RTP, the Portuguese national broadcaster, has unveiled the 20 composers who will compete at the forthcoming edition of Festival da Cançao 2022.

RTP is working round the clock in order to showcase an extraordinary and exciting national selection. The broadcaster received circa 600 entries in quest to find the potential 2022 Portuguese Eurovision entry.  A total of 20 songs will compete in the  competition ( 16 selected via an invitation extended to established composers and 4 selected via an open call).

The 16 invited composers by RTP:

• Agir
• Aurea
• Blacci
• Cubita
• DJ Marfox
• Fábia Rebordão
• Fado Bicha
• FF
• Joana Espadinha
• Kumpania Algazarra
• Maro
• Norton
• Os Azeitonas
• PZ
• Syro
• Valas

The sixteen invited composers will join the four composers who have been selected via an open call:

• Pedro Marques
• Pepperoni Passion
• The Mister Driver
• Tiago Nogueira (Os Quatro e Meia)

Festival da Canção 2022

The 2022 FdC will consist of three shows ( two semi-finals and a grand final) scheduled to be broadcast live in February and March (dates , host cities and venues yet to be determined).

A total of 20 acts will battle for the golden ticket to Italy, 10 acts will compete in each semi-final, the top 5 entries from each semi-final will proceed to the Grand Final of FdC.  Hence 10 acts will fight for the right to represent Portugal at the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest in the Portuguese national final.

The 2022 Portuguese Eurovision entry will be determined via a 50/50 public televoting- regional jury deliberation.

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 52 times in the Eurovision Song Contest. In 2021 The Black Mamba represented the country at the Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam with their entry ‘Love is on my side’.