Homens da luta

Homens da Luta, a dynamic duo comprising brothers Vasco Duarte (Falâncio) and Nuno Duarte “Jel” (Neto), is a well-known Portuguese group blending improvisational comedy with musical street performances. Their creative works humorously mimic songs from the era following the 1974 Carnation Revolution.

They skillfully craft their characters as exaggerated versions of revolutionary singers from that period, including Zeca Afonso and José Mário Branco. The term “struggle” frequently surfaces in their performances, echoing slogans popularized during the revolutionary times, such as “A Luta Continua” (The Struggle Goes On). In 2010, they released an mp3 album titled “A Canção é uma arma” (The song is a weapon), which features 14 tracks. Among these, “E o povo, pá?” (What about the people, man?) stands out as one of their most celebrated songs.

Regarding the Eurovision Song Contest, Homens da Luta first participated in the RTP Song Festival 2010 with their song “Luta assim não dá” (The struggle can’t go on like this), but were disqualified for previously performing it, violating contest rules. They made a comeback in 2011 with “A luta é alegria” (The struggle is joy), a song penned by Nuno Duarte “Jel” and composed by Vasco Duarte. Initially in sixth place, public voting surged them to first place, earning them a spot in Düsseldorf.

Representing Portugal at the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Germany, they did not secure enough international votes to advance to the final. Notably, as the group primarily consists of comedians rather than traditional singers, and given their win was more a result of public favor than jury selection, their victory stirred some controversy within the contest community.

Homens da Luta kept on performing and making protest songs in 2011 and 2012. After that, the group returned to a duo again. Mid 2013 the men went their own way.