want to send in Europe?
    Yes certainly there is a message that we want to send, the central point of the song is against the war and against the existence of the refugees. When there are no wars, there are no refugees, I wish every refugee be a tourist, and be able to have homeland and his utopia.
    Our song is experiential, begins with the verse “Planitis Ghi 2016 / oti ki an kanoun / i genia mas tha t' anteksei” (Planet Earth 2016 / No matter what they do / Our generation will endure) speaks for now, for me my utopia when I was eight years old was Greece, I was coming here with my parents for a better tomorrow because we were leaving Georgia from the bombs. Georgia had a civil war then. There was war between Georgians and we were in the middle, we the "Greco". Then Greece sent aid and took some of us but I was late, I stayed there and I say this with the lyrics “Hop Hop / temeteron hip hop / perame isitiria / ke pame sto aeroport” (Hop, hop / This is our very own hip hop / We got the tickets and we’ re off to the airport). With joy we went to leave, but then encountered difficulties but we fought. And now you see that it gets back the same situation, from Greece our brothers go again abroad for another utopia, to help their child live a better life, for a better future, because in Greece they will not have a future if this situation doesn’t change.

And finally, what message would you send to your Greeks and foreign fans and supporters?
     We will do our best, everything for Pontus for Pontian dialect, to get the best place in Stockholm. We will give 100% of ourselves to make proud the Greeks living in the country and the Hellenic / Pontian Diaspora all over the world. We will give everything to make you proud, that is our promise as Argo, as Pontiacs but above all as Greeks!

I want to thank from the bottom of my heart the wonderful Vladimiros Sofianidos for our lovely conversation and I wish to Argo and Greece the BEST at the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm.

On the occasion of this interview I would like to present you again the band members.

	Vladimiros Sofianidis     Vladimir was born in 1985 in Georgia (Sukhumi). He came to Greece in 1991 with his family. He studied music at the local conservatory and before even he finished school, he began to play music at local events and writing songs for his band. He continues to do so to this day.     He writes lyrics, composes songs and sings hip-hop music. Besides his music activity, Vladimir has been making a living as a skilled technician.
	Christina Lachana     Christina was born in Georgia (Sukhumi), with an ancestry from Pontus. Along with her family, she has lived in Greece since she was eight. All her paternal family members are musicians and this favourable environment contributed to her singing at a very young age. She has sung for the “Europond” music band since 2006.     Married and mother of two, Christina is fond of painting, dancing, gardening and nature outings. In the past she has studied hairdressing and aesthetics, and has attended English and Information Technology classes.
	Ilias kesidis     Ilias was born in Georgia (Sukhumi) where he spent his childhood. His grandparents originated from Pontus (Giresun). He has been living in Thessaloniki, Greece, since he was eight.     He has been passionate about music ever since he was a child. As an adult, he has followed his passion and, at the same time, has been working for technical /construction companies.     He is married and father of one child. Besides music, he is very fond of tennis, table tennis and football.
	Konstantinos Topouzis     Konstantinos is also of Pontian ancestry (Santa, Trabzon), which bequeathed his great love for Pontian music. He received a Pontian lyre as a birthday gift in 1996 and they have been inseparable ever since. Inspired by musical sounds such as ska, punk rock, hiphop, jazz, ethnic music of the world, Constantine also plays bass guitar for bands in Thessaloniki.     A graduate of the Technical & Vocational School of Thessaloniki, Constantine has been working as a technician. He is married and father of two children, and his favorite hobbies include skateboarding and Enduro sports.
	Alexandros Papadopoulos     Alexandros is a researcher of percussion and of the people’s rhythms of the world, with reference to traditional Pontian music. Since 1992, he has been exploring, playing, teaching and recording a wide range of percussion instruments.     He has composed music for numerous theatrical performances and films, and counts many international partnerships in Bulgaria, Serbia, Italy, Spain, Austria, the Netherlands, Turkey, Sweden, Germany, Cyprus, and Egypt. A Latin music aficionado, he is a key member of the “Locos de Atar” orchestra, as well as a skilled Argentina tango dance teacher.     In 2006, he established the “Music Workshop & Tango Room” in Thessaloniki, a space where he can express all his artistic qualities at the fullest.
	Maria Elbrus (Venetikidou)     Maria is a singer, a Lindy Hop dancer and artistic persona of Thessaloniki     She was born in Russia and started her musical journey at a young age. She studied Classical Piano and Phonetics at the State Music School in Russia, earning distinctions at state piano competitions in 1996 and 1997. A resident of Thessaloniki since 1999, she has been singing for numerous music groups and experimented in various genres (funk, soul, bossa nova, pop, swing, trip hop electro and rock), building long lasting and quality bonds within the local music scene.     Maria is also passionate about dance. She has been an active member of the Greek “Lindy Hop” group for several years and now teaches Lindy Hop classes all over the country.     Holder of a University degree in Physics, Maria is currently attending a postgraduate course in "Physics and Material Engineering".