Carlos Coelho, the co-writer of Portugal's 2008 Eurovision Song Contest enty, Senhora do mar spoke to esctoday.com's Sonia Pinto about the historic Portuguese promo tour, set to embark across Europe in the coming weeks. He also discusses a dance remix and foreign language versions of the song, the pressures for Portugal and much more. You can read the full interview below.
Hi Carlos, thank you for accepting our interview.
"Thank you for giving us this chance to talk about our song".
Much has been said about your new site and that the launch would be forthcoming. Is there is already a precise date for the launch?
"It is better not set dates until we're ready. I can say that the domain will be www.vania2008.com and that the site is ready, we're just refining a few details"
Can you tell us a little more about it?
"It will be an informative site for anyone to follow what's Vania doing until Belgrade .. We also invited several portuguese public figures to show their support to Vánia with good luck messages which we think will be pretty intereting, and of course the classic lines, photos, video, biographies, news, etc.
Another aspect of the site is inform each person in the country in which resides how to help Vania and Portugal to reach the final, with the list of TVs broadcasting the show, televote numbers, etc. This is because Eurovision is now a large and somewhat lengthy process, as you know".
With regards to the promotional tour, are there any details you can give us yet?
"I can say with certainty that on 20th April we'll be on tour until May. The countries already confirmed are Sweden, Bulgaria and Serbia. We are also studying possibilities in Denmark, Macedonia, Croatia, Malta. Our priority will be the countries in our semifinal and I can tell you that our promo tour will have something innovative, totally different of traditional tours.
Each country Vania visits she will perform with a singer of that country, Senhora do Mar in a duet Portuguese / English, with Vania singing in Portuguese and the singer of that country in English. We hope to reach the people that way, taking the song to each country. Basically, we'll have a singer ambassador of Lady of the Sea in each country we'll visit. The names of those singers will be revealed later!"
Regarding the promotional video, when will it be available?
"We are still studying this with the RTP, which owns the rights of the song and with our sponsors"
There will be new versions of the Lady of the Sea, the English version and a remix version of the responsibility of the famous Dj Rui Da Silva. will this versions be included in the promotional CD? When it will be released?
"Yes, with portuguese version, English, karaoke, instrumental and remix by DJ Rui da Silva. We Want the song also come to the slopes of dance, if not sooner at least at the Euroclub during the week of Eurovision! The launch will be in late April".
With regard to your presentation in Belgrade, will there be changes in the song and the performance on stage? Can we expect some surprises?
"There wont be enormous changes, only improvements. Our bet is the quality and RTP, and we think that we should not change much for the risk of overacting. But the Portuguese fans can be happy because Portugal for the first time in Eurovision will use a wind machine!" (Laughs)
What about Vânia and the chorus' production (clothes, hair, props). Any changes of Style? Will it be in charge of the same stylist?
"Catia Castel-Branco is the producer of fashion chosen by RTP (and right!) to take care of the look of the Portuguese team! Same color scheme, black, white and gold. The clothes of Vania and choir will include all embroidered Madeira, by hand, into gold to enrich the clothes on stage, making them unique pieces!"
This year, there is a very diverse range of songs, is there a strong competition? Any favorite(s)?
"There are some songs I like more, others not so much. For the moment, I like Belgium, it is very funny and reminds the Eurovision the years 50/60. I think the competition is strong, but we are going to Belgrade to fight!"
After last year's result, the expectation on a Portuguese qualification for the final is big. Do you think that could work as a benefit or not?
"The expectation is legitimate. Nobody wants to be in Belgrade for only participate in the semi final! But it is not something that keep us from focussing on the work we have to do".
Any message you would like to send to Eurovision fans and esctoday.com readers?
"To all the readers of esctoday.com, we would like to offer our sincere thanks for the support and the love that show for our song. The Portuguese fans in particular, we appreciate the sympathy we treat and look up to the hopes that have in us! Abraços!".
