RTP has issued a provisional line-up with the titles of the songs and performers taking part at the 2008 Festival da Canção. Some titles are still to be announced. You can read here what can be expected from each song or performer.
Here is the list of titles and singers, in alphabetical order:
Alex Smith – Obrigatório ter
Alex Smith participated in the last edition of Operação Triunfo and reached the final stages of the competition. He was named the favourite by the public in some galas. The music is by Jan van Dijck and the lyrics by Pedro Malaquias who are experienced professionals having been in the nineties in the Portuguese national final.
BIG HIT – Por ti Portugal
The group BIG HIT was created specifically for the national final. It is composed by the experienced singers Pedro Mimoso, Luís Pacheco, Gonçalo Medeiros and Carlos Coincas. The producer revelead it will be an uptempo song.
Bla Bla Bla – Magicantasticamente
The group Bla bla Bla will sing the song Magicantasticamente, which is a made-up word. The title is a cross between the words "magic" and "fantastic". The producer Gimba described it as being "cheerful and uplifting".
Carluz Belo – Cavaleiro da Manhã
Carluz Belo is the author of this song and he will also be performing it on stage. The song mixes of pop and ethinc sonorities and contains influences from Portuguese, African and Brazilian music. He will bebacked on stage by trio of singers from a well-known Portuguese gospel choir by the name of Shout (Lucy, Kaxuxa and Marco Marta). Former 1994 Eurovision Songcontest entrant Sara Tavares worked with this choir in the past.
Lisboa não sejas francesa – title to be announced
The group 'Lisboa não sejas francesa', which is the title of a fado song by Amalia Rodrigues, will have it's first major public appearance at Festival da Canção. The producers are Miguel Majer and Ricardo Santos who are musicians in the group 'Donna Maria'. This grouphas been highly praised by music critics ans isknown for their songs having sonorities ranging from fado to tango.
Marco Rodrigues – title to be announced
The producer Elvis Veiguinha selected a fado singer called Marco Rodrigues to perfrom his song. The singer and the composer of the song have already worked with the world renowned fado-sensation Mariza. Marco was on stage with her at the Royall Albert Hall and has also performed in other major Portuguese and international venues. A fado-like song will probablybe the choice of this producer.
Ricardo Soler – title to be announced
This singer came second behind Vania at the 2007 Operação Triunfo and he will be responsible for the lyrics of the song. The title of the song is still to be announced by the producer Renato Júnior, who placed second in 2006 with 'Sei quem sou (Portugal)'.
Vanessa – Do outro lado da vida
Vanessa returns for a second run at Festival da Canção, having placed third last year with Além do sonho by the producer Nuno Feist. Last year's song was a ballad with a Portuguese fado influence, but in 2008 something different is to be expected.
Vânia – Senhora do Mar
The song presented by the producer Carlos Coelho, who is also the lyricist, was composed by the Croatian author Andrej Babic, who was behind the songs from from Croatia 2003, Bosnia & Herzegovina 2005 and Slovenia 2007. Described by the author as a "mediterranean power ballad",the song is a prayer from woman who has lost her lover in the sea. A prayer to the "lady of the sea" begging to bring her lover back. It can be losely compared to "Canção do Mar" made popular by Dulce Pontes.
The remaining producer is Ménito Ramos. The song and performer will be known in the next few days.
