Process for choosing Portugal’s Eurovision representative starts today – Culture
The process of choosing Portugal’s representative in the 66th Eurovision Song Contest, which takes place in May in Italy, begins this Saturday with the first semifinal of the Song Festival, in Lisbon, in which ten themes compete.
In today’s semifinal, which will be transferred directly on RTP1, from the Lisbon studios, the following are competing, in the order of presentation: “Tomorrow” (theme composed by Tiago Nogueira and performed by Os Quatro e Meia), “Calisun” (theme written and performed by The Mister Driver), “Ginger Ale” (Joana Espadinha/Diana Castro), “How good it is to wait” (FF), “Hope” (Norton), “Why?” (Aurea), “A minha praia” (Kumpania Algazarra), “Saudade saudade” (Maro), “Odisseia” (Valas/Valas & Os Astronautas) and “Povo pequenino” (Fado Bicha).
Of these songs, five will be chosen for the final, scheduled for March 12, also at RTP’s studios.
In the first semifinal of the competing artists, also Rita Red Mamba, Expensive Soul da Cunha.
In the second semifinal, scheduled for Monday, also at RTP’s studios in Lisbon, another ten songs compete. On that day they will be chosen as songs that will compete in the final.
In the semifinals, the weight of votes will be shared between spectators and a jury, composed of singers Dulce Pontes, Dino D’Santiago, Surma, Teresa Salgueiro, Tatanka, actor Pedro Granger and journalist Miguel Cadete.
Finally, the jury’s votes will be made by representatives of seven regions of mainland Portugal and islands.
In the event of a tie, in the semifinals the choice of the jury prevails and, in the final, the choice of the public.
The winner of the Song Contest will represent Portugal in the Eurovision Song Contest, scheduled for May, in Turin, Italy.
Of the 20 participants in this year’s edition, 16 were invited by RTP and four (Pedro Marques, Pepperoni Passion, The Mister Driver and Tiago Nogueira, from Os Quatro e Meia) were chosen through a contest.
The contest themes can now be heard on the Festival da Canção Youtube channel.
The song “Love is on my side”, composed by Tatanka M and performed by The Black, won last year the Song Contest, having Portugal tested it in the Eurovision contest in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.