When Portugal’s Eurovision contestant Suzy and her songwriter Emanuel took their seats at last night’s press conference in Lisbon, we expected sparks to fly. We didn’t anticipate a full-on fire bomb. Suzy and Emanuel, along with their communication guru Vasco da Camera Pereira, announced that they have filed a criminal complaint against the people they allege are behind a Eurovision smear campaign. “We are not against people who do not like the song,” said lawyer Joaquim Guerra. “We’re against people who persecute us physically and psychologically, commit slander and write posts that threaten to kill Emanuel and singer Suzy.” 

Da Camera Pereira opened the press conference by countering claims that the song is unoriginal. Unhappy fans have complained that the song sounds a lot like Koama’s Lambada. Not so. He argued that the song’s African sound refers to the historical links between Portugal and Africa. He also argued that ‘Quero ser tua’ is indeed populair among fans, as the song is getting a lot of airplay on Portuguese radio stations.

Suzy was very emotional. She recounted how the allegations have tormented her and her family. She has tried to ignore all of the insults and comments, but temptation led her to open Pandora’s box and log on to Facebook. Some people said nasty things about her song. Others said they hoped she would catch a nasty disease and die.

Emanuel said that he has never before encountered such a hostile atmosphere at Festival da Canção (he wrote Sabrina’s Danca comigo, ESC 2007). The death threats and surrounding drama grew so intense that he had to change his personal phone number. He pointed out that the song has received good reviews from abroad, and that the majority of the negative comments come from Portuguese fans.

Suzy

As part of their official complaint, Suzy’s team has compiled a series of videos and written material that they say prove a smear campaign is afoot. The evidence was handed over to the police today.

Rumours suggest that a direct competitor is involved. When journalists probed who that might be, attorney Joaquim Guerra advised Suzy not to answer the question. Guerra’s surname translates as “war” in English.

It’s still a long way until the semi-final at ESC. Will Suzy survive the storm and make it to Copenhagen?

Daphne Dee contributed this report from Belgium. Follow her on Twitter @JacinthaD1. You can also keep up-to-date with the latest Eurovision news and gossip by following the team on Twitter @wiwibloggs and by liking our Facebook page

41 Comments
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mike.s
mike.s
9 years ago

i m so sorry 4 that. i think that this song it s to latino for the Europeans. but u have 12 points from Romania. Great

JMartins
JMartins
9 years ago

Come on, you can’t believe this is true!!! Emanuel manipulated the votes, something awfull, without any moral, poruguese peolple discovered that, so, what he wants now is try to pass the vyctim image! We’re in Portugal, everyone here are peaceful, this man is so stupid!

Begins at 4:00 enjoy! PORTUGAL <3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUvOgV-EKcA

Marcelo N
9 years ago

@ ESCaddict
You may not hear Lambada, just like people don’t seem to want to hear Papaoutai (Stromae) when they listen to Moustache. Pity, for both Lambada and Papaoutai are light years better than their copycats (while the latter was indeed absolutely ripped off).

ESCaddict
ESCaddict
9 years ago

How sad that contestants have to put up with so much hate. It reflects very badly on ESC & its fans. If your song did not win, get over it!
I don’t hear Lambada when I listen to Suzy’s song.

davve
davve
9 years ago

its sad to see that some people takes another persons happiness and breaks it….out of jealousy

Anthony
Anthony
9 years ago

I’m one of those that desperately wanted Catarina Pereira this year, but sending death threats is simply a step too far. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone flew a plane at Portugal with the banner “Wrong One – Suzy Out”.

Mex
Mex
9 years ago

I’m proud to say that I loved this song since the 1st listening and many here (on similar Portuguese threads) laughed at me. It’s terrible to hear and realise how low someone can go when this IS just a song contest. It’s not life or death situation. Wait, that comment was inappropriate. I recall similar situations in the Balkans decade ago (Serbia 2006, Macedonia 2005, Bulgaria 2005). Get over it people and dance to that lambada or pinada (was it pimba) tune! 🙂 Oh, the world HAS bigger problems than one song contest entries. Grow up.

Himela
Himela
9 years ago

Death threats? 😮 I think EBU should disqualify Portugal and problem will be solved. They don’t want this song to represent their country anyway.

eurofan
eurofan
9 years ago

Well, that escalated quickly!

Trebinium
Trebinium
9 years ago

Yeah, this song is pure crap. And you all think Romanian song is great. Hahaha. I feel sorry for you people who think that Romanian song is better than Suzy’s. At least, I can dance and be happy listening to her song. And this Romanian, crapy, bad copy of their first entry I’m not gonna comment. If someone other singing that song, e.g. Lithuania, you would all hate the song.

Dhani
9 years ago

“Will Suzy survive the storm and make it to Copenhagen?”
what does this mean??? is it possible that Portugal will withdraw??? cause they can’t change song now the deadline has passed

Joyce
Joyce
9 years ago

Ofcourse the song isn’t original and sounds a lot like the lambada, thats why people do not like it, that was my opinion also when I hear this song the first time. I also do not like the colour of her voice.
I also think people will not vote for it on eurovision because of that fact, but internet terrosism against her is just stupid, and people who do that are crazy people!

Alecx
Alecx
9 years ago

Wow, didn’t expect this happen in Portugal. Song’s not that bad, though.

Huh
Huh
9 years ago

Why are Portuguese haters of Suzy and Emanuel now stooping down so low and resorting to giving death threats to them? Insane! If you haters don’t like them to represent, then just not watch the show instead. Simple as that. You are bringing bad image and reputation to your country for being too hostile to your fellow people.

Digi
Digi
9 years ago

The best advice for Suzy. Do not just send this song just for Eurovision but also to the whole world even if necessary as a promotional song for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil a few weeks away and this song is also in accordance with the rhythm of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. We refer to the song “Allez Ola Ole” who represented France in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 Eurovision is not only for, but also for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa even though not an official song so favored by the public all over… Read more »

Charles
Charles
9 years ago

I only have one thing to ask about the following quote “getting a lot of airplay on Portuguese radio stations”. What radio stations would even bother to airplay this piece of rubbish? You know what .. Emanuel and this Suzy girl should have thought first before they got into this mess … they knew very well what was the public expectation … they made their own dramatic bed, now they lay on it. Death threats are just too much I agree, but most likely whoever is doing them is just trying to scare the girl … And I can already… Read more »

Digi
Digi
9 years ago

This petition is very ridiculous coupled with hatred and terror threats. When the Nordic countries and the Soviet Union Ex send the actual song Eurovision fans hated not taken any action without a petition asking successor. But, if the Western European countries such as Spain and Portugal sent a song that is not considered appropriate when the song was much better than the Scandinavian moreover Ex Soviet Union, Eurovision fans instead spread the threat of terror especially as this petition. When Portugal, Spain, and France sent the song rhythmic Latin, Caribbean, Samba, or Pimba with your native language and underestimate… Read more »

Kaiser
Kaiser
9 years ago

I really didn’t like the portuguese entry, the song, to be more specific. But DEATH THREATS to Suzy? Just because of a song? Who’s that kind of freak and sick to do this? Unbelievable!!!!

Nanda
Nanda
9 years ago

The song is pure crap. Period
But yes, death threaths are WAY too much. However, RTP could have stopped this A LONG time ago by revealing full detailed results.

We all know suzy BARELY qualified for the final, according to some numbers. And then suddendlu she wins by a laaarge marge? Sorry. Something stinks in here.

Diane
Diane
9 years ago

I think it’s normal when you dislike the song or you questioned about the national contest’s mechanism, but sending death threats? That is beyond crazy.

Jordan
Jordan
9 years ago

Is it bad that I found it somewhat hilarious? lol

David Thielen
9 years ago

It’s a song contest. It’s reprehensible that people are doing this. And what everyone things of the song right not is irrelevant, we should all show her and her team support at this time.

Sérgio
Sérgio
9 years ago

@Eugene, Portugal never won but the country enjoys the contest a lot, the audience ratings every year prove it. Besides, most songs that represented Portugal in Eurovision became evergreens (at least until 1994) which means that those songs did have a life after ESC. You cannot say that about many countries. Results mean little to me because obviously we would have scored better results if we had 6 direct neighbours instead of just one, so that’s logical. Some countries simply have more advantages than others, period. We will always have this handicap (unless Galicia, Madeira and the Azores become independent,… Read more »

Sérgio
Sérgio
9 years ago

@Stephen Colville, fans never expect Portugal to qualify anyway and then surprises like 2008, 2009 and especially 2010 happen. Portugal has some guaranteed points by the televote on Semifinal 1, so no, the chances are not zero, sorry.

Stacey
Stacey
9 years ago

@YoungsterJoey: As you mature and become more literate, you will appreciate details such as the war translation. If fits thematically with Suzy’s conflict. No transition needed, and clearly not meant to be humorous.

Stephen Colville
Stephen Colville
9 years ago

I see several of the wiwibloggs writers suddenly coming out in support of the song.Regardless, you must admit that the vast majority of fans hate this song and it has zero chance of qualification.

Sérgio
Sérgio
9 years ago

@Eugene, poor or not it’s only a matter of personal opinion, if you find it poor, fine, it’s YOUR opinion, not a general fact. If a song sounds good to my ears then obviously it means it has enough qualities for me not to find it poor. This song is indeed very catchy and apparently many think so (just in case you haven’t noticed). And as for your lame argument of it sounding “dated” or like a 1989 song, please, if you’re part Portuguese as you say then you should know (or maybe not) that this type of Portuguese schlager… Read more »

Marcelo N
9 years ago

I personally don’t like the song a lot (it is ok but I hate it representing Portugal). And she is not a good live performer, granted.
Other than that, no-one deserves to be threatened, let alone over this. Suzy did not rig the voting herself, if it was so, and again this has gone too far! I sometimes wonder what artists may feel as they read some of the stuff WE ALL post. No-one deserves this, period.

D
D
9 years ago

I really dislike the song, but I wasn’t expecting it to go this far. It does seem suspicious though that almost every Portuguese fan I’ve seen hates the song and she managed to get 41% of the public vote.

cathal
cathal
9 years ago

this is taking it to far.

Bogdan
9 years ago

I like Suzy’s song, it has WAY more potential than the other song! I hope she qualifies in the Grand Final and shuts her haters up!

Petitions are ridiculous, but death threats are dangerous and must be treated as such. Suzy and her team are doing the right thing.

Pablo
Pablo
9 years ago

Poor Suzy. She´s a lovely person, I´m form Spain but I sent her a private message in Facebook to support her and she answered me in a lovely way. I hope to see it in grand final and make shut up all these HORRIBLE people.

Portugal, we´re brothers!! Keep calm and love Suzy!!

YoungsterJoey
YoungsterJoey
9 years ago

Although true, seemed really random and kinda irrelevant to mention Guerra’s surname translates as “war” in English in the article. Unless it was for a bit of comic relief, could’ve used a better transition.

Sérgio
Sérgio
9 years ago

Eugene, we already know very well how much you hate and despise the participation of Portugal in Eurovision, however, for a song you truly hate you sure do spend a lot of time writing about it, go figure.

Thiefo
9 years ago

That’s a real problem sopon, people these days throw death threads and comments like “I hope you die” and “I hope you get cancer” so lightly and for the most trivial reasons. Sure most of them are “harmless” in the sense that they probably are just 14 yo kids who don’t really mean it, but the thing is, nowadays you never know how far these overreactions can go.

Danny
Danny
9 years ago

I’m with #TeamSuzy. Seriously, fans turning into borderline psychopaths. It really worries me.

sopon
sopon
9 years ago

Ironically, Thiefo, some *insert nasty word here* told me that she/he hopes I get cancer after I posted on YouTube that I do not like Ruth Lorenzo’s song. Maybe it’s an Iberian thing?

Jon
Jon
9 years ago

This year will win United Kingdom or Armenia.
My top 10
1)Armenia United Kingdom
2)Sweden
3)Hungary
4)Germany
5)Ukrain
6)Spain
7)Italy
8)Israel
9)Austria
10)Azerbaijan or Russia

Timselvision
Timselvision
9 years ago

Come on. If you don´t like the song, be my guest, but don´t thread to kill people. That´s nonsence, and absolutely inmature. I hope Suzy will stay alive, and let´s hope those stupid threading people stop with doing that. It´s absolutely not acceptable.

Thiefo
9 years ago

Wow, is this really going that far? What’s wrong with people? Wanting someone dead just because you don’t like a song? What a moment to be alive.

Dez
Dez
9 years ago

It’s one thing to not like the song. You don’t have to like it, but sending in (and making) death threats is putting this at a low. I personally like the song, and even if some people don’t, no one would want to wish death on Suzy or any participant. This is just absurd, and I hope there’s a solution to all this.