Maria Guinot (20 June 1945 – 3 November 2018) was a Portuguese singer, best known for her participation in the 1984

Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest (), often known simply as Eurovision, is an international Music competition, song competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) among its members since 1956. Each participating broadcaster ...

Biography

Born in Barreiro,

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...

, Guinot released two EPs, "La mère sans enfant" and "Balada do negro só" in the late 1960s, then took a long break from the music industry. She returned in 1981 performing a song, "Um adeus, um recomeço", in the Portuguese Eurovision selection, '' Festival da Canção'', where she finished third. Her second attempt in ''Festival da Cançao'' came in 1984, when her song " Silêncio e tanta gente" ("Silence and So Many People") emerged the winner. Guinot went forward as the Portuguese representative in the 29th Eurovision Song Contest, held in

Luxembourg City Luxembourg (; ; ), also known as Luxembourg City ( or ; ; or ), is the capital city of Luxembourg and the Communes of Luxembourg, country's most populous commune. Standing at the confluence of the Alzette and Pétrusse rivers in southern Luxe ...

on 5 May. "Silêncio e tanta gente", a reflective ballad with Guinot accompanying herself on

piano A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are depressed, activating an Action (music), action mechanism where hammers strike String (music), strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys, tuned to a c ...

, was performed last in the running order, and provided a low-key ending to the contest. It finished in 11th place of the 19 entries. Following her Eurovision appearance, Guinot continued performing and composing. She has released three albums, and has often collaborated on projects with other musicians. In 2010 she suffered three strokes and stopped playing the piano. Maria Guinot died on 3 November 2018 from a lung infection at the age of 73.

Albums discography

*1987: ''Esta palavra mulher'' *1991: ''Maria Guinot'' *2004: ''Tudo passa''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Guinot, Maria 1945 births 2018 deaths Singers from Lisbon People from Barreiro, Portugal 20th-century Portuguese women singers 21st-century Portuguese women singers Deaths from respiratory tract infection Eurovision Song Contest entrants