Portugal’s representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 comes all the way from Madeira. NAPA, an indie band whose musical journey started in a basement in 2013, are set to take the stage in the Semi-Finals of the prestigious Eurovision Song Contest stage in Basel, Switzerland on May 13, 2025. Let’s learn more about their musical roots and their touching song that made it all the way to the international stage.
The Journey to Eurovision 2025
NAPA’s path to Eurovision was not without its challenges. The quintet had to navigate through Portugal’s national selection process, Festival da Canção, on March 8, 2025, where they faced 11 other talented finalists. With a stirring performance of their song “Deslocado” (meaning “displaced”), NAPA captured the hearts of both the jury and the public and emerged victorious, earning the honor of representing Portugal on the international stage.
The triumph sparked a number of joyous celebrations across Madeira, a fitting response for a band whose music speaks deeply to the island’s experience and the complex emotions of leaving one’s homeland.
NAPA – The Hearts Behind the Sound
NAPA first formed in 2013 and consists of five talented musicians:
- Jọo Guilherme Gomes РLead vocalist and guitarist
- Jọo Louren̤o Gomes РPiano
- Francisco Sousa – Guitar
- Diogo Góis – Bass
- Jọo Rodrigues РDrums
Their musical journey has been marked by many memorable milestones from performing at Lisbon’s renowned Musicbox venue to an unforgettable early show featuring giant cardboard replicas of their heads on stage.
Musical Influences and Evolution
NAPA’s sound draws inspiration from diverse artists like Arctic Monkeys and Caetano Veloso. This fusion creates a distinctive style that resonates with audiences far beyond Portuguese shores, perhaps even taking them to the Grand Final at Eurovision 2025.
The band has already released two albums: “Senso Comum” (2019), which introduced listeners to their infectious melodies and melancholic spirit, and “Logo Se Vê” (2023), showcasing a more mature sound. After completing their first national tour in 2024, NAPA is set to release their third album in late 2025, which makes their Eurovision appearance just one highlight in a groundbreaking year for the band.
“Deslocado” – A Song of Longing and Identity
“Deslocado” embodies the Portuguese concept of “saudade” – which translates to a feeling of profound melancholic longing – and reflects the experience of leaving home in search of better opportunities. The song has already proven its popularity as it racked up millions of streams before even making it to the Portuguese national finals.
The lyrics speak powerfully to the experience of Madeirans, who often must leave their island home for better economic opportunities. The emotional core of the song centers on feeling displaced in a larger city, carrying the longing for home while navigating life elsewhere, and the peace that comes from knowing one can return. This is truly a universal feeling that will surely touch the hearts of Eurovision voters and listeners worldwide who tune in for the song contest.
For NAPA, Eurovision represents a full-circle moment. Most band members cite Salvador Sobral’s 2017 Eurovision victory for Portugal with “Amar Pelos Dois” as their introduction to the significance of the competition. And as Salvador Sobral proved with Portugal’s only victory at the Eurovision Song Contest, a great song doesn’t need a big stage production to win it all. NAPA is hoping to recreate Sobral’s magic for Portugal in 2025.
The Song: “Deslocado”
Listen to “Deslocado” by NAPA here!
Listen to a live version with a choir and chordophones here!
Here are the full lyrics to NAPA’s Eurovision entry:
I count the days for myself
Conto os dias para mim
With the suitcase packed
Com a mala arrumada
It almost didn’t fit anymore
Já quase não cabia
The accumulated longing
A saudade acumulada
from the blue, I see the garden
do azul, vejo o jardim
Even behind the wing
Mesmo por trás da asa
Mother looks out the window
Mãe olha à janela
That I’m coming home
Que eu ‘tou a chegar a casa
That I’m coming home
Que eu ‘tou a chegar a casa
That I’m coming home
Que eu ‘tou a chegar a casa
That I’m coming home
Que eu ‘tou a chegar a casa
As much as it may seem
Por mais que possa parecer
I will never belong to that city
Eu nunca vou pertencer àquela cidade
The sea of ​​people, the different Sun
O mar de gente, o Sol diferente
The pile of concrete doesn’t bother me at all
O monte de betão não me provoca nada
Don’t call me home
Não me convoca casa
Because I came from far
Porque eu vim de longe
I came from the middle of the sea
Eu vim do meio do mar
From the heart of the ocean
Do coração do oceano
I have my whole life
Eu tenho a minha vida inteira
I make my way thinking about returning
O meu caminho eu faço a pensar em regressar
My home is island, peace, Madeira
À minha casa, é ilha, paz, Madeira
If I explain it to you, word by word
Se eu te explicar, palavra a palavra
You will never understand the pain that silences me
Nunca vais entender a dor que me cala
The loneliness that haunts the hour of departure
A solidão que assombra a hora da partida
I carry the peace of being able to return
Carrego o sossego de poder voltar
Mom looks at the window and I’m coming
Mãe olha à janela que eu ‘tou a chegar
As much as it may seem
Por mais que possa parecer
I will never belong to that city
Eu nunca vou pertencer àquela cidade
The sea of ​​people, the different Sun
O mar de gente, o Sol diferente
The pile of concrete doesn’t bother me at all
O monte de betão não me provoca nada
I don’t like myself’ ah ah ah ah ah ahh uh uh uh
Não me convo’ ah ah ah ah ah ahh uh uh uh
The sea of ​​people, the different Sun
O mar de gente, o Sol diferente
The pile of concrete doesn’t bother me at all
O monte de betão não me provoca nada
Don’t call me home
Não me convoca casa
Looking Toward Basel
As NAPA prepares for their moment on the Eurovision stage in Basel’s St. Jakobshalle on May 17, 2025 (with semi-finals on May 13 and 15), they hope to experience the Swiss culture and meet fellow artists, perform on the grandest stage of their careers, and share this monumental experience with their closest friends.
From their humble beginnings in a Madeiran basement to representing Portugal on the world stage, NAPA embodies the journey of many islanders – leaving home while carrying it forever in their hearts. Their Eurovision song “Deslocado” is a love letter to Madeira and an anthem for anyone who understands what it means to be far from home while dreaming of returning.
As Eurovision 2025 approaches, all eyes will be on this quintet from the middle of the Atlantic, bringing their island’s soul to the heart of Europe, and putting the Portuguese saudade on the world stage.
