Diana Vilarinho Interview: “This song is a reminder to all women that they are not alone, and that only together can we make a change.”

It’s been a tough week for Diana Vilarinho. Between dealing with illness and rehearsing for the second semi-final of Festival da Canção, which takes place tonight at 22:00 CET, she found time to fill us in on the singers who inspire her, the feminist message behind “Cotovia,” and her plans for the future. 

How are you doing this week? Any nerves about Saturday?

This week has been an adventure! In addition to being bedridden due to illness, I have many things to close and finish before we start the rehearsals at RTP, so it’s an adventure until the end. But we are ready, and I have an amazing team by my side that makes me feel even more secure, so I’m sure that on Saturday I will give my best for a beautiful performance!

Tell us a bit about your musical background! What inspired you to start making music?

I started singing at the age of seven, when my mother suggested that I join an extracurricular activity and ended up enrolling me in a dance and singing school. Until that day, I had never thought about singing or had any idea if I sang well or not. The truth is that since then, the entire journey up to today has been very natural, organic, and consistent. In that same school, around the age of nine, I was introduced to Fado. Since then, I’ve fallen in love with this genre, which still accompanies me today.

So what brings you to Festival da Canção this year? 

The idea to apply came from Joana Alegre, the composer of the song. When she sent me “Cotovia,” the intention was to find and put together a new repertoire for my next album. But she asked, “What if we take this song to Festival da Canção?” And I immediately said yes.

Can you talk a bit about the meaning behind “Cotovia?” 

This “Cotovia” came from a news article last year about Afghan women being forbidden to speak in public. When I read that news, it really moved me, and I told Joana Alegre that I really wanted to sing about this, which seemed inhumane to me. Meryl Streep said in a conference that even a bird has more rights than a woman in Kabul, and that was the inspiration for Joana to create “Cotovia.” The song talks about Afghan women not having a voice, but above all, it speaks about all women around the world who are silenced in so many different ways. This song is a reminder to all women that they are not alone, and that only together can we make a change.

What is your history with Eurovision, and why do you want to represent Portugal? 

Representing my country in Eurovision, in addition to being a great responsibility, would above all be an honor and a dream. 

What are some of your favorite entries from past contests?

One of my favorite Eurovision songs is “Voilà” by Barbara Pravi.

Which artists influence you the most? What’s on your playlist at the moment?

Nana Caymmi, Amália Rodrigues, Sarah Vaughan, Silvia Pérez Cruz, Billie Holiday, Milton Nascimento, Fausto Bordalo Dias, Remedios Amaya, Chico Buarque.

What’s an interesting or surprising fact about yourself?

Four days before my performance at the Festival da Canção, I was bedridden and quite sick – but on Saturday, the day of my performance, I will be as good as new, as if nothing happened, to give my best!

Besides Festival da Canção, what are your plans for 2025? Any announcements and/or final messages for our readers?

2025 will be the year of the release of my next album, so I hope you stay tuned and continue following my work!

Follow Diana on Instagram (@dianavilarinho) and check out more of her music on Spotify. 

Let us know what #YOU think of “Cotovia” on social media (@escunited), Discord, or at our forum.