Ouro is a Portugal female group, consisting of Ana Sofia, Célia Maria and Tânia Tavares, trying to conquer the Portuguese selection to the Eurovision Song Contest. Oikotimes.com talked with Ana Sofia, and shares with you some excerpts from that interview.

How did you decide to compete in "Festival da Canção”?
Well, first of all thank you for this opportunity to share with you and your readers our participation in “Festival da Canção”. The musician and producer Jan Van Dijck invited the three members of Ouro - Célia, Tânia and I – to listen to this song. We were astonished because we just love till the first moment what he was presenting to us! On the other hand, this is one more opportunity to work together with two friends; besides having different careers, we work together in the past in the music scene and also in the theatre.

What does the song "Arco Iris dentro de mim" (“A rainbow inside me") talk about?
This is what I can describe as an “Ethnic” song, with sound influences of many countries, of several parts of the world, but with Portuguese roots. We underline four topics to our song: Love, Union, Liberty and Nature. While listening to the song, each one can feel different sensations, different emotions… the song could talk about different way of loving another person, the freedom of loving who you really want to… All people will be able to receive the feelings in it…



What aspects on the song would you point as being "good ingredients" for a song aimed at the Eurovision Song Contest?
A song must carry a message that can touch you… A remarkable refrain, a song that people can listen and often remember it… This is a song contest, not a singers’ contest, so the song have to have good lyrics and good music.

Last year Portugal was represented by a folk group, Flor-de-Lis. This was a motivation to you to compete in 2010?
This is only a coincidence. “Todas as ruas do amor” is a song that I like a lot, with Portuguese traditional sounds, but our song is more world music style.

You represented Portugal in the Eurovision once, in 2007, as Sabrina’s backing singer. What memories do you have from the contest?
It was a fantastic experience. The feeling of being on Eurovision stage representing your own country cannot be described in words. I felt so proud of being Portuguese that night and I carry this feeling all my life. I would like to repeat it one day! LOL Our delegation was so wonderful that even today we get together often to share that moments and that feelings. The rehearsals, the chats with fans, the press conferences full of journalists and fans, the tours around Helsinki, the meetings and friendships with other delegations and other artists… everything's in my mind! Sabrina was also a friend; we were her backing singers, but she wanted us as “all in one”, as a family! That was great!  It was like a dream come true!

Ouro was formed specifically to this festival. You would like to repeat the experience and, who knows, to launch an album together?
Well, we really don’t know what’s going on in the future, because everything is knew and we are living step by step. We all have our own projects, we work with different teams and artists… but everything can happen! Let’s wait and see what’s going on…

Do you have any idea on how you would like to present the song on stage?
Lot’s of ideas! LOL We are working hard not to disappoint the ones who voted for us at the online semifinal, and also all the fans! We made already a brainstorm with the team to share our ideas and our goals! But, forgive me… I can’t talk much more about this…

Do you have a choreographer working with you…?
Yes, he’s helping us putting our ideas on the stage! We want to create a good atmosphere on stage, including some dance routines! But I can assure you that there won’t be gymnastics!! LOL We are going to dance, of course, but for us singers the most important thing is to sing! We will be six persons on stage.

Would you like to perform this song in English… in Oslo?
In Oslo?! LOL First of all we must win the ticket to the national final, and then we’ll think about that.

But what’s your opinion about the language rule at the Eurovision Song Contest?
Well, we really didn’t talk about that yet! But, in my opinion, a part of the song in English could touch more people…

Would you like to leave a message to oikotimes.com and to your fans...
I’d like to thank you and oikotimes.com for this interview. I want to say Thank You to our fans, and to the fans of “Festival da Canção” and Eurovision Song Contest. You are a very important part of the event’s success. We are working hard not to disappoint you at “Campo Pequeno”.

Ana Sofia in few words...
This is the song of your life? Presently, this song is me!
Eurovision is… a dream!
I’m addicted to… Music!
I feel nervous when … I think about the possibility of representing Portugal in the Eurovision
I feel excited when… I sing on stage! This is my life!
I love… candies!! LOL
I hate… injustice
My favorite Eurovision song… In Portugal, “Balão Sobe”, from 1979, the month and year of my birthday! From another country, “Waterloo”, Abba 1974.


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