How Portugese band Napa turned a Eurovision flop into 143 million streams

“Deslocado” by Napa, Portugal’s entry for Eurovision 2025, came a lowly 21st place but the story of the gentle ballad didn’t end with the competition. In the weeks that followed, it went on to become the most streamed song of last year’s song contest. The track landed in the charts not only in Europe and the Lusophone market of Brazil but also in Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.

With an impressive 143 million plays on Spotify, “Deslocado” was a game-changer for the five-piece Lisbon-based band behind it. “We can now live off making music and doing concerts,” vocalist and guitarist Guilherme Gomes tells Monocle. “We have so many fans in Portugal and around the world. Eurovision changed everything.”

Napa’s members are friends who formed a band in high school in Madeira in 2013. Back then, they were called Men on the Couch and mostly sang in English. “We were what you would call a textbook garage band,” says Gomes. Their rebirth as Napa (the name refers to a fabric used to cover their old sofa) happened in 2019 and, with it, they started to sing in their mother tongue. “When we switched to Portuguese, it opened a lot of doors for us,” adds Gomes. “We could express ourselves more creatively and more organically.”

Before their turn on Eurovision, Napa had released two albums, in 2019 and 2023. Their third is expected this autumn. Its first single, “Sortudo” (“Lucky”), hints at the sunny nature of the upcoming record. The chorus translates as, “I’m so lucky/I have friends around the world/I have a safe haven.” Clearly, the band is feeling upbeat. “It’s optimistic music – we wanted to reflect everything that happened to us last year and all the luck that we had,” says Gomes. “For the new album, expect more of that tropical feeling that we associate with Madeira. There’s a bright side to the island that we wanted to capture in the music.” “You are surrounded by these extremely good musicians everywhere you go in Madeira. I guess that fuelled us”

Madeira is known for its impressive nature, distinctive fortified wine and great hotels but less so for its contribution to Portugal’s thriving pop-music scene. While the influences of the island might be subtle, they can still be heard on Napa’s new record. “We used some instruments that are traditionally from Madeira,” says guitarist Francisco Sousa. “It’s our interpretation of what the Madeiran music scene is today.” Madeira might not have many breakout chart stars but music is everywhere on the island. “Because you have a lot of tourism in Madeira, there are musicians playing at hotels and bars,” says drummer João Rodrigues. “You’re surrounded by these extremely good musicians everywhere you go. I guess that fuelled our love for music.”

The new album also features influences from further afield: the band travelled to Brazil to record parts of it, adding an extra layer of texture to their songs. On some tracks, you can hear the noises of everyday life in the country. “One day it was raining and you can hear a bit of that, as well as some dogs barking in the background,” says Sousa. More generally, though, Napa’s breezy take on rock is reminiscent of beloved Anglophone bands such as American dream-poppers Beach House or Australian group Parcels. There is sometimes a hint of melancholy to Napa’s songs and Gomes’s soulful vocals but it’s always underpinned by punchy, propulsive beats and guitar.

The band’s influences vary depending on which member you ask: The Strokes, Fontaines DC, Geese and Wet Leg are all mentioned when Monocle asks what the group has been listening to as they prepare for their upcoming gigs. In November, the band will tour across Europe, including dates in Frankfurt, London, Madrid and Paris. The new album will take centre stage but fans of the song that made the band stars shouldn’t worry. “I just have a feeling that we will play ‘Deslocado’,” says Rodrigues, with a laugh.