Paparizou's artistic talents and eagerness to excel became apparent very early, and she was soon involved in singing, dancing and acting-training in combination with her academic studies at school. At age 7, she started learning piano, ballet, and traditional dances. At the age of 14, Elena started her first band called "Soul Funkomatic" along with 3 Latin American kids. The group only played hip-hop music, and saved up money to record songs. Two years later by age 16, the band broke up and Helena was offered various proposals, but her mother said she was too young to leave home.
In 1998, 13 of her close friends died in a fire at a hip-hop party at a nightclub in Gothenburg that she had begged her mother to go to but was denied. After losing her friends, she decided to abandon singing, and she started classes at the Art Performing School where she studied theater, acting, television, and directing. In 1999, some DJ friends of her brother asked her to make a demo of Opa Opa. Elena told them that the lyrics were written to be sung be a male singer, so she asked to sing it with childhood friend Nikos Panagiotidis (Νίκος Παναγιωτίδης).
Paparizou, determined to succeed and fulfill her dreams of being an entertainer, joined childhood friend and fellow Greek-Swede Nikos Panagiotidis, at the age of 17, to form Antique. By 2001, the duo had made a name for itself which led to them being selected as Greece's representatives for the Eurovision Song Contest 2001 in Copenhagen. The duo reached third place with the song, "(I Would) Die for You".
Antique's success in the Eurovision Song Contest led to them recording four studio albums. Antique disbanded in 2003, and Elena decided to pursue a solo career. In spring 2004, she released her first solo album, Προτεραιότητα, from which "Αντιθέσεις", "Κάτσε καλά" and "Στην καρδιά μου μόνο θλίψη" became hit singles. The album was certified double platinum in Greece following her victory in the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest.
On 2 February 2011, Paparizou was one of eight acts of MAD TV's first charity fashion music show MADWalk, an equivalent to the international Fashion Rocks, where she represented fashion designer Apostolos Mitropoulos and performed her new single "Baby It's Over", which will be included on her triple greatest hits album Greatest Hits & More to be released in late March.
Carpe Diem
Έλενα Παπαρίζου Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I poured out some coffee and I had a smoke
I looked outside the window, I saw people walking around
But not talking to each other
So I was like... where am I living?
I put on my shoes, I walked down the street
I was walking down the avenue and I was dancing
La-la-la-la-ri-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-ri-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-ri-la-la-la
La-la-la-la carpe diem
La-la-la-la-ri-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-ri-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-ri-la-la-la
Why don't we seize the day
Living in a dream is a place I really wanna be doing my thing
Anytime, anywhere I please, anyday, allday, Monday, Friday
Sunlight, moonlight, your way, my way
Get a job, get a dog, run away, hide away
There's something about
The people in this town
I'm la-la-la-la-la-la-la...
I'm laughing, why I'm dancing
La-la-la-la-ri-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-ri-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-ri-la-la-la
La-la-la-la carpe diem
La-la-la-la-ri-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-ri-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-ri-la-la-la
Why don't we seize the day
Sing along la-la-la-la-la
Sing along la-la-la-la-la
Sing along la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
Sing along la-la-la-la-la
Sing along la-la-la-la-la
Sing along la-la-la-la-la
La (Why don't we seize the day)
Na-na-na-na-ri-ra-ra-ra
Na-na-na-na-ri-ra-ra-ra
Na-na-na-na-ri-ra-ra-ra
La-la-la-la carpe diem
Na-na-na-na-ri-ra-ra-ra
Na-na-na-na-ri-ra-ra-ra
Na-na-na-na-ri-ra-ra-ra
Why don't we seize the day
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
La (La-la-la-la carpe diem)
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
La (Why don't we seize the day)
Sing along la-la-la-la-la
Sing along la-la-la-la-la
Sing along la-la-la-la-la
La (La-la-la-la carpe diem)
Sing along la-la-la-la-la
Sing along la-la-la-la-la
Sing along la-la-la-la-la
La (Why don't we seize the day)
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la carpe diem
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
La (Why don't we seize the day)
The lyrics of Elena Paparizou's "Carpe Diem" reflect a strong sense of disillusionment toward modern society's lack of authentic human connection. The song begins with the singer waking up alone and feeling bored, looking outside to see people walking around without talking to each other. She questions where she is living and sets out on a walk, dancing to the beat of her own drum. There is a sense of rebellion in the chorus as she repeats the phrase "carpe diem" and asks why don't we seize the day. She muses about living in a dream and doing her own thing, at any time and any place, and encourages others to join her in living in the moment.
Line by Line Meaning
I woke up this morning totally alone-boring
I woke up feeling bored and lonely
I poured out some coffee and I had a smoke
I made coffee and smoked a cigarette
I looked outside the window, I saw people walking around
I saw people walking around outside my window
But not talking to each other
But they were not speaking to each other
So I was like... where am I living?
I wondered where I was living
I put on my shoes, I walked down the street
I put on my shoes and walked outside
I was walking down the avenue and I was dancing
I was dancing while walking down the avenue
La-la-la-la-ri-la-la-la
N/A
Why don't we seize the day
We should take advantage of today
Living in a dream is a place I really wanna be doing my thing
I really want to live in my dream and do what I enjoy
Anytime, anywhere I please, anyday, allday, Monday, Friday
I should be able to do what I want any time and any day
Sunlight, moonlight, your way, my way
I should be able to live my life the way I want
Get a job, get a dog, run away, hide away
I have different options to choose from
There's something about
There's something special about
The people in this town
The people who live in this town
I'm la-la-la-la-la-la-la...
N/A
I'm laughing, why I'm dancing
I'm happy and dancing for joy
Sing along la-la-la-la-la
N/A
Na-na-na-na-ri-ra-ra-ra
N/A
La (Why don't we seize the day)
We should take advantage of today
La-la-la-la carpe diem
Seize the day
Contributed by Claire O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
FoFo
It could be an international hit if it was promoted with the correct way!
Elin S
one of my first songs i listened from her today i REALLY like her!!! wow greek music is beautiful reminds me of my own culture! :D
89소피
this whole album was perf
ᴛⷮ aͣ uͧ rͬ aͣ 𓁁
Such a shame its not on Spotify
marios1ngle
wonderful song ;)
Luigi Mazzini
The no. 1 in my top 25 on iPod :D
Natasa
πωωωωωωωωωω❤️❤️❤️❤️
geoforamorio
ΕΛΕΝΑ ΓΙΑ ΠΑΝΤΑ!!!
Agus Setiawan
like like like this.. carpe diem, dance...
Supersonic screech
Like this song