Portugal is gearing up their preparations for Festival da Canção 2023. As artists look ahead to the national final, which begins on February 25th, Rory speaks to Voodoo Marmalade. They are vying to represent Portugal with their song “Tormento”.
Hello guys! How are you doing today?
“Incredibly fine and looking anxiously forward to the festival!”
You are competing in Festival da Canção 2023 with your song “Tormento”. You were invited to take part by RTP itself. How did it feel when you were approached to participate in the Contest?
“We felt extremely proud and happy, it was a delightful surprise having our work appreciated and valued!”
The lyrics of the song almost have a religious feel to them with references to both God and Satan. Can you tell us how the song was written and what the message is about?
“The message of the song is about getting through the worst thoughts in life, pushing demons aside like if it was a kind of musical mantra. But it’s not attached to any religion. In short it’s a feel good song to move forward in mental issues.”
A lot of your music is centred around the use of ukuleles. What made you decide to use that instrument so much?
“Well, it’s a very easy portable instrument that we can put in our backpacks, that’s how it started on our Sunday morning coffee meetings in Belem. Also the Ukulele is based on several small, guitar-like instruments of Portuguese origin (machete, cavaquinho, timple, rajão) introduced to the Hawaiian Islands by Portuguese immigrants from Madeira.”
What are your memories of Festival da Canção and Eurovision? Was it a big thing for you?
“We see Eurovision and Festival da Canção as a beautiful homage to music and specially to songs with great talents around us, we feel it’s such a privilege to be part of it!”
The competition is coming up and of course, you’re rehearsing intensely for the show. Is there anything you can tell us about your performance or is it all being kept a secret for now?
“Some things are kept in surprise so that it feels more like an unique moment but we can reveal that there’s going to be stained glass rhythm and good vibe spirit.”
If someone listens to “Tormento” and really enjoys the sound of the song, what’s one other track from your repertoire that you would recommend other people listen to?
“We recommend ‘Batalha de Tarawa’ for example!”
What would it mean for you to represent Portugal at Eurovision, one of the largest shows in the world?
“To be honest we really don’t think to much about that, for us it’s an honour to be part of it, but of course it will be marvellous to represent our country with our music at Eurovision!”
Finally, do you have a message to our readers at That Eurovision Site?
“Stay focus, leave troubles behind and enjoy this wonderful party to the last drop!”
If you are interested in learning about some of the other Festival da Canção acts this year, check out our interview with SAL, MoYah, You Can’t Win, Charlie Brown, INÊS APENAS, Esse Povo, The Happy Mess and Teresinha Landeiro.
About Voodoo Marmalade
Voodoo Marmalade is a six-piece Portuguese band. Its members consist of André Galvão, Tiago Faria, João O’Neill, Tiago Albuquerque, Miguel Roquette and João Cabrita. The band originated in Lisbon and use ukuleles as the base for their music. The band released their first eponymous album in 2013, going on to play across various festivals across Portugal. Their entry to Festival da Canção this year – “Tormento” – was written by the band themselves.
Portugal’s Eurovision Journey
Portugal debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest with António Calvário’s “Oração” in 1964. Since then, Portugal has participated in the competition 53 times – appearing the final 44 times. Their only win in the competition came in 2017 with Salvador Sobral, performing his heart-wrenching song “Amar Pelos Dois”.
Portugal’s most recent participation was with MARO with the song “saudade, saudade”. MARO managed to qualify for the Grand Final and once there, she finished 9th, after receiving 207 points from the jury and the televote.
What do you think of our interview with Voodoo Marmalade? Do you think “Tormento” could represent Portugal in Liverpool? As always, let us know what you think by commenting below. Also, be sure to follow “That Eurovision Site” on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Tiktok as we prepare for Eurovision 2023!
News Source: That Eurovision Site
Photo Credit: Jorge Nabais
