Portugal: RTP to unveil Festival da Cançao hopefuls on 21 January

by Sanjay (Sergio) Jiandani 411 views

RTP, the Portuguese national broadcaster, has confirmed today that it will be unveiling the names of  the sixteen Festival Da Cançao participants via a special press conference on Monday 21 January.

The Portuguese national broadcaster is working from strength to strength in its quest to organize the upcoming Portuguese national selection- Festival da Cançao 2019. On Monday 21 January  we will find out the names of the sixteen lucky FdC 2019 hopefuls who will battle for the golden to Tel Aviv.

RTP will be holding a special press conference in order to introduce the 2019 FdC acts to the assembled press and media. The broadcaster is expected to unveil more details on the forthcoming FdC edition.

Fourteen of the competing composers at FdC 2019 were invited by RTP, whilst two composers were selected via an open public selection and a radio selection (Masterclass).

The 2019 FdC Composers

  • André Tentúgal
  • Calema
  • Conan Osíris
  • D’Alva
  • D.A.M.A
  • Filipe Keil
  • Flak
  • Frankie Chavez ( selected via public submission window)
  • Lura
  • Mariana Bragada (selected via Masterclass)
  • Miguel Guedes
  • NBC
  • Rui Maia
  • São Pedro
  • Surma
  • Tiago Machado

Festival da Canção 2019

The 2019 FdC will consist of three shows ( two semi-finals and a grand final) scheduled to be held in February and March 2019.

A total of 16 acts will battle for the golden ticket to Tel Aviv, 8 acts will compete in each semi-final, the top 4 entries from each semi-final will proceed to the Grand Final of FdC.  Hence 8 acts will fight for the right to represent Portugal at the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest in the Portuguese national final.

  • 16/02/2019- Festival da Cançao Semifinal 1
  • 23/02/2019-Festival da Cançao Semifinal 2
  • 02/03/2019-Festival da Cançao Grand Final

The semifinals will be held at the RTP Studios in Lisbon whilst the venue and host city for the grand final are yet to be confirmed.

Portugal in Eurovision

Portugal debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1964 and has won the competition once, namely in 2017 with Salvador Sobral‘s Amor pelo dois. The country successfully hosted the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon.

Portugal has competed 50 times in the Eurovision Song Contest and will see its 51st participation in Tel Aviv next year.

In 2018 Claudia  Pascoal & Isaura were crowned the winners of Festival da Cançao and had the honour to defend the Portuguese colours at the Eurovision Song Contest on home soil with their entry O Jardim. Despite a beautiful peformace the 2018 ESC host nation finished last in the Grand Final.