As of two weeks ago, Greek Australian Carly Yelayotis has made it into The Voice of Greece, on team Antonis Remos. Twenty-six-year-old Carly, who once blew away the judges on The Voice Australia, can finally pursue her dream, which is to sing in Greek, in Greece.

Miss Yelayotis is no stranger to the Greek community of Australia since she was the first name singing at Kinisi in Melbourne as well as Sydney Greek clubs Fix and Anesi. The talented professional singer chose a hit by Natasha Theodoridou, Tha rtho na se do (Θα ‘ρθω να σε δω).

Even though all four judges were mesmerised by her vocal range and eclectic singing, only Antonis Remos turned his chair literally at the very last moment. Neos Kosmos contacted Carly and her ‘rock-chick’ mother who is the host of the KK Factor show on Rythmos Radio.

“I knew someone was going to turn, but I’m happy they gave it a good listen,” Roula Krikellis, Carly’s mother tells Neos Kosmos.

“In my opinion it’s for the best that the coaches weighted their decision before Remos finally decided to embrace her, as she received a lot of media attention in Greece when she made it in Ricky Martin’s team on the Australian Voice,” she adds, after having watched The Voice of Greece live at 6 o’clock in the morning.

Carly Yelayotis misses her mother, too, but is determined to make it in Greece and couldn’t be happier she made it in. The 26-year-old singer gave up a secure career and remarkable job prospects to chase her dream, even if it meant leaving her family and friends behind as she stated on Ant1 Channel while at the “Proino Mou” show.

“In Greece there are too many singers and the competition is huge but my dream is to be recognised as a successful Greek singer in Greece,” Carly Yelayotis says.

Carly appreciates all the coaches but Remos’ style is her favourite, as she wants to focus on singing in Greek full-on. She has a vast English repertoire from R’n’B, pop, jazz, soul, yet she chose a Greek song for her blind audition, which nearly cost her her success. Despina Vandi, Michalis Kouinellis and Melina Aslanidou admitted to having been impressed by her voice, but puzzled by her accent.

“Thank god Remos turned, I was extremely stressed.”

“It would have been nice if all four of them turned their chairs, but I understand there was something weird going on with my accent and my voice was trembling. I could hear that,” she admits.

“Maybe I would have gotten a better reaction from the judges if I’d opted for an English song, but I decided to go to the blind audition singing what I love.”

Carly’s family hails from Lesvos and Larissa and she has always felt deeply connected to Greek music. She learned most of her (almost perfect) Greek by listening to Greek songs and singing, as she is a third generation Greek Australian who did not speak Greek at home.

“I love Greece and want to stay in Athens. My family is proud of my decision to explore my Greek heritage,” she explains.

She highlighted the difficult predicaments that have affected the job-hunting scene in Greece and its citizens’ hard everyday reality as opposed to the Australian reality.

“I know my pronunciation needs to be worked on, but I love laika tragoudia and this is what I want to do. I want the full job description, based in Greece,” she tells.

“After The Voice Australia, I was offered some good chances career-wise but this, here, now, this is my dream.”

Good luck Carly!