[2024] Portugal: Iolanda - Grito #2

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1530 CEST: Rehearsal 7: 🇵🇹 Portugal - iolanda - Grito

Next up in the running order will be Sweden, but as the host nation they won’t be rehearsing until Thursday. Instead it’s time for Portuguese singer/songwriter iolanda, rehearsing her song Grito.

The title translates as ‘Shout’, but there’s nothing shouty about this melodic ballad. It’s a fusion of pop and R ‘n’ B with traditional Portuguese Fado roots, and iolanda’s vocals seem to fill every corner of the arena, from the haunting acapella opening to the huge note at the end. It's a song that really builds over the three minutes, and even though it's a ballad, it still has a underlying bass that vibrates through the floor. A song you feel through your feet and into your chest.

The staging is similar to iolanda’s win at Festival da Canção, with five white-clad dancers with covered faces performing a contemporary dance routine. They’ve also lowered the middle cube, which makes the space feel more intimate and adds to the artistry. Creative and hypnotic - we'll post some photos soon.

Note to self: investigate how delegations keep white outfits clean. Do they have spares? Are there express dry cleaning facilities in the Malmö arena? Will find out.