He is a star of national quality and not just a pop idol / poster
for hysteric teenagers, with a look that is more outgoing and cool
than ever, Sakis seems to be walking the road of success steadier
than ever. He has taken his career in his own hands (with the help
of a few select associates and the support of his record company) he
studies and plans his every move carefully. The long – standing or
better yet the "duration" in Greek music scene, as he well knows is
the toughest challenge. Apart from his personal glamour and star
quality, Sakis seems to be having, in a very large degree, the most
important quality that will declare you a winner in show business:
the infamous "Know How", something that very few artists seen to
have nowadays, where stars have a very short expiration date. I am
pleasantly surprised to realize that myself, while I watch him
during the photo shoot. He is politely, using his star status, to
stay in control of the situation. He examines in details
the "environment" of every photo, he checks the Polaroid snapshots
with the experience of someone who has worked in fashion and he
spots all the shots that are "missing" that certain something. How
did he manage to put to use all the experience he has gained? "In
order to manage and promote your career you have to know your field"
he tells me. " I started very young in a field that I knew nothing
about and because everything happened so fast, and there was so much
noise going around my name, at first I was very scarred and
hesitated a lot. Today I am in a position to know things pretty well
so I can have control. The longer you do this job, the more you
learn about various aspects of it that at first you didn't even
dream of. For starters you learn more about yourself. If you don't
evolve everything else is useless. I like this philosophical
conversation with Sakis. A lot of people (myself included sometimes)
imagine that Sakis doesn't have a will, he is speechless in his
glamorous prison and is always directed by other "masterminds".
Sakis, you can feel it, has matured and his every move reminds you
of an experienced showman and not a hesitant teenager, like before.

Besides, he has already realized that himself: "All this time in
life and show biz and the collective experience has changed me
deeply. I am as a matter of fact 15 years more mature and calmer in
all the areas of my life. From the way I use my voice to the way I
communicate with the people. Maturity helps you do things better:
the more you know exactly who you are, the easier it becomes to do
anything. And in your way"

These are simple straight statements, full of positive energy (at
least that's the way he says them) and with a true (I am almost
certain) nobility that convinces you that you are dealing with a man
a lot more normal than you would expect from the "legend" that is
known as Sakis. His eccentricities begin and end on stage, the
extreme element is completely out of his logic and actions. No
matter how much you want every idol to have a "dark side", some
dirty or spicy details that would lessen the glamour, when you have
Sakis in front of you there is no room for that. He has a mixture of
a child's innocence and a teenager's enthusiasm, which leaves you no
choice. "Exceptional talent, good psychology. What else in necessary
for the maintenance of an impressive success?" I ask him. "You need
good associates no matter how much you have learned yourself. Not
even I with my extensive experience can do everything. The talks,
for instance about the finance and the practical matters when I am
appearing in a club, does not suit me. I prefer to leave that to
others who can do it better than I. Also I allow myself to make
mistakes. If you don't stumble a bit on your mistakes, you will
never discover anything about yourself".

Sakis is human! The difficult times, as far as Sakis public image is
concerned (because we know nothing about his personal life) have to
do with publication in tabloids, endless rumors and small
disappearances followed by impressive comebacks. It is very natural
to be treated like that by the media if you are a star of that
caliber.

The thing that none knows (because "Sakis" has been an unknown
territory when it comes to his personal life who is covered in
mystery like the one that covers say, Mylene Farmer or Michael
Jackson), is how deals with all these. The certain thing is that in
every occasion Sakis had the "showbiz" wisdom to avoid action while
the matter was still "hot". He never confirmed or denied anything
and he never acted out of panic. Every attempt to end his career was
in the end unsuccessful: "I have a sure proof plan when dealing with
situations like those. I believe in people's instinct and that keeps
me cool", he tells me. But is it possible not to feel bad or
awkward, I insist, when the media invade your privacy? Is that
human? Are you human or not, Sakis? "Of course I have felt awkward.
I have worried with situations that were out of my control. It's a
feeling like when you are on a stadium and things suddenly get ugly,
situation get out of hand and there is nothing you can do about it.
Believe me I have felt everything. I am only human, after all!" he
tells me with a smile. I finally hear the words of a man who
operates without an auto – pilot. "Naturally I have gone through
some rough spots but over the years I learned to remain calm and
handle these things. When I entered the showbiz, I came from a
healthy and civilized environment, the world of professional
athletes that had completely different codes of behavior. The
adjustment was tough. I was suddenly somewhere completely opposite
from what I was used to and terrible things were being said and
printed about me. I had no idea how these things work or how to
handle it … I was very awkward and anxious, and I am not ashamed to
admit, was wondering what I ever did to deserve such hostility. But
fortunately I realized that something that "spontaneous" can't
change everything, it can't really change who someone is and I had
to deal with it. If you manage to stay true to yourself from some
point on you are almost invincible!".

How does he deal with people's curiosity about the spicy details of
his life, his relationship with Katia and the rest of the gossip –
report? "I am very relaxed", he replies. "I believe that the world
doesn't see this as real news. They have fun with it but they don't
form an opinion. It's like going to a comedy to have a good time
while they watch it. But that is that. Their opinion about the
person that is being laughed at doesn't change, I have realized that
often enough and after so many years in showbiz that gives me great
pleasure"

I ask him how is it that such an overdose of admiration doesn't trap
you. There are lots of examples of artists who got "burnt" because
of excessive fame. He has an answer: "Naturally there where people
who lost their balance after a huge success but let's not forget
that in my case fame didn't happen overnight. As time went by I
learnt to control the shock waves of admiration. I wasn't made in a
season and that turned to my advantage".

The (almost) natural lifestyle of Sakis

The image of such a successful person is closely linked to
discipline. "Mr. Shake It" has, according to people in his field
lots of it: "Discipline was part of my life from a very early age
because of sports. I knew in time what it meant as well as what hard
work is. So success at a very early age didn't find me un -
prepared". But doesn't the other side, the one we are all imagining,
where Sakis is trapped in a show – off life, exists? "It goes
without saying that many times I have rebelled against all that
discipline. But I know that I am the one who has made a choice, so I
can't really speak of sacrifices in my personal life etc. When I
blocked out, I simply found out a way to unblock myself" he tells me
laughing.

Did going abroad worked as an unblocking? "It was a huge step!
Starting out new things is something that makes you look deeper in
you and explore your potentials and limits, something that I
absolutely need to feel alive. That's how the experience of going
abroad worked for me. The different standards that they use there,
makes you feel like you start over from scratch. What happened to me
had nothing to do with the anxiety I felt when I started in Greece.
Right now I experience the whole thing on a completely different
level. On moments like that you realize how much you have changed
over the years". Nobody however can imagine Sakis living a "normal",
according to his age, life. I tell him so but he doesn't see it that
way, he considers his life completely normal, maybe with some
special circumstances due to his work. The one who looks from
outside trying to confirm what he has imagined is making a mistake.
He has gone clubbing but has he ever truly stayed out all night like
other men his age? "Yes of course! Lots of times! What do you think
I am? I enjoy staying out and when I get a chance I don't let it
pass me by. And in those moments it doesn't matter a bit who I am or
how everyone sees me. Naturally when I am abroad where I am freer, I
really give it all! When I am having fun, I am having FUN!' Are
there in his pop and glossy life moments where like all males act
out? Does he for instance watch soccer? "I watch without exception
all the National Soccer team's games. When I was a kid I was a fan
of Corfu's team. When I grew up and joined the national gymnastics
team, I didn't have time for soccer. But now it's different. I am a
fan of every Greek national team that goes abroad, I never miss
Champions League. There are all these moments in my life, believe
me".

Smiling I remind him some of his old stylistic choices in a time
when all the boys wore their heir long and had forelocks that hid
their eyes. He assures me that he is the kind of person that laughs
a lot with himself and his past. "I have laughed a lot with myself,
and I like it when my friends laugh with me and my goofs! And they
do that a lot!", and his laugh shows that he means it.

"The day before yesterday I was watching some moments from the
beginning of my career with long hair banging myself on stage and I
laughed my head of. I really liked what I was doing back then, I
went on stage and everything else was obliterated. I was elsewhere,
I had no idea what was going on around me. That was how excited I
was".

In the world of Sakis there are no good guys and bad guys, or at
least he avoids using such definite characterizations. He doesn't,
when I ask him, wish to remember negative people and situations. He
refuses to become a victim of his myth. Everything, according to
Sakis, work based on people's energy. "I believe in what people give
out regardless what they say, what they send forth in the
environment. When I sense an energy that I don't like I try to
contain it as much as possible. When you don't receive positive
energy from people around you, your work and even your life is seen
through different eyes". His plans for his new career are already
set. Does he get anxious now that he turned from a pop star for
teenagers to massive star symbol? "I don't understand terms like the
anxiety of success and other such things that people ask me. All
those things that we – successful stars – have to deal with are just
challenges when we communicate with the public. When we are doing
something so unique, why should we be anxious? Everything is a
challenge. Even if one of your career moves is not so successful,
what difference does it make? The world will not come to an end.
There are no secrets or infallible ways when you play the game of
interacting with the public. The chemistry between a star and his
audience is like a sexual encounter. And sexual encounters are not
always the same".

These are the pictures from the magazine.