Greek singer Stamatis Gonidis has sparked online backlash after a video surfaced showing him making a controversial stage remark about the late singer Giorgos Mazonakis.
The clip, which circulated on TikTok, captured a moment on Saturday night, September 19, at the nightclub where Gonidis was performing. Fellow singer Angela Dimitriou was in attendance at the venue when Gonidis spoke to her from the stage.
In the video, Gonidis described a conversation he had held with a member of the venue security team. The security employee had asked Gonidis if he was alright, to which Gonidis replied that they were fine and that he had died.
Dimitriou appeared shocked by the comment in the video and chose not to respond.
Nightclub conversation footage
Social media users quickly connected the statement to Giorgos Mazonakis, who passed away on Wednesday, September 9, at the age of 54. Although Gonidis did not mention Mazonakis by name in the video clip, the connection was made because Dimitriou paid an emotional tribute to Mazonakis later that same evening.
Gonidis, Mazonakis, and Dimitriou are established figures in popular Greek laiko music, a genre central to the nightspot and live music culture of Athens and across Greece.
Stage tribute to Giorgos Mazonakis
Later during the Saturday night performance, Dimitriou took the stage to honour the late singer. Visibly moved, she dedicated her performance to the one and only who had left but remained close to them, describing him as the child of the night.
Dimitriou then performed two of Mazonakis's well-known songs, Aniko s' emena and Thelo na gyriso sta palia, in front of the venue audience.
Public reaction and online debate
The statement by Gonidis drew strong criticism from viewers once the footage was posted online. Commenters under the TikTok video described the remark as tragic, with several users writing that it was a shame and a disgrace.
Other social media users came to the defence of Gonidis. Supporters argued that he had not spoken with malicious intent and suggested that his comment might not have been referring to Mazonakis at all.
