Who is Akylas? Get to Know Greece’s Eurovision 2026 entry

The Eurovision Song Contest is heading toward its 70th edition, which will take place in Vienna (Austria) on May 12, 14, and 16 at the Wiener Stadthalle.

Little by little, the participating countries are immersed in preparations to refine the details of their entries with which they will fight to win the coveted glass microphone.

The Eurovision season has left very diverse entries, and among them stands out Greece, which has opted for a candidacy with a marked contemporary identity. The public broadcaster ERT selected its representative through the format Sing for Greece – Ellinikós Telikós 2026, where the artist Akylas won thanks to his song “Ferto,” thus securing the ticket to Vienna.

How has his journey to Eurovision been? What lies behind his musical entry? How has he built a unique identity within the current scene?

In this edition, we take a look at Akylas’ musical career, the context of his candidacy, and his song. Greece’s representative at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 will try to take his country to the top of the ranking with “Alice,” in what will be Greece’s 47th participation in the European contest with a track that combines electronic sound, pop sensitivity, and a strong personal emotional charge.

This is Akylas, origins and early years

Akylas Mytilinaios was born in 1999 in Serres, northern Greece, into a close-knit family facing economic difficulties. Far from holding him back, this context shaped his character and fueled his determination to carve out a path in the artistic field. From a very young age he showed interest in music and performing arts, beginning his training at the Music School of his hometown, where he acquired knowledge of theory, singing and composition. In parallel, he took part in theatre workshops that strengthened his expressiveness on stage.

Before focusing fully on music, he explored other professional paths. After moving to Thessaloniki and training in cooking, he worked in the restaurant industry, a stage he combined with his creative development. A key milestone in his career came when he worked for two years as a singer on cruise ships, performing daily before international audiences. This experience proved fundamental in refining his vocal technique and gaining stage confidence.

In 2021 he began to gain significant notoriety by posting musical covers on social media, especially TikTok, where he connected with thousands of followers thanks to his approachable style. That same year he took part in The Voice of Greece, reaching the live shows as part of Panos Mouzourakis’s team. Although he did not win, he gained significant media visibility. He also released his first original track, “Fthinokraso”, inspired by his early experiences in Athens.

Once settled in the Greek capital, he developed his own identity within indie-pop. His breakthrough came in 2024 with “Atelié”, which established him as one of the country’s emerging new voices. His music, of an intimate nature, reflects personal experiences and is accompanied by a theatrical and contemporary aesthetic. He defines himself as a queer artist and conveys messages of freedom and acceptance.

In 2026 he reached a new milestone by winning the Greek national preselection “Sing For Greece” with the song “Ferto”, thus earning the right to represent Greece at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026.

This is “Ferto,” Akylas’ entry to represent Greece at Eurovision 2026

Akylas represents Greece at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 with the song “Ferto” (Bring It to Me), an entry on which he is also a composer together with Orfeas Nonis, Theofilos Pouzbouris, and Thomas Papathanasis. In the song, mostly in Greek, there are also nods to Spanish, English, and French.

In “Ferto,” the singer conveys an overwhelming and almost insatiable ambition. The narrator expresses a mindset of limitless growth: he wants success, money, fame, and luxury, and is not satisfied with anything half-measured. However, there is also a more personal nuance: behind this obsession with success appears the memory of past lack and the desire to compensate for it, especially toward his family. It is not only greed, but also a way of proving that he can overcome his origins and offer a better life.

Lyrics

Greece at Eurovision: A Quick History

Greece debuted in Eurovision in 1974 with Marinella and «Krassi, Thalassa Ke T’agori Mou», achieving 11th place. Since then, it has maintained a strong presence, with occasional absences for different reasons. Its greatest success came in 2005 with Helena Paparizou and «My Number One», during a period in which it achieved numerous Top 10 results in a row.

Although it has never finished second, it has achieved three third places, including the memorable one by the group Antique with their classic “Die For You”. It has been a regular finalist, with few eliminations in the semifinals such as in 2023. In 2024 it narrowly missed the Top 10 with an 11th place thanks to Marina Satti, while in 2025 it improved with a 6th place with Klavdia.