Kállay Saunders in Gala Greece: "I Wrote My New Single in Athens"

American-Hungarian singer-songwriter Kállay Saunders is the subject of a five-page interview in Gala, the lifestyle magazine that comes with Greece's Sunday Proto Thema newspaper. Running in the magazine's Melody Fair music section under the headline "I wrote my new single in Athens," the feature by journalist Lefteris Trigkas covers the Greek roots of his single "YOU," his long bond with Greek audiences and his plans for 2026. Proto Thema also published the interview online on January 29, 2026. GROOVE Media, Kállay's exclusive manager and content partner, led the "YOU" release campaign.

A Song Written in Athens

Kállay told Gala that "YOU" was written in Athens about a year and a half before the interview, in a session with Claydee, Paris Kalpos and David Lupa. He described it as a song about betrayal, the pain of someone who gave everything and felt let down, built on a Western, outlaw mood: the sounds of horses and whips layered with electric guitars and heavy beats. His vocal starts almost as a whisper and builds to an outburst, which he called a kind of catharsis.

From the Bronx to Budapest

He also looked back on his path. Raised in New York, the son of bassist and producer Fernando Saunders, who worked with Lou Reed, he grew up on soul, R&B and hip-hop before experimenting with rock, reggae and even opera. He moved to Hungary at 24, a decision he said shaped everything that followed. "Europe opened me up," he told the magazine. There he began working with producer anatu and writing more personal songs.

A Second Home in Greece

Greece has been part of Kállay's story for years, from "Ocean," released through Panik Records, to collaborations with Claydee, Coyote and Dino MFU. He has toured across the country and told Gala that Crete feels most like home. He described Greek audiences as passionate and emotionally engaged, which is why he keeps coming back. "YOU" found early airplay there, and a Syndicast report later logged the song on 29 radio stations in 20 countries over a single three-day window.

Vulnerability, Faith and Giving Back

"Vulnerability is an artist's most powerful weapon. If you don't open up, you can't touch anyone."

Kállay spoke candidly about hard moments, credited his faith, his mother and his family with keeping him going, and said he wrote "I Need You Right Now" for exactly those times. Away from music, he enjoys football, friends and walks in nature, and he shares conversations and meals with homeless neighbors in Budapest. "True happiness is helping others," he said. "You can't change the world, but you can do your part."

Looking Ahead

"I want 2026 to be the year I release a global hit," Kállay told Gala. "'You' is the beginning." He also hopes for a European tour, new songs and collaborations that bring cultures together. In May 2026 he marked 15 years in music and premiered his album another night live at A38 in Budapest.

As Published in Gala

The interview ran across pages 54 to 58 of Gala's January 2026 issue. Open any page to read it full screen.

Read and Watch

Read the full interview online at Proto Thema (in Greek), watch the official "YOU" music video and see GROOVE Media's work with the artist in the Kállay Saunders case study.

Interview by Lefteris Trigkas, Gala (Proto Thema), January 2026, pages 54–58. Photos: Gala / Proto Thema.