RTP, the Portuguese national broadcaster, has unveiled the names of the sixteen Festival da Cançao 2019 hopefuls during a special press conference in Lisbon today.

The Portuguese broadcaster is working round the clock in order to prepare for its forthcoming national selection. RTP has released further details regarding its traditional song festival and has also announced the names of the sixteen artists who will be vying to represent Portugal at the upcoming Eurovision edition in Israel.

The 16 FdC Candidates

• Calema – A Dois
• Conan Osíris – Telemóveis
• Ana Cláudia – Inércia
• João Campos – É o Que É
• Filipe Keil – Hoje
• Ela Limão – Mais Brilhante Que Mil Sóis
• Soraia Tavares – O Meu Sonho
• Matay – Perfeito
• Lara Iaquiz – O Lugar
• Madrepaz – Mundo a Mudar
• Mariana Bragada – Mar Doce
• Dan Riverman – Lava
• NBC – Igual a Ti
• Mila Dores – Debaixo do Luar
• Marlon – O Jantar
• Surma – Pugna

You can listen to the competing entries here.

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 Semi-final 1
• 23/02/2019-Festival da Cançao Semi-final 2
• 02/03/2019-Festival da Cançao Grand Final

The semi-finals will be held at the RTP Studios in Lisbon whilst the venue and host city for the grand final will be held in Portimão.

The hosts

A total of six hosts will be presenting the upcoming Portuguese national selection; namely 2 hosts per show:

• Sónia Araújo & Tânia Ribas de Oliveira (Semi-final 1)
• Jorge Gabriel & José Carlos Malato (Semi-final 2)
  
• Filomena Cautela &Vasco Palmeirim (Grand Final)

Filomena Cautela was one of the four charming hostesses at the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon. She has hosted FdC several times and is one of RTP’s most sought after television presenters.

Inês Lopes Gonçalves will be the Green Room host during all three shows.

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.