Portugal is one step closer to its first participation at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, as broadcaster RTP presents its ten candidates for Bucharest to the nation.
Portugal's ten hopefuls were selected by an expert jury from 72 entries submitted to RTP, which were initially whittled down to 14 before the final ten were decided. Amongst the jury members was Inês Santos, who represented Portugal at the Eurovision Song Contest 1998 in Birmingham as part of Alma Lusa.
The ten finalists are:
- Mariana António (14) – ''Só Eu Sei'' (Only I Know)
- Gustavo Almeida (12), Guilherme Salgueiro (11), Diogo Farias (12) –''História e rapugrafia de Portugal'' (History and rapography of Portugal)
- Trio da Pop (10, 9 and 8) –''Ouve o Teu Coração'' (Listen to Your Heart)
- Tiago Batista (15) – ''Só Quero um Mundo Melhor'' (I Just Want a Better World)
- Pedro Madeira (13) – ''Deixa-me Sentir'' (Let Me Feel)
- Marisa Almeida (15) – ''Há Sempre uma Canção'' (There's Always a Song)
- Ana Rita Ribeiro (15) – ''Uma Canção Fora de Moda'' (An Old-fashioned Song)
- Daniela Pinto (08) – ''Tudo o que Penso'' (Everything I Think)
- Bárbara Pinho (14) – ''Nas Noites de Paris'' (Paris Nights)
- Sara Afonso Gonçalves (15) – ''Folhas de Vento'' (Leaves of Wind)
The ten finalists will battle it out for Portugal's debut JESC entry at the Festival da Canção Júnior, on September 29th.
