Eurovision – Portugal

Well, the hour has come to cast my prediction…I must say, the simple fact that the song uses such traditional elements–no scantily clad costumes or sexy grinding, the lead singer has flowers twined into her hair, she is singing in Portuguese, there is a flute, accoustic guitar, drums, and, to top it all off, an accordion–points to the assumption that Portugal is trying to make a statement. The group’s music overall is fairly idealistic, and beautiful, and the fact that they were selected succinctly and that the general internet commentary from Portuguese bloggers is positive leads me to believe that they do represent the country well on some level, and that Portugal deeply hopes that they will win. However, Portugal’s historical refusal to cave in to singing in English, their focus on non-overly-electrified song elements, and their insistence on keeping the focus on traditional music that is somewhat related to Portugal’s overall culture as a whole leads me to believe that they are performing Eurovision as they would like it to be performed. That is, they are saying “no” to an Americanized, MTV-version of easily repeatable pop songs focusing on T&A, backup dancers, and the biggest number of national cultural icons you can fit on the stage (think to Moscow’s 2008 winner with the world famous ice-skater on stage, or Norway’s fiddler this year). I think Portugal’s desire for a return traditionalism is admirable and is, in fact, what I also think Eurovision should be about–a song that in some way typifies one or more aspects of the culture/language/identity of the competing country. However, because I think the judges are so politically swayed, and right now Portugal has very little political clout, and because what wins the votes are big-name, hip-swaying, beat-busting English song versions from many other countries, I do not think Portugal will get first, and, although I think its song has so much more merit than other songs in the running, I do not even know if it will make it to the top 5. However, I must finish by saying, in researching the history and politics of the entire contest, I do, privately, wish that Portugal could and would win, if only to make the contest switch to a more music-focused, and not spectacle-focused, competition.

There isn’t much gossip about Portugal’s Eurovision entry for 2009, but I wanted to highlight some of the more promising…or at least likely to be in the top 5…entries (check out http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/eurovision/F12680147 for the BBC gossip on the matter):

Promising Entries:

-The UK: Andrew Lloyd Weber composed this song for Jade. She has such a beautiful voice and face, but Brittney Jordan has a point, there’s no dancing. Funny, neither does Portugal, and they don’t have such a famous composer, either…She does have a compelling performance, however, although it’s definitely not Lloyd Weber’s best work….

-Norway, who, according to the New York Times, is “this year’s favorite, [with] Alexander Rybak, a singing violinist from Norway. He looks about 14, grins like he’s been nipping from Grandma’s plum brandy and sings implausibly about a failed love affair from “years ago, when I was younger.” But his entry has the right confusion of pop, strings and backing dancers who think they’re in a Cossack aerobics video to make it a Eurovision classic.” (http://themoment.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/06/imported-cheese-eurovision-contest/). We watched this in class:

 -Azerbaijan—According to ReallyUseful.com, “AySel, a pretty 19-year-old girl singing ‘Always’ alongside a chap called Arash, is the second-ever entry for Azerbaijan. It’s described as a romantic anthem in European style but with elements of Azeri musical culture, notably an instrument called a “tar”. It’s East-meets-West Europop, and it’s doing well in the betting.” (http://www.reallyuseful.com/news/eurovision-from-a-to-uk-1) It’s saddening how feminized all of the dancing is, how the song is in English, and the focus on the overly sexualized dancing (especially in light of Portugal’s more traditional entry), but in terms of what it takes to win, they’re doing pretty well…

-Turkey:

I think the exotification of women is particularly notable here, as well as the mix of “pop” elements (heavy beats, techno elements, etc.) with more traditional “Turkish” elements of scales, instruments, etc. The amount of skin showing, the focus on the women’s bodies, and the sexualized dancing takes us back a few centuries in terms of female liberation, but it might just bring them to the top 5.

Political Controversy:

1) Israel decided for a great duo of Israeli-Arab singers called Noa and Mira Awad, which has caused a lot of controversy.

“It was only ever supposed to be a shared project between two friends; a very public but not particularly radical attempt at Jewish-Arab co-operation against the backdrop of Middle Eastern conflict. Achinoam Nini, a Jewish Israeli singer of Yemenite descent, and Mira Awad, a Christian Palestinian Israeli from the Galilee, agreed to perform a duet together representing Israel in this year’s Eurovision song contest in Moscow. But they quickly discovered how fraught such efforts at what is called “co-existence” can become. ‘I thought not only could we write and perform a great song together but that the message we would convey would be as important as anything else,’ said Nini, 39. ‘Today as a musician if you’re given the opportunity to stand in front of 450 million people it would be silly to say no.’ Known abroad by her stage name Noa, she has taken part in several joint projects with Arab artists, publicly backs a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and refuses to perform in Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. She faces occasional anti-Israel demonstrations during her tours abroad, once in London and most recently during a tour of Spain last month, and has been very critical of Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist movement, in Gaza.When the announcement of their Eurovision entry was made, Israel’s military was deep into its devastating three-week war in Gaza. Suddenly, Nini and Awad found themselves facing a bout of criticism from the left. Several Arab artists – some Israeli, some Palestinian – published an open letter asking the pair to withdraw. ‘The Israeli government is sending the two of you to Moscow as part of its propaganda machine that is trying to create the appearance of Jewish-Arab ‘coexistence’ under which it carries out the daily massacre of Palestinian civilians,’ the letter said. ‘Israeli artists, authors and intellectuals that take part in this propaganda machine, instead of working for justice, equality and the upholding of human and civil rights, not to mention international law, are partners to the crime.’ (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/15/israel-eurovision-interview)

2) Georgia, who recently pulled out, had a submission of “We Don’t Want to Put In,” and left, as “Georgia has withdrawn from the Eurovision song contest after their proposed entry was banned for being too political.

The track “We Don’t Wanna Put In” was rejected by event organisers for containing obvious references to Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin – particularly in the song’s title. Now Georgia’s state broadcaster has issued a statement saying they are not prepared to change the lyrics. It reads: “Our song … does not contain political statements and the public broadcaster is not going to change the text of the song and refuses to go to competition in Moscow.” Georgia’s relationship with Russia is still tense following the brief conflict involving the two countries last August.” (http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/mar/11/georgia-eurovision-song-contest-2009)

Here’s a little background on the history of Portugal’s participation in Eurovision. Just to put the country in context, they have about 10.8 million people, and are about 35,654.603 mi²–that’s roughly the size of Maine. Their capital city is Lisbon, which is a gorgeous city right on the coast; imagine San Francisco only full of white cobblestones and hundreds of years older. The most typical music in Portugal is Fado, which is this sorrowful song-based music that has a lot of middle-eastern influence; it’s as huge to them as flamenco is to Spain.

So, Portugal has been participating in the Eurovision song contest since its inception in 1964. They have never, in fact, won, and have never even gotten placed in the top 5….but they have come somewhat close. In 1996 they did their best ever and 6th overall, with a song written and sung by Lúcia Moniz, entitled “O Meu Coração Não Tem Cor.”

It’s interesting to note the continued focus on traditional instruments as well as other traditional elements within this song and throughout Portugal’s Eurovision history. I particularly note their outfits–non-revealing, using traditional elements of emboidery, etc.–their small guitars, their lack of choreography, and focus on the lyrics and music rather than on “spectacle”-these are all elements that are similar to the entry from this year, which leads me to surmise that the entry from this year will also, alas, not win, although I think it’s an infinitely superior song to the 1996 entry. Seeing as well as this song did despite its “alternative”/culturally-immersed nature, I think that Flor-de-lis stands a bit of a chance. But, I digress…

The next closest Portugal got to placing within the top 5 was in 1980, with José Cid’s “Um Grande, Grande Amo,” which got 7th overall.

I’m fairly shocked this entry even got 7th, although I suppose I should not be too overly judgmental; I just find it fascinating that historically Portugal has decided to not choreograph and to shy away from “flashy” technology. However, at least in this entry, fewer traditional instruments were used and actually an upright piano and an orchestra were featured, not guitars and “folk” instruments.

Another 7th place entry was in 1972, with Carlos Mendes’ “A Festa Da Vid.” It’s quite interesting to note that, simply by looking down their historical list of entries/places, nearly 100% of the titles are in Portuguese, which implies the value they place on singing in their own language, even if it is much more difficult to win in a language that not all of the judges speak.

In their first entry, in 1964, their performer, António Calvário, performing “Oraçã”:

Calvário actually came in last, and Portugal as a country has come in last on several other occasions, in 1974 when Paulo de Carvalho sang “E depois do adeus” (And after the farewell”) and in 1997 when Célia Lawson performed “Antes do adeus” (”Before goodbye”). And, since Eurovision began inserting semifinals in 2004, Portugal has actually been unable to proceed to the finals in any year, except for in 2008 when Vânia Fernandes came second in the semifinals and 13th overall (smack dab in the middle) with “Senhora do mar (Negras águas)” (”Lady of the sea (Black waters).”

Thus, I believe that Flor-de-lis’s entry “Todas as ruas de amor” fits right into the trajectory that Portugal has set, emphasizing their own native language and culture instead of “giving in” to a more mainstream, English and glitz-focused tactic that would perhaps improve their chances of winning but would decrease the authentic “Portuguese” elements that they have clung to, however unsuccessfully, for the past 45 years. I actually approve of their decision to advance more traditional singers, and I think of all of the entries, that Flor-de-lis is definitely one of the most beautiful that Portugal has had, and perhaps one of the more compelling of Eurovision 2009.

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portugal_in_the_Eurovision_Song_Contest

Here’s a great photo of this year’s current contestants for Portugal’s Eurovision; Flor-de-lis:

And, here is a video of them before the Festival de Cançao (Portugal’s selection festival for Eurovision):

And, some background information on the group:

“The beginnings of Flor-de-Lis are closely linked to Pedro Marques´ participation as a percussionist in the “Adufe” project, first conceived by José Salgueiro as an attraction for Expo-98, and which focussed on traditional Portuguese instruments.

The resulting success led to several national and international events being held between 1999 and 2000, unearthing musician Pedro Marques´ desire to explore the vast wealth of Portuguese music in conjunction with musical elements from other parts of the world.

The project began to take shape in 2001, with the participation of several musicians in recording sessions, one of whom was Paulo Pereira, who has stuck to wind instruments ever since. In recent years the skeletons of the songs have been put together naturally, in a process involving several different approaches and instrumentalists.

The current repertoire consists not only of original lyrics by Pedro Marques and Daniela Varela, but also poems by Eugénio de Andrade, José Régio, Ary dos Santos, David-Mourão Ferreira and Maria José de Castro. The sound is based on popular Portuguese music, from fado to folk, but the end result also stems from the fusion of music from other continents, with a strong popular flavor. The vocals of Daniela Varela can be heard alongside Pedro Marques on percussion, Jose Camacho on guitar, Jorge Marques on cavaquinho, Paulo Pereira on flute and Ana Sofia Campeã on accordion.

Daniela showed a gift for singing at an early age, appearing in Ana Faria´s Jovens Cantores de Lisboa when she was 8, and in plays directed by Filipe La Féria such as Jasmim ou o Sonho do Cinema and Godspell after the age of 10. After a brief interregnum, when she discovered an interest in comics and illustration, she went back to live singing and joined Flor-de-Lis last year.

2008 was a year of significant developments, highlighted by a stable collective environment which helped to finalise arrangements and get the show on the road, with the performance at the Fábrica Braço de Prata on July 26 and the subsequent nomination for the 2009 Festival da Canção.”

(from http://www.eurovision.tv/event/artistdetail?song=24683&event=1480)

These are the lyrics (in Portuguese and English) of “Todas As Ruas Do Amor,” from a site that also has a home-made video by an enthusiastic fan of the original song, with stills of Portuguese castles and countryside, furthering the nationalistic content of the music of the song, although the lyrics are a typical love song.

Se sou tinta tu és tela
Se sou chuva és aguarela
Se sou sal és branca areia
Se sou mar és maré-cheia
Se sou céu és nuvem nele
Se sou estrela és de encantar
Se sou noite és luz para ela
Se sou dia és o luar

Sou a voz do coração
Numa carta aberta ao mundo
Sou o espelho d’emoção
Do teu olhar
Profundo
Sou um todo
Num instante
Corpo dado
Em jeito amante
Sou o tempo que não passa
Quando a saudade
Me abraça

Beija o mar o vento e a lua
Sou um sol
Em neve nua em todas as ruas
Do amor
Serás meu e eu serei tua

Se sou tinta tu és tela
Se sou chuva És aguarela
Se sou sal És branca areia
Se sou mar és maré cheia
Se sou céu és nuvem nele
Se sou estrela és de encantar
Se sou noite és luz para ela
Se sou dia és o luar

Beija o mar o vento e a lua
Sou um sol em neve nua
Em todas as ruas
Do amor
Serás meu e eu serei tua

English Translation
All The Streets Of Love

If I were paint, you would be canvas
If I were rain, you would be aquarelle
If I were salt, you would be white sand
If I were sea, you would be high tide
If I were the sky, you would be a cloud in it
If I were a star, you would be the charming
If I were night, you would be its light
If I were daylight, you would be the moonlight

I’m the voice of the heart
I’m an open letter to the world
I’m the mirror of emotion
Of your deep look.
I’m complete
In a second
I give my body
Like a lover
I’m the time that doesn’t pass
When the lonely feeling
gets a hold on me

Kiss the sea, the wind and the moon.
I’m a sun
in naked snow. In all the streets
of love
You’ll be mine and I’ll be yours.

If I were paint, you would be canvas
If I were rain, you would be aquarelle
If I were salt, you would be white sand
If I were sea, you would be high tide
If I were the sky, you would be a cloud in it
If I were a star, you would be the charming
If I were night, you would be its light
If I were daylight, you would be the moonlight

Kiss the sea, the wind and the moon.
I’m a sun
in naked snow. In all the streets
of love
You’ll be mine and I’ll be yours.

from <http://lyricstranslations.com/eurovision/eurovision-2009-portugal-flor-de-lis-todas-as-ruas-do-amor>

My own particular take on the words is that it is a beautiful love poem, but it is the music itself (the driving beat, the overarching female vocals, the repetitive nature of sequencing, the accordian and traditional guitar, the “world” beat congas) that create the mood that makes the song so compelling. The song speaks more to a more generalized idea of love, yet the setting of the text showcases a Portuguese identity that is what drives the entry itself, more so than the lyrics, I think.

I thought I would start my blog off with Portugal’s official entry for 2009. The song is “Todas As Ruas Do Amor,” by the group known as Flor-de-Lis. The singer’s name is Daniela Varela, and her picture is here:

According to an article on the official Eurovision website, about the significance of this entry, the band’s name comes from the Portuguese Heraldry symbol. However, on their modern flag below that they have used since 1910, you can’t see the fleur-de-lis. According to enchantedlearning.com, “the green symbolizes hope for the future; the red symbolizes the blood of the nation. The Portuguese coat of arms has a white shield (containing five small blue shields with white dots) within a red shield (with seven small yellow castles), surrounded by yellow straps. The five blue small shields represent the five Moorish kings who were defeated by the first King of Portugal.” However, on the flag used from 1385 until 1481 (enchantedlearning.com), the fleur-de-lis is much more prominent:

The article addresses the question of nationality in regard to the band’s name of Flor-de-lis. Because the band has a nationalistic name, will their performance be a “symbolic” for the country? This discussion points to the significance of signifiers (such as names) within the Eurovision contest, and relates the song performance to national pride.

With regard to how the entry was chosen, the article clearly states that “[t]he call for songs held by RTP for the Festival da Canção 2009 was open to the public. However, only songs by Portuguese composers were allowed, and all of the songs had to be performed in Portuguese. A total of 393 entries were received, from which an expert jury selected the best 24 songs. From 19 to 30 January people from around the world voted for their favourite songs on the competing 24 songs over the Internet, twelve entries qualified for the grand final. During the final, the voting was decided by a mixture of televoting and jury voting, with a 50% share in the outcome for both groups. The votes were awarded from each region of Portugal.” (http://www.eurovision.tv/page/news?id=2076) The Festival de Cançao actually happens every year, regardless of whether or not Portugal is going to be in Eurovision (they didn’t participate 3 different years), so it is its own event unto itself.

Again, the nationalism is apparent in the fact that Portugal only allows songs by Portuguese composers, in Portuguese–clearly, the concept of authenticity is huge here. Also interesting to me was the folk aspect of Daniela’s performance–she was not wearing a highly sexualized outfit, her body was not showcased as a desirable sexual object as many female pop performers’ bodies are, and she chose to wear flowers in her hair and spend most of the song standing in one spot, gesturing to the crowd and not dancing with a large show. I think these aesthetic choices amplify her innocence and simplicity, elements that are drawn directly from the song. Also interesting to me were the instruments used–in the very last shot, the camera pans out to the instrumentalists, playing a large conga, two guitars, and an accordian–harkening to a more folk-type idiom within Portugal. The song itself is simple, with a lot of sequencing and repetition, which only furthers that folk idea. The article mirrors the ideas that the song is based on a folk idiom, as “[t]he beginnings of Flor-de-Lis are closely linked to Pedro Marques´ participation as a percussionist in the “Adufe” project, first conceived by José Salgueiro as an attraction for Expo-98, and which focused on traditional Portuguese instruments.

The current repertoire consists not only of original lyrics by Pedro Marques and Daniela Varela, but also poems by many other. The sound is based on popular Portuguese music, from fado to folk, but the end result also stems from the fusion of music from other continents, with a strong popular flavor.

The vocals of Daniela Varela can be heard alongside Pedro Marques on percussion, Jose Camacho on guitar, Jorge Marques on cavaquinho, Paulo Pereira on flute and Ana Sofia Campeã on accordion.” (http://www.eurovision.tv/page/news?id=2076)

I find it fascinating that already, Portugal has made a strong statement about what they value/would like to showcase within the show by using this folk idiom. As I was in Lisbon for two days over winter term and heard some traditional fado (I found it to be very different….) I appreciate this call back to Portugal’s musical roots.