José Cid represented Portugal for the first time at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1980. This week the singer released his latest album called Coisas do amor e do mar.

His career spans five decades and has a close connection with Festival da Canção and the Eurovision Song Contest. His first time at the Portuguese national final was in 1968. During the seventies, Cid made several attempts and his fisrt victory came in 1980 with the song Um grande, grande amor. In The Hague, Portugal achieved a respectable seventh place. In 1998, José Cid also stepped on the Eurovision stage as an accordeon player and backing singer for Inês Santos.

José Cid is one of the most prolific and successful singers and songwriters in Portugal. In 2009 he received an award in recognition of his vast work from the Sociedade Portuguesa de Autores (association that assures copyright for authors). His latest CD is called Coisas do amor e do mar and one of the tracks is already picked for the main theme of a soap-opera which means constant airplay.

The last few years he has been riding a wave of renewed fame when some had already predicted the end of his career. He has performed in major concerts with tens of thousands of attendants and has gained the interest of younger audiences.

Famous for his sometimes outreageous comments, Cid said in 2003 "If Elton John had born where I was born he wouldn't have the same success as I have".