Portuguese Broadcaster RTP has been slow to reveal information on their Eurovision Song Contest participation this year. However, we can already update some information on the Festival da Canção 2007.

The show will take place at Sala Tejo of the Atlantic Arena on 10th March. This year only televoting will be used to choose the Portuguese entry to the ESC 2007. The lines will be open for 30 minutes.

Songs must be original and the producers are also responsible to pick the composers and the lyristics, as well the singers. First, they have to submit a demo until February 9th and them, the final version with the voice recorded, until February 19th.

The songs must be written in Portuguese with, maybe, small pieces in other languages. Songs cannot be made public until the day of the selection.

As esctoday had already reported, the 10 producers invited to take part are as folllows:

Elvis Veiguinha – Coisas de nada ( Portugal 2006) and Na noite és Tu e eu ( Portuguese finalist 2006)
Emanuel – so called King of Pimba, a kind of Portuguese schlager
Fernando Martins – musician, TV host
João Barbosa – aka Lil John producer of the group Buraka Som Sistema
José Cid – Portugal 1980 ( Um grande, grande amor) and 1998 ( composer and member of Alma Lusa)
Luís Jardim – jury of the Portuguese version of Idols
Luís Oliveira – Alma Nova and Durmo Com Pedras Na Cama (Portuguese finalists 2006 )
Nuno Carvalho – owner of NZ Productions that launched several famous pop groups in Portugal including the boys bands Anjos and Excesso
Nuno Feist – known musician and once memberr of a duo with his well-knownbrother Henrique Feist
Ramon Galarza – produced As Minhas Guitarras and Nunca Mais Te Digo Adeus ( Portuguese finalists 2006 )

As far as the performers are concerned, only4 nameshave beenrevealed so far:

• Teresa Radamanto, who took part at the 1998 Festival da Canção, is the choice of Fernando Martins producer;
• Marta Plantier is the choice of producer Luís Jardim;
• Melo D, the portuguese rapper chosen by João Barbosa; and
• Zé P. will peform José Cid's song titled A Ilha.

The voting procedure willfollow the system of100% televoting, which will last around 30 minutes.

Portugal is going to take part in the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest semi final on 10th May in Helsinki, Finland.