"From the moment I wrote a song about croquettes… It's taking a risk"

F ollowing her first highly successful track 'Portas do Sol', featured on the album 'Ao Fundo da Rua', released in 2022, Nena presents herself with 'Um Brinde ao Agora'. The singer announced her new work on May 16th and spoke to Notícias ao Minuto days before the album was released.

Composed of 14 songs - among them 'Amigo não empata amigo', 'os croquetes acaba', 'No próximo ano' or 'Nós Pena!' -, it brings us, he highlights, "songs that are more for dancing, with more rhythm". "It's not very similar to the first album", he adds, referring to the fact that it has fewer ballads.

"My goal is also to make people dance, scream, cry, smile... I even used to say this to my producers: The feeling I want to give people is to open the car window, hair in the wind and sing this at the top of their lungs. I hope it makes people feel that way," he explains.

'A Toast to Now' features two collaborations, on the song 'Remember Me?' (with Carolina de Deus) and 'Waiting for the End' (with Luís Trigacheiro).

Having already performed on stages such as the Coliseu de Lisboa and the Super Bock Arena, Nena is preparing to sing at Campo Pequeno on October 4th, where she will present this new work. In addition, the singer can be seen on Sundays on the small screen, on 'The Voice Kids', on RTP1, experiences that were also topics of conversation during the interview with Notícias ao Minuto .

This record is me trying to remind myself - and also the people I hope will listen to this and feel this - that it's important to focus on the now and embrace this self-love of ours, and this attempt to live in the present.

You promoted this new album on Instagram, as is only natural, and I was struck by the fact that you said that this new work is "a toast to the good and bad times". How would you classify your path to this 'Toast'?

One thing I really like to do to try to understand the titles of albums, at least that's what happened on the last album and this one, is to look at the songs as a whole and understand the common points. Normally I can't start from a title and then write the songs. I'm that person who writes a lot of songs, who's always writing, I live a little bit based on that and from there I can understand what connects them, and what this phase of my life means.

'A Toast to the Now' is about me moving from my 20s to my 30s, and constantly trying to embrace self-love and living in the now. I think we all get too caught up in things that happened in the past, or what's going to happen. This record is me trying to remind myself - and also the people I hope will listen to it and feel this - that it's important to focus on the now and embrace this self-love of ours, and trying to live in the present.

It shows a little more of who I am and I'm not so afraid to talk about certain subjects, about what I feel like.

Comparing the first big hit song - 'Portas do Sol' - with what you present now on this new album, do we have a more mature Nena?

It's an album that's a little more mature, without a doubt. When I wrote 'Ao Fundo da Rua', the first album that's part of 'Portas do Sol', I was 23 years old. Now I'm 28, so, as I was saying earlier, it's between the transition from 20 to 30, I'm really here in limbo, already turning 30. [laughs] I've grown up in these last few years, I like to believe so.

It's not that the last album didn't fully show who I was, I think it's part of the process, you discover what you want to put out there, what makes sense to you at the time. But this one shows a little more of who I am and I'm not so afraid to talk about certain subjects, about what I feel like, deep down. It's an album that I couldn't be more proud of for that, too, for the sincerity that will show people where I come from, who I am and what I want to do with my life.

From the moment I wrote a song about croquettes and people liked it… From the moment I took that step, it showed me that the important thing is to take risks

Is music the way you truly express yourself?

What I like most, too, is not taking things too seriously. For example, the song 'os croquetes acaba' is a song that allowed me to open the doors to that a little bit. From the moment I wrote a song about croquettes and people liked it... From the moment I took that step, it showed me that the important thing is to take risks. Even if people don't like it later, just being able to take these steps and try to do what we feel like at the time is really great. And, curiously, they are the songs I like writing the most. Songs that make me think: Am I really going to release this? I am!

As you mentioned earlier, you want to convey the message of 'living in the now', and to pass on to yourself the message of 'enjoying the moment'. Do you feel that you have reached a 'plateau' where you can start to enjoy your career a little more?

More or less… When we achieve things, we shouldn’t stop there. It’s important to keep working. I like to roll up my sleeves, regardless of the things we achieve, and keep working. That’s the most important thing.

All I can say about the concert is that it will be very special, we will have many surprises

In October you will make your debut at Campo Pequeno, where you will present this new album. How are the preparations for this show going? Is there anything you can reveal?

I can't reveal much. All I can say about the concert is that it's going to be very special, we're going to have a lot of surprises. These big concerts are very special because it's where all the people who have been with us since the beginning come together. And a lot of fans who send me messages, who are there for me. It's a space where I can bring together these fans, these people, my family, my friends... There are only good things about these big concerts. I really want to give back to the people who have been with us and give them a lot of surprises.

All the children who go through the program inspire me a lot because they reveal a maturity, a courage, that leaves me speechless.

You are one of the mentors on 'The Voice Kids', on RTP1, which is a first for you. How is this experience?

I've been a fan of the show for years because I used to watch it with my dad. We're kind of fanatics about 'The Voice Kids' all over the world. We'd sit in the living room and watch 'The Voice Kids' from Norway, from the United States... We'd also watch the adult version.

Having received this invitation - which I was not expecting at all - was a huge surprise and a great joy. It has exceeded my expectations even more. The time I spent with the mentors, [presenter] Catarina Furtado, who is also incredible... I am a huge fan of all of them! Suddenly, seeing people I grew up listening to and sitting there next to me is truly incredible. Also, all the children who appear on the programme inspire me a lot because they show a maturity and courage that leaves me speechless.

I started writing when I was 12, with my guitar in my room, and I wrote in my little corner, in my notebook. I would never have had the courage, at their age, to go on stage.

Do you end up seeing yourself in those children?

Without a doubt. I started writing when I was 12, with my guitar in my room, and I would write in my little corner, in my notebook. I would never have had the courage, at their age, to go up on stage with their mentors with their backs turned… It takes courage! I am really impressed. I do identify with that, because I see the passion in their eyes and the way they give themselves to music - and that means so much to them, but not in the sense of going up on that stage at that age, which is why I admire them even more.

We could not have been better represented by Iolanda, and this year by NAPA. They are people who deserve much for their talent, for all their work and dedication.

Last year you competed in the Festival da Canção, with a view to reaching Eurovision, but the person who represented Portugal ended up being Iolanda with the song 'Grito'. Is going to Eurovision a goal, something you aspire to?

I've always been a big fan of Eurovision and the Song Festival. When I got the invitation from RTP, I wasn't expecting it at all. I went with the idea of going and meeting new artists. I wanted to enjoy the experience, but it wasn't an ambition. It wasn't something I dreamed about when I was 10 years old.

We could not have been better represented by Iolanda, and this year by NAPA. They are people who deserve a lot for their talent, for all their work and dedication.

Remind myself how lucky I am to be here and continue to work hard, and the rest is history.

What direction would you like your career to take from here?

As the title of the album says, I don't know what's going to happen. The goal is to try to celebrate every moment, whether it's good or bad. To remind myself how lucky I am to be here and to keep working hard, and the rest is history. What I can do now is to work, to make an effort, to continue on this path and to do what I love most, which is music. The rest is whatever people want, it's the story that happens naturally.

But is there any artist, an idol (who knows), with whom you would like to collaborate and haven't had that opportunity yet?

There are many Portuguese artists that I admire. I would love to collaborate with Miguel Araújo, for example. I am a huge fan of his and I think he is one of the best composers and singers in Portugal. He is someone I admire a lot and who inspires me.

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