Portugal

Malmö Messages: yesterday’s pressconference

photo: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett Yesterday, after winning the tickets to the final, the 10 winners headed to the winners’ pressconference. We of Eurovision Universe were present at this press conference. Cyprus Silia Kapsis said it was a huge opportunity to be here. She was super proud and super happy. About her country of birth, Australia, she said she was proud as well that the Australians showed their culture. It was her goal to make her country proud and after this, to grow as a pop artist. Serbia Teya Dora said it was crazy; the rehearsals, the performance; it was all super exciting and she was happy. She wants to make her country proud and give the best she can, with the best placement. She loves it that so many people watched her performance. And about Konstrakta, who was in the introduction film, she loved her amazing energy. Lithuania Silvester Belt thanks the audience. To all the bullies from the past he has a message: “I know you are struggling. And to the little boy I was: I love you so much”. The biggest challenge this week was sleeping. About singing in the Lithuanian language he said: “only Lithuanians wanted me to sing in English. Everybody else said I should sing in Lithuanian.” Ireland Bambie Thug said they are completely dissociated after this succes, but also that they are super proud. They have a small team and they are en independent artist, yet they reached this. And also, they are the first non binary artist in the contest. Bambie revealed that they met the rules of the EBU: texts like Ceasefire and Free Palestine were not allowed, so Crown The Witch was the only text left. On the question what made them special, Bambie answered “What makes me special is that I’m a queer”. Ukraine Alyona Alyona explained that she and Jerry Heil raised fund to rebuild Ukrainian schools. She called for donation. Half of the money is there, but you can donate via United24. “Children are our future”, Alyona Alyona stated. Jerry also stated that it was great to be in Malmö now. It was a super possibility to say thank you for your help. And yes, they felt pressure, because they felt Ukraine expected something from them. Croatia The performance was way better than the rehearsals. Before going on stage, Baby Lasagna tried to empty his mind, but before him Poland performed; that song got stuck in his mind. About his first place in the odds he said that odds are just numbers, it’s not over ’til it’s done. He felt comfortable in Malmö as Eurovision is, in his opinion, the next level of professional, with all the sound- and camerawork. The energy to him was fine. Slovenia Raiven said she was grateful. She was unsure about the result and doubting all the time. That meant going to the final was a huge surprise for her. When it comes to making music and visuals she went with her instinct. “The staging is really me, and I am very satisfied with it”, she said. About the fact that she was called Eurovision’s opera diva, she said that it is great to hear that people checked her background. Finland It was our own Kal (!!) who had the opportunity to ask windows95man a question. Due to the lyrics of the song “No rules”, Kal was interested to know which of the many rules of Eurovision had to go in his opinion. “More nakedness! For everybody!”, windows95man replied without any hesitation. Windows95man also told that he got help in preparing for the show. Before the show the men do some physical exercises. Portugal Iolanda from Portugal thinks that music can be whatever you like. She wrote the song in her grandmothers house. Her message is that you can do a lot with not so much money. She designed the act with the stage director and the choreographer. She also added that she believes music connects. Luxembourg “I nearly had a heart attack”, Tali explained, “It was brutal, but the camera was approaching and I thought…. maybe”. In Tali’s opinion Eurovision is a beautiful contet that unites. She was thrilled and was hoping to inspire other countries to return to Eurovision. “Music is my life, my therapy, my everything”, Tali stated.

Malmö messages: from rainbows to proud Eurovision fans

Azerbaijan: Fahree and Ilkin Dovlatov represent Azerbaijan. In the photos that have been released, it becomes even clearer that hands play a leading role in “Özünlə Apar”, the song Azerbaijan is sending. For the first time, the Azerbaijani language can be heard at the song contest, albeit in a few lines. The entry doesn’t impress much; bookmakers place it in 34th position. Australia: Many people were curious about how Electric Fields would perform their song “One Milkali (One Blood).” Lots of color, lots of instruments including a didgeridoo, and Zaachariaha wearing a white dress on which a rainbow is projected. Since the first rehearsal, Australia has been climbing in the bookmakers’ rankings. They now predict a 25th place for the country. Portugal: We’ve seen masked men before today. The Portuguese singer Iolanda is surrounded by them. Although these gentlemen bear a striking resemblance to beekeepers in their attire. But in Portugal, of course, it’s about the song and the music, as Salvador Sobral intended. Iolanda is unlikely to match Salvador’s success. Currently, bookmakers even predict her to reach 33rd place. Luxembourg: How proud Eric LeMan must be! This Luxembourgish Eurovision fan has hoped for years that his country would return to the festival, and his wish has come true. Of course, he was involved in the auditions himself. Tali represents Luxembourg with an energetic entry. It’s all about dance with “Fighter.” Tali is getting warm from it. Who knows, Luxembourg might make it to the final. However, the bookmakers are skeptical and place the country in 30th position. And in the end, we have a small update from Finland. We spoke to windows95man. “We’re still figuring out what we want to do with the pyro, as last rehearsal we used too much, but this time we used too little” We think he doesn’t want to burn his socks again.

Malmö Messages: many cubes, flashy graphics and white clothes

For Azerbaijan, Fahree and Ilkin Dovlatov will perform this year. They sing a song with an Azerbaijani title, but mainly sung in English. Dressed in black and silver, they sing their song, with Ilkin taking on the traditional Azerbaijani mugham vocals, especially in the second half of the performance. Before that, Fahree stands alone on stage, with graphics of a figure slowly emerging from the water. Hands play a prominent role in this. photo: EBU/Sarah Cumming Electric Fields is the duo representing Australia with “One Milkali (One Blood).” No one had seen a live performance of this song yet. Zaachariaha Fielding, half of the duo, wears a white dress. The graphics initially depict a rainbow, later described as an explosion of color and light by eurovision.tv. Zaachariaha and Michael Ross are surrounded by cubes. The whole presentation is very flashy. photo: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett Portugal is represented by Iolanda singing “Grito.” She performs in the same manner as during the Portuguese selection round. Iolanda is surrounded by five dancers dressed in white and masked. Above the heads of the six, a large cube is visible. photo: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett For the first time since 1993, Luxembourg is on the stage. Tali will sing “Fighter” for this country. She herself wears a dark bodysuit, her dancers wear red, but not uniformly. They use some kind of white blocks during the performance. Everything is visible: smoke, fireworks, and flames. The whole presentation looks very flashy. photo: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett in collaboration with Eurovision Artists

🇵🇹 Road to Malmö: Portugal

We can not wait for the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. Therefore, we have a closer look at one of the contestants every day. Today: Portugal. Iolanda Iolanda Costa, or just Iolanda, is a singer and songwriter from Portugal. She was born on November 4, 1994, in São Pedro, Figueira da Foz, but later moved to Pombal. That’s where she fell in love with music, thanks to her parents who helped her start learning music. She first studied at a local school and then at a conservatory. When she was 14, she tried out for a singing contest on TV but didn’t get far. She tried again on a different show when she was 17 but also didn’t make it to the big stages. After high school, Iolanda went to Lisbon for college, where she studied Communication Sciences. While there, she sang in bars and entered talent contests to get noticed. Later, she moved to London to learn more about songwriting. In 2014, she was on The Voice Portugal but didn’t get picked by the judges. Iolanda’s big break came in 2022 when she helped write a song for a festival. In 2023, she released her own music about her time during the COVID-19 pandemic. By 2024, she won the national contest with her song “Grito,” meaning she’ll represent Portugal in the Eurovision Song Contest. Festival RTP Da Canção Already since Portugal’s first participation in 1964, the song is selected via Festival RTP Da Canção. This year, there have been two semifinals with 10 songs each. Six songs per semifinal headed to the final. Jury and televoter did not agree. While the jury voted for Iolanda, the televoter prefered João Borsch. In the end, Iolanda gained the most votes. Portugal in the Eurovision Song Contest As said, Portugal debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1964. Unfortunately, António Calvário ended up with zero points. Very often, Portugal submitted unique, typical Portuguese, entries. And very often, Portugal ended up at the bottom of the scoreboard. For many years, Portugal did not enter the top-5 of the contest. Everything changed in 2017, when Salvador Sobral represented Portugal. With the song “Amar pelos dos”, penned by his sister, Sobral brought the trophy back home to Portugal. Last year, it was Mimicat who represented Portugal and reached the final with her song “Ai coração”. Salvador Sobral, photo: EBU/Andres Putting The Bookmakers The betting odds currently predict a 34th place for Portugal in the Eurovision Song Contest. However, as soon as we know more about the staging and the live performance, that might completely change. The song And this is the song:

Iolanda

© EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett About Quick Facts NameIolanda Costa Born04 November 1994 Nationality🇵🇹 Portuguese National SelectionFestival RTP Da Canção 2024 In Eurovision2024 Malmö SongGrito (2024) Biography Iolanda Costa, known simply as Iolanda, is a Portuguese singer and songwriter. Iolanda Costa was born in São Pedro, Figueira da Foz, on November 4, 1994. In her childhood, she moved to Pombal, where she discovered her passion for music. Her parents supported her interest, enrolling her in music studies first at Tecnimúsica, a local school, and later at the Conservatory. By the age of 14, in December 2008, Iolanda participated in the first edition of the contest Uma Canção para Ti, aired on TVI, but was eliminated in the 2nd gala. At 17, she again sought television exposure by participating in the 5th edition of Ídolos in 2012 on SIC, but did not advance to the live gala phase. After completing high school, Iolanda moved to Lisbon to pursue higher education and graduated in Communication Sciences from ISCSP. During this period, she sought to break into the music scene through performances in bars and national talent contests. Her journey continued when she moved to London to study songwriting at the British and Irish Modern Music Institute at the University of Sussex. In 2014, she competed in the Blind Auditions of the second season of The Voice Portugal on RTP1, performing “Who You Are” by Jessie J, yet none of the four mentors turned their chairs for her. Iolanda’s first significant contribution to music came in 2022 as a co-author and co-composer of the song “Mar No Fim,” performed by Blacci at the Festival da Canção. The following year, in 2023, she released her first EP titled “Cura,” which was inspired by her experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2024, Iolanda achieved a notable milestone by being selected to compete in the RTP Festival da Canção with her song “Grito.” She won the contest on March 9, 2024, and was thus chosen to represent Portugal in the Eurovision Song Contest. Iolanda reached the Grand Final and got a 10th place there. Entries Grito Country🇵🇹 Portugal Year2024 LanguagePortuguese LyricsIolanda Costa MusicIolanda CostaAlberto Hérnandez DancersGonçalo CarrapiçoInês GonferMélissa CarodosoRenato GarciaTelmo Teite Results Semi Points: 58Position: 8Running order: 14 Results Finals Points: 152Position: 10Running order: 18 https://youtu.be/OZn4-H6JvKU?si=OykbBlOVGYiKga_y

🇵🇹 Iolanda wins Portuguese national final

National final season is over! Iolanda has won in Portugal. She sings the song “Grito”, written by Iolanda herself. She also composed the song along with Luar. Iolanda was the clear choice of the jury, while the televoters applied for João Borsch, who became 2nd. Portugal will perform in the second half of the first semifinal. These are the full results: Iolanda, “Grito”, 22 pts. João Borsch, “….pelas costuras”, 18 pts. Leo Middea, “Doce mistério”, 18 pts. Silk Nobre, “Change”, 12 pts. Rita Rocha, “Pontos finais”, 11 pts. Buba Espinho, “O farol”, 10 pts. Noble, “Memory”, 7 pts. Rita Onofre, “Criatura”, 5 pts. Perpétua, “Bem longe daqui”, 4 pts. Nena, “Teorias da conspiração”, 4 pts. No Maka ft. Ana Maria, “Aceitar”, 3 pts. Cristina Clara, “Primavera”, 2 pts.

🇵🇹 Portugal: Festival RTP da Canção final tonight

Festival RTP da Canção closes the row of national finals tonight. In this festival, consisting of 12 songs, the Portuguese entry for the Eurovision Song Contest will be chosen. The contest will be transmitted from the RTP Studios in Lisbon and hosted by Vasco Palmeirim and Filomena Cautela. They will be supported from the green room by Inês Lopes Gonçalves. The show starts at 22:00 CET and you can watch it here and here. These are the 12 participants: nr. Title Artist(s) 1 Change Silk Nobre 2 Criatura Rita Onofre 3 Memory Noble 4 O farol Buba Espinho 5 Teorias da conspiração Nena 6 Grito Iolanda 7 Aceitar No Maka ft. Ana Maria 8 Primavera Cristina Clara 9 Pontos finais Rita Rocha 10 Doce mistéria Leo Middea 11 Bem longe daqui Perpétua 12 …Pelas costuras João Borsch

🇵🇹 Portugal: Festival RTP da Canção continues

Tonight, Portugal will continue Festival RTP da Canção, the annual national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest. Out of ten songs, 6 will be chosen for the final on the 9th of March. The show starts at 22:00 and you can watch it here and here. These are the songs: Buba Espinho sings “O farol” Cristina Clara sings “Primavera” Filipa sings “You can’t hide” Huca sings “Pé de choro” João Couto sings “Quarto para um” Leo Middea sings “Doce mistério” María João sings “Dia” No Maka ft. Ana Maria sings “Aceitar” Rita Onofre sings “Criatura” Silk Nobre “Change” João Couto took part in the 2019 semifinal.

🇵🇹 Portuguese results are in

In Portugal, results are in. Out of the 10 songs, 6 were chosen to go to the final. This is the full result: Bispo sings “Casa Portuguesa” Iolanda sings “Grito” João Borsch sings “…Pelas costuras” Left. sings “Volto a ti” Mela sings “Água” Mila Dores sings “Afia a língua” Nena sings “Teorias da conspiração” Noble sings “Memory” Perpétua sings “Bem longe daqui” Rita Rocha sings “Pontos finais” 5 songs were chosen through jury/televote, Noble was later chosen by televote only.

🇵🇹 Portugal: Festival RTP da Canção starts

Tonight, Portugal will start with Festival RTP da Canção, the annual national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest. Out of ten songs, 6 will be chosen for the final on the 9th of March. The show starts at 22:00 and you can watch it here and here. These are the songs: Bispo sings “Casa Portuguesa” Iolanda sings “Grito” João Borsch sings “…Pelas costuras” Left. sings “Volto a ti” Mela sings “Água” Mila Dores sings “Afia a língua” Nena sings “Teorias da conspiração” Noble sings “Memory” Perpétua sings “Bem longe daqui” Rita Rocha sings “Pontos finais” Mila Dores took part in the semifinals in 2019.