14 music videos that will take you through the paths of Portugal
Long before the tourist boom, famous musicians and directors were showcasing Portugal to the world through their music videos. Discover 14 of them with All About Portugal.
Music videos have the power to transport us to other worlds. Through them, we meet people, stories and cultures, fall in love with landscapes and travel without leaving the comfort of your armchair. Throughout the years, Portugal has served as inspiration and scenery for several international artists and directors, surrendered to the light of Lisbon, the almost supernatural beauty of Sintra or the beaches bathed in sunlight. All About Portugal offers you a different itinerary, through the places where celebrities such as Shakira, U2 or Depeche Mode have recorded some of their music videos.
Jonas Blue, “Rise”
The sun and the light of Lisbon fit perfectly into the rhythm and upbeat lyrics of "Rise", theme by British producer Jonas Blue, recorded in partnership with duo Jack & Jack. Resonant name of the poster of the Academic Week of Lisbon in 2018, the artist took advantage of the stay in the capital to record the video clip, which counts on the participation of Portuguese models and has as scenarios the Vasco da Gama Bridge, the Skate Park of Parque das Nações and the streets of Mouraria. An excellent business card!
Kodaline, “Worth It” (Acoustic)
In 2018, the Irish band Kodaline released the album "Politics of Living" and found a different way to promote it. They recorded a series of video clips in different parts of the globe, with acoustic versions of the songs. With Portugal occupying "a special place in their heart", as they made a point of announcing to the world, they chose a scenario made of magic and mystery for the "unplugged" version of the single "Worth It": the Initiation Well of Quinta da Regaleira in Sintra.
Robin Schultz, “Headlights”
An abandoned water park can be a bleak sight. But if we add a fun group of bathers to do all kinds of usual acrobatics in the pools (although, in this case, without water), the picture changes. The curious video of the song "Headlights" by Robin Schultz, shot in 2015 at a former water park in Altura, Algarve, shows us that we do not need much to be happy. A toast to the sun, music and friendship.
Armin van Buuren ft. Cimo Fränkel, “Strong Ones”
The Dutch Armin Buuren and Cimo Frankel chose a "postcard" version of Portugal for the "Strong Ones" video clip. In 2015, they walked through Lisbon, along the beautiful beach of Adraga and the picturesque village of Azenhas do Mar, in Sintra. With the typical houses cascading down to the sea, the Atlantic to lose sight of, and of course a breathtaking sunset, this is the perfect setting for any love story.
Shakira, “Dare (La La La)”
The beauty and vibrant personality of the Portuguese capital does not leave anyone indifferent, let alone the global mega star Shakira. The Colombian landed in Lisbon in the summer of 2012 to film the video for "Dare (La La La)", a theme that was later re-recorded with Carlinhos Brown for the World Cup in Brazil. Alone or surrounded by dancers, Shakira sings and dances at the top of the Eduardo VII Park and parades her sensuality next to the Portugal Pavilion, in Parque das Nações.
David Guetta ft. Usher, “Without You”
With the very unique features that characterize it, or as if it were some paradise of sun and sea, Portugal shines on the small screen. The music video for "Without You", a 2011 hit by producer and French DJ David Guetta, voiced by the no less famous Usher, shows us beach parties in Brazil, Thailand, South Africa and the United States. In fact, they were all filmed on the beach of Fonte da Telha, in Costa da Caparica. The idea is inspiring: to unite all peoples, under the same sun.
Inna, “Amazing”
He travelled from Romania to reveal to the world the incredible beauty of the Portuguese beaches. In the music video of "Amazing", Inna is the protagonist of a summer love between her and a lifeguard who, according to legend, was Portuguese and, in the years of 2009, a true lifeguard of the beach of Carcavelos. The video also highlights a group of young people from a local surf school and Inna herself, catching perfect waves, right at the gates of Lisbon.
Dido, “The Day Before the Day”
In 2008, the landscape of Nazareth and the life of the local fishing community swept the world to the sound of the song "The Day Before The Day" by the British Dido. The beauty of the village would, in and of itself, justify the choice, but the explanation is even simpler. The video was directed by a Portuguese woman, Cristina Miranda, who associated the theme with one word: saudade. The video shows us the melancholy in the fishermen's gestures, the mourning in the eyes of their women and, of course, the struggle for better days.
U2 / Jacknife Lee 10, “Vertigo remix”
In 2004, Sintra, Barreiro and Lisbon received four very special visitors: the Irish U2. In the company of Dutch photographer and director Anton Corbijn, the band performed a series of photo shoots, from which came a calendar, the album cover "How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb" - with a group photo sitting on the balcony of an old complex of swimming pools in Praia das Maçãs, in Sintra -, and the video of "Vertigo", remixed by Jacknife Lee, included in the official DVD.
Limp Bizkit, “Boiler”
With a unique architecture, similar to a castle or church, the Mãe d'Água Reservoir of Amoreiras was built to receive and distribute the waters transported by the Águas Livres Aqueduct. In 2000, the then Water Museum, was the place chosen by Fred Durst to record the video clip of the theme "Boiler". Limp Bizkit was at the height of fame when, between two concerts in the capital, the singer recorded the clip in that unique setting of peace and magic, contrasting with the anger of the song.
Guano Apes, “Living in a Lie”
The German Guano Apes maintained, in the 90s, a true love affair with Portugal. They gave dozens of concerts from north to south, on their own behalf, in academic weeks or summer festivals. Among the numerous performances, there was a very special one: the Festival Sudoeste, in Zambujeira do Mar, it was the year 2000. It was so memorable that the music video for "Living in a Lie" includes excerpts from the concert, which would later appear, in full, in the band's documentary "Planet of the Apes".
Kent, “747”
Do you remember a Swedish band called Kent? Except for those who sing in English, it is considered one of the biggest Scandinavian rock bands, despite being little known outside the region. In the second half of the 1990s, however, they met some success beyond their borders with the album "Isola", sung in English. The single "747" was one of their greatest hits and was entitled to a video clip, filmed in Lisbon, with the cinematographic Ponte 25 de Abril serving as backdrop.
Depeche Mode, “Enjoy the Silence”
Already humming? Fan of Depeche Mode or not, surely you will have heard this song at a certain point in your life. Included in the 1990 album "Violator", it was a resounding success and is, until today, the brand image of the band. The music video, directed by Anton Corbjin, was filmed in Spain, Switzerland and Portugal. With a mantle and crown, like a king, and a folding chair under his arm, singer David Gahan walks in search of silence through the Alentejo plains and the cliffs of Prainha, in Portimão.
Tanita Tikaram, “Cathedral Song”
Long before the tourist boom hit Portugal, Tanita Tikaram recorded, in Portuguese lands, the video clip for the song "Cathedral Song" (that deserved an equally successful Portuguese version, by the Brazilian Zélia Duncan ). The clip tells of a summer love story between two bathers. The Cristo-Rei (Christ the King), in Almada, the Rosa dos Ventos (Compass Rose), next to the Monument of the Discoveries, in Lisbon, and Praia Grande, in Sintra, were beautifully portrayed in black and white!
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