The Wiwi Jury — our in-house team of music unprofessionals — is reviewing and rating the 37 competing songs in Eurovision 2024. Next we review Portugal, who have chosen iolanda with “Grito”.
Have we fallen in love with the song? Read on to find out!
iolanda – “Grito” (Portugal Eurovision 2024)
Review: iolanda – “Grito”
William: iolanda ain’t your mother, but my god she can mother! She channels wisdom, warmth and spirituality in this gem-of-a-song. It’s tradition with a sprinkling of modernity. It’s a heaping spoonful of soul that feels nourishing. The dancers, who no doubt represent iolanda’s ghosts, are a haunting testament to her journey — and her power to overcome. Pure art!
Score: 9.5
Lucy: I’m fully aware I’m going to get rinsed for this in the comments, but I just don’t love this that much. “Grito” is obviously a beautiful song, and my score is higher than I’d give being non-objective a little. iolanda’s voice is one of the best in the contest this year, for example. But I just don’t get excited or moved listening to this song, like so SO many Eurofans do this year. It feels like everyone just ‘gets’ it, but I tend to listen purely hoping it might click for me. Sorry to be this person, but I do just find it very boring. Even the repeated refrain in the chorus doesn’t do it for me. Sorry, Portugal, this isn’t my cup of tea.
Score: 5.5
Scarlett: Fans can always count on Portugal to be unapologetically itself, and “Grito” is yet another outstanding Portuguese entry with its fado-inspired influences. iolanda’s smooth, buttery a cappella vocals at the start are a welcome introduction, and the song builds to a satisfying climax thanks to its melancholy instrumentals before closing with a whisper. Like a shooting star, “Grito” is brief but brilliant.
Score: 8
Youyou: Normally, I find Portugal’s performances quite captivating and engaging. However, this particular song leaves me feeling somewhat underwhelmed. While it may aim for artistic expression, it fails to resonate with me personally. After listening to it, little remains in my memory except for the high notes that conclude the piece.
Score: 4
Portugal Eurovision 2024 ranking
In the Eurovision 2024 Wiwi Jury, we have 17 jurors but only have room for four reviews. The remaining scores are below:
|
Antranig: 7 Cinan: 7.5 Deban: 9.5 Georgia: 3.5 Jonathan: 7.5 Pablo: 4 Ron: 4.5 |
Ruxandra: 8.5 Sebastian: 2 Simon: 5 Suzanne: 7 Tom: 6 Tomas: 7 |
We have removed the highest and lowest scores prior to calculating the average. This is to remove outliers and potential bias. We have removed a low of 2 and a high of 9.5.
Wiwi Jury verdict: 6.30/10
What do you think of Portugal’s Eurovision 2024 entry? Share your own score and review for iolanda’s “Grito” below!
After having one of my favourite entries in 2022, Portugal let me down last year by ignoring much better options in their stellar selection, and sending a novelty cabaret act. Thankfully, this time around, they’re back with the sort of music that I can really get behind. The strongest section of the song is the opening, as Iolanda engages the listener with an A Capella vocal that has a beautiful lilt to it. There’s an addition of an acoustic guitar that plays almost a flowing, swimming scale. It is a perfect section. As the song progresses and they add more… Read more »
As a Spaniard I’ve always found me fighting with myself to at least like the entries of our beloved negihbours, but I just can’t. I’m not into the Spanish music either so that may have something to do. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Maro and Conan Osiris and both were among my top 5 in their respective year but, other than that, I can’t connect with their choices nor even most of the entries in Festival da Cançao. I’m sorry, I guess. I apprecite Iolanda’s effort and the quality of the song and the vocals. Nothing more from me.… Read more »
There song feels so deeply personal that I think it would be a crime for me to analyse it in full. The performances of this song at the Festival da Cançao were outstanding. The way that Iolanda emotes through the melody, and lets the beat move first before applying some of the rhythms is super-interpretative. Of course, the whole song builds to a “scream”. This is my preferred way of doing screams because it is an actual note of the scale (C) and not some unmelodic noise (like Ireland). The C-note scream is the 2nd of the scale falling to… Read more »
I should also mention that I just watched the acoustic performance of “Grito” at the Panteão Nacional in Lisbon on the ESC YouTube Channel . The rhythms have been tightened up since FdC, and the performance is now one very efficient flow through Iolanda and the two backing singers. I think its wonderful. It’s much softer and less edgy than the earlier performances were. This is developing nicely for Iolanda and Portugal.
One of my favourite songs this year. Portugal stays true to itself and delivers a song with personality and a singer with great vocals. I hope the public will appreciate this!
One of the best this year obviously, (if not the best) but there is not so much the merit of the song (although Iolanda’s life performance is stellar) but due to the horrid quality of almost all other entries. 7/10
I love this song so much. Iolanda is a amazing singer and deserves a place in the final. Portugal is my big favorite this year. She gets/my 12 points. Good luck Portugal
33rd place – Portugal Before I say anything, keep in mind this is personal opinion. No hate towards the artist! So I like the song, her vocals are good but it feels very bland or how should I say it… not that powerful of a song. If we compare with this years other songs, this one does not stand out to me at all. I forget most of the time how even the chorus goes. Therefore I put it on 33rd place. However when it comes to qualifying I do think this should qualify. If they do good staging (better… Read more »
It’s a nice ballad from Portugal, she performs it well, sounds amazing but I just don’t like the dancers. It’s borderline for me, Serbia’s ballad edges it for me
PORTUGAL – I don’t think that anyone who is familiar with the modern history of the Portuguese entries in Eurovision will be surprised that they are represented by a classy and atmospheric ballad in Portuguese. Regardless, this possesses the same qualities of those other great ballads: thoughtful lyrics, wonderfully crafted composition, and a powerful vocalist. Another Portuguese tradition that Grito continues is that we never get to hear the title within the lyrics. Instead, the main hook is in the form of “ainda arde” (“still burning”), a desire to release the pain. Thus, the message of the song still is… Read more »
I hope public will be intelligent enough to send this in final. If it doesn’t it will prove why juries are needed.
NQ sure, sorry.
This would make it if juries voted at the semis. But now, I don’t think she is in advantageous conditions
I usually love Portugals entries but this year the song just melts into the background for me. I don’t think this year they will qualify.
Great singer, great staging, forgetable and below averge song.
This is a great song. It deserves to qualify!
I’m with you
I don’t really pay any attention to it but I think it deserves to qualify over many others in semi 1.
best song of the esc24
19) Portugal – As always, I love what Portugal is sending in the most recent years. I don’t enjoy it as much as the past three entries, but the song is still absolute quality, and Iolanda’s voice is fantastic (and she’s very funny!). Great job, Portugal 🙂 6.5/10 (never a 2!!)
As far as I remember, a few years ago, this would be at the bottom of the community scoreboard and a definite NQ. What changed?
Anyways, since Portugal has France and Luxembourg’s diaspora votes in this semi, it won’t come last. But for a qualification, this song is just way too boring. For me personally, this was the only Semi Final 1 song I had to specially relisten just to remember at least part of it.
Portugal 11.5/12 – this has to be in the final !
I adore this song. In its simplicity it just gives me so much, there’s emotion and a journey. I don’t speak a word of Portuguese but this song speaks to me. Have I got this on repeat – yes. Do I think this will win? No. However, it had won with me. Incredible song!!
Score 10/10 (and its not my #1).
Silver star.
I wonder how many silver stars you will give out this season. 🙂
not ranking this one either
zero commercial appeal at all LOL, this cannot compete with actual stars like Beyonce, Miley Cyrus, Christina Aguilera, Nelly Furtado
Good job it’s not a “commercial appeal to the Anglosphere” contest
(Or is it?)
english songs have more appeal to the international music industry honestly
ok italian, spanish songs have good appeal as well
If Beyoncé releases Grito, it would be number one for 34 weeks and get 3 billion streams… the power of celebrity
So true.
Nelly Furtado can’t compete with Nelly Furtado anymore. And she doesn’t want to. I liked Loose, but Folklore was her best work.
Maneater is one of the reasons I find Unforgettable so bad. Nelly did that song in 2006 and today it still sounds more fresh and less irrelevant than Unforgettable, also lyrically.
I LOVE Folklore! Força is one of my favourite Nelly Furtado songs.
Powerless also. It was beautiful work from first to last song imo.
That one as well 🙂 Loose I of course liked (Timbaland was killing it back then), but I’ll always love Folklore and Whoa Nelly
Christina Aguilera?!
2003 called. They want their “stars” back.
LOL! The is the dumbest comment ever… There are no single Eurovision star competing with these Divas, especially Beyoncé… And that is even not the point… Wake up, baby!
4TH PLACE: PORTUGAL: I always have a soft spot for the times Portugal goes cultural with their entries. Iolanda offers us a nice fado-inspired modern ballad sung in one of my favourite languages when it comes to songs. The chorus’ melodical twists are well-crafted and impactful and that’s certainly my favourite part of the song. For some reason, a comparison with Spain’s entry from 2023 always comes to my mind when listening to this song, but I think Grito is more accessible than Eaea, while Eaea had a better staging: I like Portugal’s minimal approach yet the outfits don’t resonate… Read more »
We are on board here, Thanos! I will vote for Portugal in the semi. 🙂
I am afraid that just like Serbia (and perhaps even more), Portugal will need all the help it can get to qualify. They are both borderline as of now. Glad you will be voting!
Unfortunately, this song doesn’t leave anything to me. Even with the great running order, I don’t think it’ll leave enough of an impact to make it to the final.
I was shocked by Serbia’s result but this is just funny! People might start not taking your reviews seriously. Very strange to see such a low score for Portugal!
Did anyone ever take this “jury” seriously? Except Deban.
He’s the only one with taste, and some music knowledge
Listen, this is my 2nd place this year. At first I slept on this but now it’s right after greece for me
It’s indeed very sleep-inducing…
This entry deserves WAY more than this.
So, with Portugal, 2021 entry got around 4.3-4.8/10 here, 2022 entry got around 7.8/10, and now it’s 6.3/10.
Interesting how fans are able to see such a big difference between not that different entries, for example, those slow Portuguese songs.
Maro was in my top 5 that year. I agree that the melancholic core of the entry is similar but that song struck a much deeper emotional connection with me. Also, its gentleness made the sadness even more powerful. I don’t find anything wrong with iolanda’s entry, it just hasn’t connected with me in the same way emotionally speaking.
Nothing similar about these three songs other than a slower tempo. Maro’s song created a unique atmosphere, it was captivating and smart.
Agreed. Maro’s song is one of the best Eurovision songs from any country in the 2020’s. Even if you like either of 2021 or 2024, there are levels to this and Saudade, Saudade is levels above.
2020: Medo de Sentir was in my top 3, do think that would’ve done well either 2021: top 2 for me, loved The Black Mamba, very oldschool but also something very contemporary about it and that voice!!!! almost male macy gray vibes, that edge 2022: Maro’s was very hypnotic, such a super strong entry 2023: Mimicat, that was good fun, nice stageshow performance 2024: nothing against Iolanda, but Maria Joao should’ve won FdC and no nothing was wrong with her staging, Maria is just that quirky, alternative, from the world of jazz, quite the world star too, having performed with… Read more »
28. Portugal – Iolanda – Grito 5.5/10 – dripping with the classic introspection of a Festival da Cancao entry, I admire that Portugal is happy to stay in its own lane. The heavy melancholy creates a layer around the song which is quite hard to break down but there is a pleasing build through the middle third. I am however neither transfixed nor captivated in the way that the song wants me to be and whilst I can respect the efforts on display, I sadly remain a frustrated outsider to the song’s emotional core. It is delivered with Portugal’s trademark… Read more »
Could we be looking at another Salvador Sobral moment for Portugal?
Well, I guess all those techno songs will get 10 points from this jury…
My guess is that some of them might get 7-7.5/10. I’m sure that Croatia, Italy and Switzerland come out on top with a 8.5/10 average.
Wiwi ranking so far:
Thank you