INTRODUCING: Violetta J’Adore

Violetta J’Adore is a drag performer who refuses to stay in one lane. Born Vasilis Theodoros Kyriakou in Cyprus and now based in London, the international drag queen has built a reputation across Europe for blending pop music, Mediterranean flair, and high-fashion drag. From performing in Madrid’s iconic Chueca district to representing the UK and Greece at international drag pageants and appearing on Pride stages across Europe, Violetta is part of a new generation of drag artists turning performance into a cross-border cultural statement.

I Adore You – Adore Delano

This song and artist mean so much to me. I first heard I Adore You when it was released more than a decade ago, and it completely blew my mind on so many levels. It was a great song by a queer artist, a drag artist, speaking openly about queer love. The music video showed Adore both in and out of drag, experiencing heartbreak.

If I were to pinpoint where Violetta’s music aspirations were created, it would be here. I Adore You, and Adore Delano’s music in general, is not just what we now call a typical drag artist song or a diss track. It is a fully realised, deep, complex, and emotional piece, both musically and lyrically. This is something I always strive to achieve in my own work.

Allo Ti Leo – Tamta

Tamta is an emblematic Georgian born Greek singer who is redefining what it means to be a singer and a performer. The first time I heard Allo Ti Leo was live at her concert in London last year, and it blew my mind. I went to that concert oblivious to what many people already knew about Tamta. That she is an exceptional singer, that she thinks through every last detail of her live performances, and that she makes you think and feel through both her voice and the visual world she creates on stage.

This shocked me in the best way. I felt inspired by this song to create something complete. I think I can honestly say that the need to make an album, rather than just releasing another single or even an EP, came from that night listening to Tamta sing Allo Ti Leo. What I saw, experienced, and felt that night felt complete. In Greek we have a word for this, μεστό, which means full, rich in substance, complete. This is exactly what inspired me to create a body of work that feels complete melodically, lyrically, and visually.

Pink Pony Club – Chappell Roan

I opened for Chappell Roan in London in 2024, and this song means so much to my community, rightfully so. Her ability to remain true to herself and to her vision is incredibly inspiring. The way she performs and pours her heart and soul onto the stage every single time is unforgettable.

Pink Pony Club is especially meaningful to me both musically and lyrically. Musically, those beautiful synths can transport you to a place that feels safe every time you hear the song. Lyrically, lines like “I heard that there’s a special place where boys and girls can all be queens every single day” speak about spaces where so many of us have felt safe and accepted. The parts where Roan directly addresses her mother, and explores how their relationship affects and is affected by her choices, get me every time.

Fun fact. The last song on my album, Home, was written as a thank you letter to my mother and was initially meant to be called Home (Dear Mama) as a nod to Pink Pony Club.

SPIRTO KE VENZINI – Marina Satti

Marina, in my opinion, is one of those once in a generation artists. Her vision, as well as her vocal and musical abilities, are extraordinary. Spirto Ke Venzini helped me see a path for bringing my heritage, as a Greek Cypriot singer, to a more contemporary audience.

Marina took a traditional sound and put it through her own artistic lens, creating a song that feels equally hers and ours. Cypriot history, and therefore its music, is incredibly rich in beautiful sounds and lyrics. Being able to express, reimagine, and showcase this heritage is very important to me. It is part of who I am, my history and my background. This directly inspired me to create Lullaby (Intro) and Giasemin from my album, songs with traditional Greek Cypriot lyrics and melodies that are reimagined, redefined, and reclaimed through my own artistic lens.

REACT – The Pussycat Dolls

I could not not mention this song or this group. REACT directly inspired my first ever music release, Rule the Night, which also appears on GODDEX. REACT is pure sexuality, passion, and above all, fun.

The intro is so distinctive, with a melody that makes you recognise the song instantly. This is something I really wanted to achieve with Rule the Night, and honestly with all my music. Not just having a catchy lyric or hook, but creating a musical melody that stays with the listener and becomes instantly recognisable because it taps into something that truly resonates.