Música, identidade cultural e globalização

: a construção de uma identidade portuguesa na música dos Deolinda

Abstract

In Cultural Studies, the topic of cultural identity is a recurring theme. As an interdisciplinary field, it examines identity through the lens of various connected disciplines, such as Popular Music Studies. This latter field, although relatively new and still evolving, has been gradually gaining attention, utilizing diverse methodologies that depend on both the object of study and the research purpose, while addressing a set of recurring themes. The dialogue between Music and Identity frequently arises within the discipline’s thematic framework, serving as the starting point for this critical exercise. Thus, framing the study within the issue of National Identity, we address the topic of Portuguese identity, shared by an imagined community and considered a cultural construct in permanent reconfiguration, highlighting the aspects that contribute to its construction, particularly with globalization. Taking the nation as a narration (cf. Bhabha, 1990), we understand popular music, in this case, Portuguese popular music, as a cultural field in which this narrative can also be constructed. Consequently, the musical project Deolinda (2008-2017) serves as the subject of this critical exercise, situated within the landscape of 21st-century Portuguese popular music. A predominantly qualitative approach was chosen for its analysis, structured into four key areas: the contexts and discourses surrounding the project, the song lyrics, the music itself, and their visual identity and performances. Methodologically, we adopt the analytical strategy suggested by David Machin (2010), which advocates for a segmented analysis of popular music (lyrics, music, and imagery). Additionally, we propose a methodology applicable to other musical objects, drawing on insights from various scholars Furthermore, Simon Frith (1996), in his exploration of the relationship between music and identity, argues that music not only represents identity but can also embody it. Accordingly, we interpret the Deolinda project as not merely representing a construction of Portuguese identity but actively incorporating that construction through its lyrics, music, imagery, performances, and related contexts. This process evolves and reconfigures itself over time, mirroring the fluid nature of cultural identity. Deolinda thus exemplifies the thesis that national identity is also constructed through (Portuguese) popular music. Furthermore, despite the impact of globalization on identity formation, symbolic markers associated with the imagined community of Portugal persist in popular music, particularly in Deolinda, rooted in collective memory and history, and in a growing convergence between popular and traditional music.

Date of Award	15 Feb 2025
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Peter Hanenberg (Supervisor)