Portugal PORTUGAL 2021 - The Black Mamba - Love is on My Side

[escYOUnited]

Left home when I was only sweet sixteen
Chasing blind love and a bunch of broken dreams
Don’t know how I thought I’d be a queen
I could do anything
But somehow I end up here I don’t know why
I still believe that

Love is on my side
Love is on my side
Love is on my side
Maybe not tonight

I can feel it when it rains
I can feel it still runnin’ in my veins
Ran so fast I couldn’t even grow
Forgot where I belong
Sold my body on a dirty cold floor
Yet I believe that
I believe that

Love is on my side
Love is on my side
Love is on my side
on my side
Maybe not tonight

Love is…
Love is…
Love is…

Love is on my side
Maybe not tonight​

 

[Edweis]

is this not confident enough?

Well yes that's why I have a hard time making my opinion on it, because she seemed both to be slaying and giving fake-it-till-you-make-it vibes

 

[joao]

I'm still praying for Karetus, The Black Mamba or Valeria to win. But I'm leaning more and more to "The Black Mamba" because from the three is the one with the best staging. We could literally send it as it is.

Karetus really need to improve the staging and Valeria needs a different dress and a more darker atmosphere.

 

[joao]

AND WOW

Just checked the live performances on youtube and the viewing is like this:

1st - Neev 7k
2nd - Carolina Deslandes 3.6k
3rd - Pedro Gonçalves 2.1k
4th - EU-CLIDES 2k
5th - Joana Alegre 1,2k

I wouldn't be surprised if NEEV ends up wining the whole thing.

I do like the song but I was so disappointed with the live version. If it wins it REALLY needs a makeover.

 

[EurovisionSmile]

My three favourites for the final in no special order:
NEEV - "Dancing in the Stars"; Carolina Deslandes "Por um triz"; The Black Mamba - "Love Is on My Side"

It seems I'm waving against the stream here, but who cares? One of these wins and I'll be happy.

 

[Alevender]

Joana Alegre - Joana do mar 8/10
Valéria - Na mais profunda saudade 7/10
Karetus & Romeu Bairos - Saudade 7/10
EU.CLIDES - VOLTE-FACE 6/10
Sara Afonso - Contramão 6/10
Pedro Gonçalves - Não vou ficar 5/10
Carolina Deslandes - Por um triz 5/10
NEEV - Dancing in the Stars 5/10
The Black Mamba - Love Is on My Side 5/10
Fábia Maia - Dia lindo 5/10

I do not hate any song here, in fact even Fábia Maia would be higher in my ranking than most of songs that have been chosen so far
I really liked the performance of The Black Mamba by the way and would not mind Portugal going for that at all.

 

[lavieenrose]

AND WOW

Just checked the live performances on youtube and the viewing is like this:

1st - Neev 7k

 

[lacrymea]

From what I've picked up from fans over here, there are 4 songs with more likely chances:

Carolina Deslandes
Neev
Valéria
Karetus

My feeling says either Carolina or Valéria will take it. Karetus need to do something to pick up momentum again. Neev has the public on his side, not too sure about the juries.

 

[Jonaxh]

From what I've picked up from fans over here, there are 4 songs with more likely chances:

Carolina Deslandes
Neev
Valéria
Karetus

My feeling says either Carolina or Valéria will take it. Karetus need to do something to pick up momentum again. Neev has the public on his side, not too sure about the juries.

I would add Sara Afonso to the mix. The juries will go for it. And I don't blame them... It's a beautiful song. It's a strong final!

 

[DanielLuis]

I think NEEV is the clear winner every way you look at it.
But Carolina will probably end up winning by default

 

[Decayingbooks]

Just checked the live performances on youtube and the viewing is like this:

1st - Neev 7k
2nd - Carolina Deslandes 3.6k
3rd - Pedro Gonçalves 2.1k
4th - EU-CLIDES 2k
5th - Joana Alegre 1,2k

I have a theory that the song with most views on youtube will win the televote.
Last sunday at 23h30 gmt the views were:

1 - Karetus - 41k
2 - Black Mamba - 20K
3 - Valéria - 16k
4 - Sara - 16k
5 - Fábia - 13k

If Neev manages to get more views this sunday (28/02/2021) at 23h30 gmt he may win the 12 from the televote, but that doesn't mean that he will win, he may end up like Bárbara Tinoco last year, who got 6 points from the judges.

 

[Leydan]

I like Neevs song, but idk I can't help but feel disappointed at the prospect of Portugal of going in English. Given they've never gone 100% English before it wouldn't sit right to see it. Countries who consistently go the extra mile to use their own language feels like a double blow when they break from it.

 

[Decayingbooks]

I like Neevs song, but idk I can't help but feel disappointed at the prospect of Portugal of going in English. Given they've never gone 100% English before it wouldn't sit right to see it. Countries who consistently go the extra mile to use their own language feels like a double blow when they break from it.

I wouldn't say it went the extra mile. It was only in 2017 that the rules allowed songs not in portuguese in the competition, before that other languages were allowed but half and more of the song had to be in portuguese.
Oddly enough, this year was the first time that a song in brasilian portuguese (sang by Tainá) competed in Festival da Canção, but I'm unsure if there was something against brasilian portuguese on the rules.

 

[Sammy]

Happy that Pedro made it through to the final. His performance made me like this even more. I really hope he goes to Rotterdam!

 

[harey]

Oh no, Graciela didn't make it. I listen to her song in repeat for weeks.

For the final I like the black mambas but I would be disappointed with a year without a song in portuguese in esc. (I really like foreign languages too much.)

 

[mauve]

My two faves were Pedro and Neev before the semi, it stayed that way, but live Neev rather was a little letdown because of the staging. I get it, it isn't so easy to always find a special setting, but it just reminds me too much of Duncan and co. In this sense I support Pedro much more, though I doubt he will make it to Rotterdam. I haven't seen all the performances yesterday, so I will rewatch and see if there is another artist that might convince me.

 

[mauve]

Double post

 

[opinionsigotem]

EU.CLIDES, Joana or Valeria for me, please Portugal. Got a feeling Carolina's winning though, it definitely made an impact in a good way.

 

[Ezio]

I can't watch the NEEV video for some reason, but listen to the performance. Oh wow wow wow wow wowsaaah.... xstan

 

[Ezio]

I just officially kicked off my personal Eurovision 2021 journey with Portugal.

First off:
NEEV - Dancing in the stars (Dançando nas estrelas):
Winner winner chicken dinner. Could stage a stunning goosebumper in Rotterdam. I give 14 out of 12 possible points

Third off:
Carolina Deslandes - Por um triz (Almost).
Oh that is sweet. Love! 11/12

Fifth off:
Fábia Maia - Dia lindo (Beautiful day).
Filler Queen. I am losing my attention and her voice is not mesmerizing enough to carry this lullaby. 3/10

Sixth off:
Sara Alfonso - Contramão (Contrary)
It's perfect, it's beautiful. It sounds like Linda Evangelista. 12/12

Seventh off:
Valéria - Na mais profundo saudade (In the deepest longing)
It doesn't get more Portuguese than this. Saudade Saudade Saudade across the stage. And I think it is a little bit boring and expected. 2/12

Tenth off:
Joana Alegre - Joana do mar (Joan from the sea)
Nice 90's sound. Reminds me of Natalia Imbruglia or Alice Morrisette, thus not very contemporary. 7/12

Twelfth off:
Karetos & Romeu Bairos - Saudade (Longing)
Another sad song about saudade, but it is irky, quirky and I likey likey. 11/12

Fourteenth off:
Eu-Clide - Volte-Face (About-face)
A relaxed song for the chill lounge with scared lyrics. Nice juxtaposition. 7/12

Fifteeth off:
Pedro Gonçalves - Não vou ficar (I won't stay)
Just a jolly song sang by an angel. I am ready to be captivated. And this saxophone, I love. But a bit too 80's for me 10/12

Eighteenth off:
The black Mamba - Love is on my side (O amor está do meu lado)
Macy Gray for Portugal. Could do well at Eurovision, in particular with the juries. But I am not sold on the song. 6/12

Wow my ratings were not so off. All my favs, except for IAN are through, and all my bottoms, except for two, are gone. But I haven't seen the lives yet.

 

[i anixi]

Hi there!
The way I see it there are five decent songs in the final line up which is quite an unprecedented state of affairs in a Portuguese competition: Black Mamba, Karetus, Alegre, Deslandes and NEEV. Can't believe there are those who see Valeria as a possibility. She's just the same old fado-ish junk that make people at eurovision roll their eyes and say, "here they come again" Plus she goes for the kind of vocal gymnastics that are not the thing of today. Please forget about her.
Still and going back to my 5 decencies, as usual decent is of course not enough: Karetus isn't much more than repeating "saudade" over and over again. Then come the actual Trás os Montes Caretos, who don't seem to belong there and add nothing to the performance. I'd eliminate karetus then.
Alegre is very nice and sounds great on a recap, but as a whole it is not really convincing. It does not make for a eurovision success. I'd eliminate her too. Deslandes is a very good singer and she usually composes beautiful songs. Unfortunately I don't think she worked hard enough for this one. This in pleasant enough but too slow and it will get lost in the big event.
I'd definately go English this year. Either Black Mamba or NEEV are great, musically sound songs, performed by outstanding singers with beautiful, unusual voices. Both have great vocals that would suck up juries' votes from everywhere. They are both instant enough for the general public to go for as well.
Of course NEEV would have to ditch that piano soon, the blue light, the whole staging concept. Has Duncan invent it? Of course he hasn't. No one can do the same as he did and avoid being laughed at in Rotterdam though.
And please guys, I see you moaning about Graciela, Eu.Clides and some such, take a grip on yourselves. You're living in such a bubble of fog that you're getting dizzy and forget about the world outside. That's all garbage to be disposed of, they're simply not possibilities.
I'm afraid we'll just go for Deslandes in the end , just because she has so many fans and because juries will be prejudiced towards songs in English, which is a great shame.