Erini: A Cretan voice at the Grammy Awards

Erini spends astir of her clip successful New York, embodying 2 large currents of our era: women’s empowerment and the renewed clasp of tradition. Born successful Crete, the performer, composer, and shaper has managed to reimagine 1 of the island’s astir male-dominated philharmonic styles—the rizitiko—and bring it onto the global stage.

Her latest song, Se Psilo Vouno (On a High Mountain), present competing astatine the Grammy Awards, blends the authenticity of contented with a cinematic ambiance and daring orchestration. Her dependable becomes a span betwixt past and present, breathing caller beingness into a philharmonic practice erstwhile reserved astir exclusively for men.

Often appearing connected signifier dressed successful a accepted Cretan men’s cloak, Erini challenges societal stereotypes and shows that women tin illustration their ain creator paths. From New York to her beloved Crete, and from Berklee College of Music to planetary performance halls, she proves that contented tin service arsenic a root of strength, inspiration, and planetary dialogue.

GALA: What drew you to rizitiko, 1 of Crete’s oldest forms of accepted song?

ERINI: Rizitiko is the oldest signifier of opus successful Crete. For galore Cretans, it feels similar portion of our DNA, an acquisition handed down done generations. It originated successful occidental Crete but is sung each implicit the island. I grew up proceeding astir it from my grandfather, who was a clergyman and sang rizitika. He passed distant erstwhile I was young, but my parent told maine his stories, and I inactive had cassette recordings of him singing. My parent insists my dependable resembles his—even though excavation is, of course, female.

Traditionally, rizitiko is sung lone by men successful galore parts of Crete. My mentation reimagines it: I added cello, immoderate improvisation, and layered backing vocals. I gave it a philharmonic instauration rooted successful my influences from classical euphony and modern improvisation. I whitethorn person grown up successful Crete, but my grooming was successful classical music—I studied piano, cello, and played successful the municipal orchestra of Heraklion. Later, I studied astatine Berklee College of Music successful the U.S., focusing connected Global Jazz—a signifier of originative euphony drafting connected traditions from astir the world.

GALA: How did Se Psilo Vouno extremity up being submitted to the Grammys?

ERINI: For the past 2 years, I’ve been a subordinate of the Recording Academy—the Grammy organization. Membership is usually extended to artists who person contributed to nominated projects. Two years ago, I performed with Danilo Pérez and the Global Messengers, a Latin jazz ensemble that received a Grammy nomination. That made maine eligible to articulation the Academy and taxable aboriginal projects. This year, Se Psilo Vouno is competing successful the Best Global Music Performance category.

GALA: We’ve seen a revival of accepted Greek music—from young radical embracing festivals to Claudia’s Eurovision entry. Do you spot a inclination here?

ERINI: Absolutely. Globalization and the net springiness america entree to everything, but they besides marque america crave individuality and roots. That’s what I spot happening with my procreation (I’m 34). Many young artists person a planetary euphony background, yet they inactive privation to specify what it means to beryllium Greek—or Cretan—within that context. It’s beauteous to see.

GALA: Why did you take Se Psilo Vouno specifically?

ERINI: I knew I wanted to grounds a rizitiko this twelvemonth and taxable it to the Grammys. Last twelvemonth I submitted Asia Minor songs; this year, Cretan. Voting for the Grammys starts October 3 and lasts 2 weeks, with the authoritative nominations announced successful December.

For me, it was an affectional choice. Singing rizitiko arsenic a pistillate is powerful—it lifts maine up. Se Psilo Vouno is iconic successful Crete, astir similar Synnefiasmeni Kyriaki is for the remainder of Greece. The lyrics talk of an eagle perched connected a snowy mountain, praying for the prima to rise—a metaphor for liberation. Many criticized maine for daring to sing it, but I place with women successful accepted societies inactive warring for freedom. Singing it gives maine chills.

GALA: What benignant of disapproval did you face?

ERINI: When I released the song, I got a batch of backlash: “Women don’t sing rizitika,” “Leave this to men,” “You’re wearing a man’s cloak—sacrilege!” But I deliberation challenging those boundaries is precisely the point.

GALA: Where bash you spot Greek women singers today?

ERINI: Today, women person unthinkable power—as artists, producers, and leaders of their ain careers. Despite obstacles, we tin present make connected our ain terms. That’s liberating. And successful caller years, Greece has produced truthful galore singular women successful music.

GALA: How bash you equilibrium emotion and logic erstwhile making creator decisions?

ERINI: I ever travel my instincts. If a opus calls to me, adjacent if others disregard it, I spot my gut. I debar choices that don’t align with my values. Of course, temptations are everywhere, but if thing doesn’t consciousness authentic, I won’t bash it. My interior compass—my stomach, really—guides maine some successful euphony and successful life.