- published: 22 Apr 2009
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"Força" (Portuguese for "strength") is a pop folk song written by Portuguese-Canadian singer Nelly Furtado, and Gerald Eaton and Brian West for Furtado's second studio album Folklore. It is sung mainly in English, with the chorus completely in the Portuguese language. It was produced by Track & Field and received a positive reception from music critics. Released in June 2004, the song was chosen as the official anthem of the 2004 European Football Championship held in Portugal. The song was considered to represent Portugal at the Eurovision Song Contest 2004 in Istanbul, however, the plans of Portuguese broadcaster RTP changed, selecting a song through a different method[citation needed].
Furtado said about the song: "When I was touring in Portugal, people would frequently say goodbye to me by saying "Força", which is Portuguese slang. It translates as "Keep going", or "Kick ass". It's also associated with sports, especially football. I put a feminine twist on the idea of how you feel when you’re watching your favorite team. When you tie that into nationality, it becomes pretty intense. So this is a happy song, a burst of energy. Plus, we have [banjoist] Béla Fleck playing on the song. His contribution here is amazing.".
Nelly Kim Furtado (born December 2, 1978) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. Furtado first gained fame with her debut album, Whoa, Nelly!, and its single "I'm Like a Bird", which won a 2001 Juno Award for Single of the Year and a 2002 Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Her second studio album, Folklore, was released. It was less commercially successful in the US but produced three international singles: "Powerless (Say What You Want)", "Try", and "Força" (the theme of the 2004 European Football Championship). Her third studio album, Loose was her biggest success worldwide. It produced the number-one hits "Promiscuous", "Maneater", "Say It Right" and "All Good Things (Come to an End)". After a three-year break, she released her first full-length Spanish album, Mi Plan. For Mi Plan, Furtado received the Latin Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Album. Furtado's fourth English-language studio album, The Spirit Indestructible, is set for release on September 18, 2012.