The Portuguese band NAPA—five close friends including João Guilherme Gomes (vocals, guitar), João Rodrigues (drums), and Lourenço Gomes (piano) who were talking to eurovisionlive.com —have gone from island jam sessions to the global stage, now set to represent Portugal at Eurovision 2025 in Basel.
The band first gained attention on YouTube and TikTok, where their emotional, introspective music struck a chord. Their sound speaks to the experience of many young Portuguese leaving rural areas for the city—full of longing, disorientation, and love for home.
After moving to mainland Portugal, NAPA played shows in Funchal and Lisbon, gaining momentum. Their win at Festival da Canção, Portugal’s national selection for Eurovision, sparked major buzz, especially among young fans from Madeira who saw themselves reflected in the music.
“We’re proud to carry our island and our stories with us,” said João Rodrigues. As they head to Eurovision, NAPA’s rise is a story of friendship, identity, and a powerful connection to home.
Watch the full interview here:
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As one of the founders of eurovisionlive.com I am responsible for the interviews with the singers and the editorial content. My passion for the Eurovision Song Contest exists since my early childhood. The exotic music, different cultures and languages have given a lot of inspiration to me. Since my very first ESC in Dublin 1994 I particularly appreciate the get together and friendship of all the nationalities and Riverdance was a thrill!
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