Portugal’s national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, Festival da Canção, continues this Saturday. Ten talented acts will compete for the six remaining spots in the final, scheduled for the 1st of March. Among the contestants is Diana Vilarinho, a Fado singer, making her debut in the hopes of representing Portugal at Eurovision with the song ‘Cotovia’.

We have had the chance to speak with her, namely about her song’s message and how her song got into Festival. Check out everything she told us about her upcoming performance:

Hello, Diana, thank you very much for accepting our invitation for this interview. How do you feel about taking part in Festival da Canção?

‘Thank you very much! I’m absolutely thrilled! We entered through the open submission and got selected, which means so much to me. Festival da Canção has been a part of my life forever, and some of the greatest and most beautiful songs from our country have come from this festival. So, I’m over the moon to be part of it!’

Amazing! It’s worth mentioning that you’ll be in the second semifinal on the 1st of March. As you mentioned, you came through the open submission, which is gaining popularity in the Portuguese national final. What are your thoughts on the open submission? And how do you feel about being selected among hundreds of contestants?

‘Honestly, I think the open submission is a fantastic opportunity for more artists to try their luck because there are so many talented singers who don’t always get the chance to showcase their work. Joana Alegre, who composed the song along with Ricardo Ribeiro, sent it to me while we were looking for themes for my next album. I asked Joana to write this specific song because the theme really moved me and I would love to sing it. Initially, it was just meant to be part of my album, however Joana suggested we should send it to Festival da Canção as well. It all happened so naturally and unexpectedly, and it makes me so happy because I wasn’t expecting it at all. Everything fell into place perfectly.’

Some things are just meant to happen in the best way! Tell us more, this song seems to blend Fado (Portuguese music genre) and folklore elements. Since you come from the world of Fado, what are your goals with this participation, and what’s the message you want to convey with the song?”

‘This song has its roots in fado, which makes sense since I’m a fado singer. It has that fado vibe and the Portuguese guitar, but it’s also deeply embedded in Portuguese sounds with traditional instruments, such as percussion. It’s a Portuguese song with a traditional spirit. The song is inspired by a news story I recently heard about women in Afghanistan not being able to have a public voice, which really moved me. I told Joana I wanted to sing about it, and she created this song for me. It’s about the need for women everywhere to unite, whether they’re Afghan or from anywhere else. Sometimes women close to us experience this kind of silencing, and our song aims to be a message of strength and a reminder that when their voices are silenced, we respond for them. It’s all about eternal unity and showing that women are not alone, no matter where they are.’

Taking this big responsability of showcasing women’s voice, how have you been preparing for the performance itself? When did you start this journey?

‘We had very little time, honestly. When Joana suggested we submit the song, there were only about 10 or 15 days left to apply, so everything was super rushed! Learning the song from scratch, going to the studio for the first time – it was all very tight. But you know what? It was so much fun, exciting, and crazy all at once. Preparing since then has been wild because of the tight schedule of Festival da Canção and Eurovision. Open submission participants have less time than invited composers, so we’ve been racing against the clock. But it’s been going great! Meeting new people and working with different perspectives has been incredibly valuable. Even before the semifinal, I feel like being part of the Festival da Canção has been so worth it – it’s been fun, interesting, and full of learning experiences.’

And regarding the performance itself, any hints you can give us about it? Will you be alone on stage, or are there going to be any props with you?

‘I think it’s best to keep a bit of a secret to ensure we surprise everyone! What I can share is that our main goal is to highlight the message of the song. Since the song itself has a strong and important message, we don’t want that to be forgotten during the live performance. We want the performance to have strength, a natural power, and really represent the song’s soul.’

What if the victory is yours, what would it mean for you to represent Portugal in Switzerland?

‘Honestly, it’s hard to imagine, as it feels like such a distant reality. Of course I would be over the moon! Representing my country at such a significant event would be an incredible honor and a huge responsibility. I’d be extremely happy and would work to give more than my best.’

Winning wouldn’t just mean another participation for you, but it would also elevate your message to a whole new level, perhaps?

‘Absolutely! As a Fado singer, I’d be incredibly proud to share our traditional musical style with new audiences. Plus, we have an important message that needs to be heard worldwide, so winning would make me really happy for all these reasons.’

So, what plans do you have after Festival? Whether it’s after the Festival da Canção or possibly Eurovision, if you get the chance?

‘Our participation in Festival da Canção is a fantastic opportunity to get our work noticed by new people. Once Festival is over, we’ll keep working hard, especially on my next album, which is set to release after the show. We want to make the most of this chance and continue to grow our audience post-festival.’

There are endless opportunities ahead, so participating always brings something positive. What do you think about Eurovision itself? Do you have a favorite song from over the years?

‘I follow Eurovision, and one song that sticks with me is ‘Voilà’ – I really liked it! Eurovision is such a unique world compared to what I am used to, and from what I’ve heard, it’s an incredible event. I believe Eurovision is super important because it celebrates and cherishes music, which I think is essential. So, naturally, I’m a big fan of Eurovision!’

Great to have another Eurovision fan in the club! Speaking of fans, what message do you have for Eurovision fans and your own followers? And what kind of feedback have you been getting from them?

‘The feedback has been really good! Of course, not everyone will like it, but that’s normal. I’m truly happy because I’ve received so many beautiful messages, and that feels like a victory in itself. It’s great to know that many people love the song. To Eurovision fans, I’d say what I’ve been saying all along – it’s beautiful to see people come together and unite for the love of music. As artists, we have to thank you for your dedication because it involves a lot of hard work. I’m thrilled to see such a large community united by music. It’s for sure more than a competition.’

Absolutely, we also thank you for your work and participation, which naturally makes it happen. Thank you so much for your interest and for accepting our invitation for this interview. We really enjoyed it and wish you the best of luck with your participation.

All the best to you too. Thank you!

Check out Diana’s song right here:

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