Portuguese national broadcaster, RTP, have confirmed that Portugal will select it's Eurovision Song Contest entry through the Festival da Canção in 2008. They are, however, planning a change in the type of artists who will compete in it. Jose Poiares, the Head of Delegation for Portugal is leading the charge to attract a complete line-up of professional singers already established in the music industry.
The Portuguesenational broadcasterhopes to invite artists who have already some experience in thecountry's music scene or at least have some recognition of their work. It is still early to say who those people are, but RTP have confirmed to esctoday.com that they are alrady in talks and meetings with potential artists.
After Sabrina missed out on taking Portugal to the Eurovision Song Contest final for the first time since 2003 by just three points this year, the RTP team behind the participation at the Eurovision Song Contest believe that reaching the final is possible. This time, they are starting the preparations for the competition earlier than inthe last twoyears, when songwriters had little more than a month to write the song and find a suitable singer. The selection of performers will also be made by RTP rather than the songwriters.
RTP needs to overcome the opinion of many in the music industry thattheFestival da Canção, used forover fourty years, does not benefit the winner. Portugal has never finished in the top five at the Eurovision Song Contest.As a result, they areplanning totake the national selection to a new level interms of professional experience of the participantsto restore some of its former glory of the show and give Portugal it's best chance yet of taking its first Eurovision title.
