This is how the Greek participant in Riga reflected on her impressions from the 48th Eurovision Song Contest during an interview with leading Greek newspaper TA NEA. She went on to reveal what were her predictions before the contest and her feelings after the score-board was complete with her being in 17th position.
During an interview with Christos Iereides today, Mando seemed convinced that there were only benefits from her participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. �I don�t think this contest comes down to success or failure. It�s all about what are the impressions you give (as an artist)�, she said. Her feelings about her placing were 'anger and puzzlement at first. However later on I realised that the voting was something that didn�t depend on me, since my performance was excellent'.
Asked whether she had anticipated Sertab�s victory, she said she was expecting her to do really well, but she hadn�t predicted that Turkey would be the winner. Nevertheless, it seems it was a pleasant surprise for her: �I was delighted with her victory. I had an extra reason, too. We know each other and I like her (�) We met before the contest and had a chat about the sound, the rehearsals. (�) However we didn�t meet after Saturday evening.'
Commenting on the rest of her predictions, she said they were 'pretty much the same with what was showing on the polls, which were all wrong. Eurovision is unpredictable', she declared. And why did the UK do so poor? Well, according to Mando, 'perhaps because of the discontent of the people about the war'.
The singer�s own impressions from the contest were 'excellent: I haven�t seen such a production before. I haven�t ever taken part in something so enchanting in my life', she stated. Her advice to her successor would be to 'give a good performance and not be interested in the final scoring'. She didn�t rule out the possibility to participate in Eurovision again, saying: 'I�d like it a lot'.
When Mando appeared on stage on the 24th, it wasn�t only her dream to represent her country in the Eurovision Song Contest that was coming to life, it was also the dream of a generation of fans coming true! Her classy and powerful performance on the night ensured she was heartily welcomed back home, regardless of her song achieving only 17th position in Riga. Never Let You Go, the song Mando performed in the Latvian capital, is still on the top spot of this week�s official singles chart in Greece.
