Célia Lawson

Executive summary

Celia Lawson is a Portuguese singer and songwriter whose career moves between pop, rock, and metal in Portugal. Celia Lawson was born on 9 June 1974 in Luanda, Angola. She began performing as a teenager.  In 1997, Celia Lawson won Festival RTP da Canção with the ballad “Antes do Adeus” and represented Portugal at the Eurovision Song Contest 1997 final in Dublin.  She later recorded albums, gained credits as a songwriter, returned to rock under Ira, and still releases music today.  She also returned to prime-time TV in 2017 on The Voice Portugal. 

Early life and first musical steps

Celia Lawson started singing in local bands at age 15. At first, she performed cover songs. Soon, she moved toward original material, and she built a strong live presence.  Public profiles do not clearly state when she moved from Angola to Portugal, so that detail remains unspecified. Even so, her professional path became closely tied to Portugal’s music and television scene. 

In 1992, she joined the tour choir of Adelaide Ferreira, which gave her early professional experience.  Meanwhile, she explored heavier sounds. In 1992–1993, she sang with the Portuguese metal band V12.  That chapter sharpened her vocal power and stage confidence. Later, she brought that rock edge into a broader pop setting, which helped her stand out among emerging voices of the 1990s. 

TV breakthrough and national final win

In 1996, Celia Lawson reached a wider audience through Chuva de Estrelas, a talent show on SIC.  She reached the final with a performance connected to Oleta Adams, and the programme strengthened her reputation as a live singer.  As a result, she entered 1997 with more visibility and stronger momentum. 

On 7 March 1997, Celia Lawson performed live at the 34th Festival RTP da Canção, held at Coliseu dos Recreios in Lisbon.  The competition, organised by RTP, selected Portugal’s Eurovision entry.  She sang “Antes do Adeus,” with lyrics by Rosa Lobato de Faria and music and conducting by Thilo Krassmann.  Celia Lawson won the festival and also received the event’s interpretation prize, which highlighted her vocal work.  Later that spring, she represented Portugal at Eurovision 1997 and finished 24th. 

Beyond Eurovision: albums, writing, and genre shifts

After Eurovision, she released the album First. Around the same time, she expanded her work as a songwriter. She received a songwriter credit for “Eu Sou Aquele”, a hit by the Portuguese pop group Excesso.  Therefore, her career included both front-stage visibility and behind-the-scenes work. 

In the early 2000s, she stayed connected to television and live stages in Portugal, and RTP continued to feature her on entertainment programmes.  In 2002, she released a promotional CD and worked toward the album Faith. Step by step, she broadened her catalogue beyond the 1990s. 

Celia Lawson also returned to heavier music. She later used the stage name Ira and released the rock and metal project On the Road to the Unknown.  This chapter linked back to her earlier metal experience and showed her range as a vocalist. 

Return to TV and independent releases today

Celia Lawson’s career includes long periods outside the main spotlight. She lived in England for ten years and later returned to Portugal.  In 2017, she lived in Mem Martins.  That year, she joined The Voice Portugal because she wanted a new chance in television and music.  She advanced beyond the first audition, and the show introduced her to a new generation of viewers. 

In 2016, Celia Lawson also spoke publicly about the shock of her Eurovision result and how it affected her career path in Portugal.  In recent years, she has focused on independent releases. In 2022, she released the albums Celia Lawson Anthology I and Celia Lawson Anthology II, which collected earlier material across different styles.  After that, she added newer projects, including the EP “Raios De Luz” in 2024 and the single “A Página” in 2025.  She also continued speaking about her journey in interviews, including a 2025 appearance on Rádio Alta Tensão’s Amigos à Conversa.  As of 2026, her most visible public activity combines selective media work with digital releases, while some minor discography details remain difficult to confirm in one official list.