While Eurovision is known for its mix of eclectic songs and variable lyrics, one national final stands out for its output.
Portugal has a reputation for melancholic music, and recent Festival da Canção songs have a relatively low-key vibe across them. Despite this, they still maintain a range of diversity; recently, this has also expanded into increased use of other languages.
Even when you go back in time in their history, this festival is known for subverting expectations. Some of their songs even snuck in political messages, and others flouted on cultural norms!
Format:
In 2017, Portugal returned to Eurovision after a yearlong absence, because of poor results and RTP struggling to promote their music content. At this point, Portugal had not qualified since the 2010 contest with the song “Ha Dias Assim“, so their national final, which they have used since they debuted in 1964, needed a rework.
RTP would invite a certain amount of composers to write a song for the competition, of which they could either sing the song themselves or hand it over to another artist. The remaining spots would be filled by songs submitted to an open selection; for the 2024 competition, six songs would emerge from a record 809 entries from all across Portugal.
The twenty songs would be split into two semi-finals, and the ten artists perform them. Qualifying is determined by a 50/50 system between the juries and the televote, with five songs from each semi-final making it to the final. Another televote would determine an extra qualifier from each. In the grand final, the twelve remaining songs would perform again, and a 50/50 vote between the Portuguese regional juries and a public televote would determine the winner. Their rankings would be displayed like with the Eurovision voting system, with 1-7, 8, 10, and 12 points for both categories.
Notable Entries:
Fernando Tordo — Tourada (1973):
For forty years, the Estado Novo reigned through one of the longest dictatorships in Europe. Opposed to anything liberal and known for embracing authoritarianism and Catholicism, it not only exterted its will in Portugal, but sought to keep a hold on Portugal’s colonies abroad.
“Tourada” is special not only because of its triumphant tone, but also because the lyrics hinted at societal rebellion against Salazar’s regime. They were so subtly hidden under the guise of a bullfight that the RTP didn’t vet for it, and it ended up winning that year’s festival. A different rendition was performed in the 2023 edition, fifty years on.
Doce — Ali-Babá (Um Homem Das Arábias) (1981)
Doce was one of the earliest girl groups in Europe, and their 1981 entry for Festival da Canção showcased their showmanship. With lyrics alluding to A Thousand and One Nights, the girls came in fourth, but more eyes were on their racy outfits, leading to a bit of outcry.
Therefore, when they competed in 1982 with the song “Bem Bom“, they played on that reaction with heavily clothed muskateer uniforms. Doce ended up winning that year’s festival, and placed 13th in the Eurovision Song Contest a few months later.
Catarina Pereira — Canta por Mim (2010)
When a Eurovision fan thinks of Portuguese music, they think of low-key, melancholic songs with saudadic lyrics. Looking at Portugal’s Eurovision history, there are many songs that subvert that expectation, but one which stands out is “Canta por Mim”.
Taking influences from traditional Portuguese music, and co-written by Andrej Babic (who also wrote Portugal’s entries in 2008 and 2012), “Canta por Mim” can make anybody dance during the day. It won the televote at a canter, but a fifth-place with the regional juries left it in second place, losing to Filipa by only one point.
Bárbara Tinoco – Passe-Partout (2020)
A year before France’s Barbara Pravi moved Eurovision fans the world over with the song “Voilà”, another Barbara tried to get into the ill-fated 2020 line-up with a song which could fit in the background of Amélie.
More than a simple break-up song, “Passe-Partout” has the narrator wanting her vintage things back, all played to a whimsical, charming tune. The staging matches this vibe, with Bárbara singing in the park.
Like with “Canta por Mim”, “Passe-Partout” won the Portuguese televote, but ended up fifth with the juries, losing by two points to “Medo de Sentir“.
Edmundo Inácio – A Festa (2023)
In the most recent addition, “A Festa” also got a lot of fan fervor, thanks to its low-key nature and its mix of influences. Like with “Telemoveis” four years earlier, it reaches out from around the world to do so, but in a more accessible way. Despite the title, the lyrics actually deal with the anxieties of attending one, with the narrator wondering if “it’s a party or a fight of power“
The song actually tied with “Ai Coração” in the jury vote, but a higher televote score for Mimicat put Edmundo in second place. However, the Voice of Portugal alumni has since released another single, hinting at a longer journey to come.
Festival da Canção 2024 will have its semi-finals on 24 Februrary and 2 March, with the grand final on 9 March.