All entries in the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest are known, but the actual contest is still two months away. As a warm-up, we introduce one of the entries every day in random order. Part two is dedicated to the entry from Portugal.
Basic information
| Performers: | Flor-de-Lis |
| Song: | Todas as ruas do amor (All the streets of love) |
| Language: | Portuguese |
| Music: | Pedro Marques |
| Lyrics: | Pedro Marques, Paulo Pereira |
| Draw: | 16th in the firstsemi final |
The song
Todas as ruas do amor is a mid-tempo ballad that mixes pop music with folk elements. The style reminds of the days of the flower power, a theme that was also reflected in the stage performance. The romatic lyrics are a declaration oflove full of metaphores referring tonature and the world in whole:
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
Kiss the sea
The wind and the moon
I am a sun
In sheer snow
In all the streets of love
You will belong to me
And I will belong to you
The band
Flor-de-Lis were founded in 2004 as a musical project whose object it was to mix traditional Portuguese music with musical styles from other countries and continents, especially South America and Africa.During anesctoday.com interview, the band describedtheir music the following way: "Our music is happy, relaxed and dreamy. The traditional sounds that compose it give you a hint that any Portuguese can feel as their own."
When the band heard about the call for songs by RTP for the Portuguese national final, they decided to submit Todas as ruas do amor: "After composing the song, we though this would be the right one. This is a topic in a set of songs we have composed and agreed that it would be the right choice for the Festival da Canção."
The band currently consists of seven members: Daniela Varela (vocals), Paulo Pareira (wind instruments), José Camacho (guitar andPortuguese guitar), Jorge Marques (guitar and cavaquinho), Ana Sofia Campeã(accordion), Rolando Amaral(bass) and Pedro Marques (drums and percussions). Of course, only six of them will be allowed to perform on stage at the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow.
National selection
Once again, the Portuguese entry was chosen through the Festival da Canção.Twelve acts qualified for the final through an online voting. In the final, the winner was chosen by regional juries and televoting. Luciana Abreu, who already represented Portugal in 2005 as one half of the duo 2B, was the favourite of the televoters but gut only four points from the juries so that Flor-de-Lis could win the national final, as they were the favourites of the juries and the second favourites of the televoters.
Portugal in the Eurovision Song Contest
Portugal took part in the Eurovision Song Contest the first time in 1964 and immediately finished last with nil points. It later indeed turned out to be a bad omen as Portugal is one of the least successful countries to date never having finished in the top five of a Eurovision final. However, Vânia Fernandes managed to finish second in the second semi final last year and brought the country for the first time to the final since 2003. The highest placing in a final came in 1996, when Lúcia Moniz finished sixth with O meu coração não tem cor.
Desejamos a Portugal e aos Flor-de-Lis muita sorte e um bom resultado em Moscovo!
Videos
NEW VIDEO Flor-de-Lis speak to esctoday.com before and after the Portuguese final
Flor-de-lis live in the national final:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNYBYH3bZFI
Extended version of Todas as ruas do amor:
The winners' reprise:
Other parts of this series
Tomorrow, we will take a look at the Romanian entry.
