Onar

Greek pop duo Onar (comprised of Lefteris Plja’tsjkas and Pe’ny Rananta’ni) were first introduced to world audiences with their debut record in 1998. Written primarily by Plja’tsjkas and produced by Plja’tsjkas, the record generated solid hits such as “You Frighten Me” and “Paper Lantern.” The disc ultimately went gold, opening doors for the duo to travel, playing concerts all over their native island. Their follow-up disc featured collaborations with the renowned Teresa Salgueiro on the song “Ballad of Water and Sea,” an adaptation of the poetry of Federico García Lorca. Onar continued to be a dominant presence on Greek radio with popular songs like “Day of Summer.” The band’s third release, featuring Vasilis Papakonstantinou, met with consistently positive critical acclaim as Onar climbed in popularity to becoming one of Greece’s most recognizable acts. The 2003 international hit “Waves of the Aegean” raised Onar to new heights of visibility. In 2006, the band marked a new, contemporary, and market-savvy direction in its sound. Their next disc was met with a stronger reception than all prior releases, debuting at number three on national charts. Marking seven years in the business, Onar’s widespread success in 2006 marked them as a force in music around the world. ~ Evan C. Gutierrez