Portugal has chosen its representative for Eurovision. Iolanda has achieved victory in the Festival da Canção 2024 with her song “Grito.” The young artist secured first place in the regional jury voting and second place in the televote, accumulating a total of 22 points. This win gives Portugal the chance to reach the Eurovision 2024 final, although it all depends on whether she can qualify in the first semifinal, to be held on May 7 in the Swedish city of Malmö.
Who is iolanda?
Iolanda is a Portuguese singer and songwriter born in São Pedro de Cova Gala. At 17, she moved to the capital, Lisbon, where music became her great passion. At the age of 14, she began writing her first songs, performing in bars and talent shows, such as her debut in 2008 on the first season of the television program “Uma Canção para Ti.”
Once established in music, she decided to pursue further education by moving to London, where she studied composition at the BIMM Music Institute at the University of Sussex. Gradually, Iolanda has made her mark with a distinct identity in her music, which is characterized mainly by a pop and R&B (Rhythm and Blues) style while always keeping her Portuguese and Iberian roots.
After her initial debut, she released her first album, “Cura,” entirely composed during the lockdown months of the pandemic. In recent years, she’s given small acoustic concerts with Brazilian musician Vando Barros and performed at various significant Portuguese festivals like Sonar de Lisboa, A Porta, and Capitolio.
Her latest release is the single “Grito,” the song with which she participated in the Festival da Canção 2024 and the winning proposal to represent Portugal in the upcoming Eurovision edition. This song speaks about taking a stance to overcome life’s obstacles and freeing oneself from the wounds of the past.
“Grito” the Portuguese entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2024
Her latest release is the single “Grito,” the song with which she competed in Festival da Canção 2024 and the winning entry to represent Portugal at the new edition of the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. This song is about adopting a mindset of overcoming obstacles and releasing the burdens of the past.
The staging of this song prominently features the color white, in both the lighting and the attire of the singer and her dancers, with contemporary dance surrounding Iolanda at all times. The most poignant moment comes in the final part of the song, where she emits a powerful scream, and the camera closes in for a close-up shot.
Lyrics of «Grito»
Portuguese
Ouvi, senti
O corpo a carregar
Seguimos assim
Um e outro, um e outro, um e outro
Sou queda livre
Aviso quando lá chegar
Entrego-me aqui
Pouco a pouco
Passos largos, presa na partida
Quero largar o que me deixou ferida
Peço à estrela mãe que faça o dia
Nascer de novo
(Ainda arde!)
Transformei cada verso de mim
E entregue à coragem
Que ainda arde, ainda arde
Bate a luz no peito e abre
Sou chama que ainda arde
Ainda arde, ainda arde!
Hoje eu quero provar a mim mesma
Que posso ser o que eu quiser
Juntar quem me quer bem numa mesa
Perdoar quem me quis ver sofrer
A mim não me enganam (Não! Não!)
Eu sou todo o tamanho (Sou!)
Ainda lembro, quando era pequena
Eu sonhava primeiro
Passos largos, presa na partida
Hoje eu largo aquilo que me deixou ferida
E peço à estrela mãe que faça o dia
Nascer de novo
(Ainda arde!)
Transformei cada verso de mim
E entregue à coragem
Que ainda arde, ainda arde
Bate a luz no peito e abre
Sou chama que ainda arde
Ainda arde, ainda arde!
Sou chama que ainda arde, ainda arde
Sou chama que ainda arde, ainda arde
Arde, arde…
Transformei cada verso de mim
E entregue à coragem
Que ainda arde, ainda arde
Bate a luz no peito e abre
Sou chama que ainda arde
Ainda arde, ainda arde!
English
I heard it, I felt my body carrying me
We keep going
One and the other, one and the other, one and the other
I’m free falling, I’ll let you know when I get there
I surrender myself, little by little
Long strides, stuck in the starting line
I want to let go of what hurt me
I ask the morning star to make the day rise again
(It still burns) I’ve transformed every verse within me
(It still burns) And given in to the courage that still burns, still burns
Beats the light in my chest and opens
I’m a flame that still burns, still burns, still burns
Today I want to prove to myself
That I can be whatever I want (whatever I want)
Gather those who love me around a table
Forgive those who wanted to see me suffer
I can’t be fooled (no, no)
I am whole (I am)
I still remember when I was little
I dreamed first
Long strides, stuck in the starting line
I want to let go of what hurt me
I ask the morning star to make the day rise again
(It still burns) I’ve transformed every verse within me
(It still burns) And given in to the courage that still burns, still burns
Beats the light in my chest and opens
I’m a flame that still burns, still burns, still burns
I’m a flame that still burns, still burns
I’m a flame that still burns, still burns
It burns, it burns, it burns
I’ve transformed every verse within me
And given in to the courage that still burns, still burns
Beats the light in my chest and opens
I’m a flame that still burns, still burns, still burns
Portugal’s participation in Eurovision
Portugal’s Eurovision debut dates back to 1964. António Calvário was the first representative to kick-start this Eurovision journey, which to this day has amassed 56 participations and 8 qualifications for the Final since the introduction of semi-finals.
Subsequent Portuguese participations in Eurovision lacked the success they desired. Moreover, they had to take several breaks from participating, specifically in the years 2013 and 2016, due to financial problems that were difficult to overcome in preparation for a new edition.
Their return in 2017 served to crown Portugal as the winner of that year’s edition held in Kiev. Salvador Sobral touched the hearts of the audience with his ballad “Amar Pelos Dois,” achieving the highest score in history, 758 points. Portugal hosted Eurovision 2018 in the capital city of Lisbon. Their host and representative, Cláudia Pascoal, came with her song “O Jardim” only managing to score 39 points, landing in the last position on the scoreboard.
In the 2023 Festival da Canção, Cláudia Pascoal attempted once again to represent her country in Eurovision, but only managed to secure the bronze medal following Mimicat’s victory with her song “Ai Coração,” becoming Portugal’s representative in 2023. At Eurovision, Mimicat qualified for the final where she finished in 23rd place in the grand final.