The Heart & Hustle of Portugal

There is no doubt that D.A.M.A. are one of the most successful bands in contemporary Portuguese music. For over 13 years, they have performed more than 900 concerts, filled arenas and secured a unique place in the national music scene. What sets them apart, as they often say, is not a genre but an intention: rejecting labels and exploring Portuguese culture in all its diversity, translating it into a pop universe. In this conversation with Tony Gonçalves, they revisit the origins of the project, the creative chemistry that brought them together, and the evolution that led them to this moment — including their upcoming appearance at the International Portuguese Music Awards in the United States.
Cristo and Coimbra, two of the band’s three members, explain how D.A.M.A. was born from friendship, poem-writing, and a shared desire to “do things the right way.” They reflect on growing up under public scrutiny, on the early “boy band” label, and on the need to prove they were far more than that. Above all, they emphasise the strength of their personal bond — a three‑way democracy, moments of disagreement, and the commitment to still be sharing stages when they’re 60.
Today, D.A.M.A. embrace a clear mission: to carry Portuguese culture forward, without filters or borders. This mission comes to life in the projects that take them to the Alentejo, to the Minho, and soon to other Lusophone regions, immersing themselves in local traditions to recreate rhythms and emotions through a contemporary lens. It is this refusal to limit themselves — geographically, aesthetically, or musically — that keeps the band relevant and prepares them for the next chapter.
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Singer-songwriter Carolina Deslandes’ conversation with Tony Gonçalves that kicks off season 4 of “The Heart and Hustle of Portugal” podcast reveals an artist who moves between vulnerability and courage, always remaining true to herself. Deslandes speaks openly about motherhood, public exposure, and online hate with the frankness that characterizes her.
Carolina Deslandes explains how writing became her personal space of freedom and a way to address issues such as violence against women the rise of the far-right. She argues that freedom requires responsibility and access to information, something she sees as essential in a country where, she says, we are once again debating the “basics.”
Revisiting her artistic journey, Deslandes describes songwriting as a physical urgency, inseparable from the different stages of her life. She reflects on her early days on the TV show Ídolos, the challenge of balancing creativity and family life, and the moments of exhaustion that forced her to rethink her priorities.
But it is in the civic sphere that Deslandes asserts herself most strongly, invoking the legacy of the Carnation Revolution and criticising the narratives that aim to restrict rights, particularly those of women. Even so, she remains hopeful about the generosity of the Portuguese people and the cultural vitality that renews itself every day.
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Journalist Mariana Van Zeller returns to The Heart and Hustle of Portugal and expands her love for Portugal’s mascot: Bacalhau. Listen again to this season 3 episode.
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Listen again to this episode of The Heart and Hustle of Portugal with the actor Chazz Palminteri.
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Revisit the first episode of season 3 of The Heart and Hustle of Portugal with the singer-songwriter MARO.
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