RTP, the Portuguese national broadcaster, has announced that it was reveived more than 200 songs via Festival da Cançao 2019 public submission window.

The public submission window for Festival da Cançao 2019 closed on 31 October. The Portuguese national broadcaster has received more than 200 songs. RTP will now evaluate all submitted entries and select one, the composer will be free to select the artist who will perform the song in the competition.

RTP is set to reveal the name of the chosen candidate along with winner of the Masterclass competition that will determine the 16th composer in due course.

As stated in Festival da Cançao 2019 rules and regulations, the selection of the songs was done by a jury specially created by RTP that integrated personalities of recognized merit in the music, entertainment and television fields.

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. RTP will be revealing the 2019 FdC host cities and dates in due course.

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.

RTP has extended an invite to 14 composers to submit their songs for the competition, the composers will be free to chose the artist/s for their respective songs.

Whilst the remaining 2 entries will be selected via an open public selection via two different mechanisms:

• Master Class competition via Antena 1 Radio open to composers with no published material (submission window closed on 31 October 2018)
• Open submission for everyone. Composers interested to enter the competition could send their songs to to RTP via festival219@rtp  (subission period concluded on 31 October 2018). Portuguese citizens/ residents in Portugal were eligible to apply.

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.