Greek singer and songwriter Giorgos Sampanis paid an emotional tribute to his late friend and longtime collaborator Giorgos Mazonakis during a concert at the Katrakion Theatre in Nikaia.
The moving moment came when Sampanis performed “Ores Mikres” (Short Hours), one of the songs associated with their 18-year musical partnership.
As the song played, Sampanis danced a zeibekiko in memory of Mazonakis, while the audience joined in singing along, turning the performance into a heartfelt tribute to the late singer.
The two artists worked together for 18 years, creating 22 songs. Sampanis composed the music for several of Mazonakis’ major hits, including tracks released through Panik Records.
Addressing the crowd, Sampanis spoke about the difficulty of deciding whether to perform songs connected to his friend.
“Over 18 years, we managed to make 22 songs together. On the one hand, I was thinking about not performing any of them. On the other hand, I thought it would be difficult not to sing at least one here. So we will sing a few for his party. This is the first and last time we will perform all of these together,” he said.
The performance captured the close professional and personal bond between the two musicians, with the zeibekiko adding an especially poignant moment to the evening.
A video of the tribute was shared by lyricist Eleni Giannatsoulia, bringing the emotional performance to a wider audience.
Mazonakis’ death has prompted tributes from across Greece’s music industry, as fans and fellow artists remember his distinctive voice, celebrated career and lasting contribution to Greek popular music.
Source: HuffPost Greece.
