RTP is kicking off the search for its 2018 Eurovision home-soil act and looks very promising!
After a successful season for the Portuguese delegation last year in Kiev, RTP is keen on selecting their next Eurovision star who will represent his/her nation at home. After last year’s edition of Festival Da Cançao, the broadcaster is working round the clock to have everything ready for the occasion and will host three shows: two semifinals on February 18th and 25th and the grand final on March 4th. The semis will be taking place live from RTP studios in Lisbon while the grand final will travel to Guimarães “Multiusos” Pavilion.
Nuno Galopim will be the man behind directing the festival again, as it also was the case in 2017; together with Henrique Amaro, he has defined a full concept of this year’s production.
Today, all the artists who will bid to compete at Europe’s favourite TV show flying the Portuguese flag were revealed, take a look at them below:
First Semi-Final:
- Joana Espadinha – “Zero a Zero” (Benjamim)
- Peu Madureira – “Só Por Ela” (Diogo Clemente)
- Anabela – “Para Te Dar Abrigo” (Fernando Tordo)
- Rui David – “Sem Medo” (Jorge Palma)
- José Cid y Gonçalo Tavares – “O Som da Guitarra É a Alma de Um Povo” (José Cid)
- JP Simões – “Alvoroço” (JP Simões)
- Catarina Miranda – “Para Sorrir Não Preciso de Nada” (Júlio Resende)
- Beatriz Pessoa – “Eu Te Amo” (Mallu Magalhães)
- Joana Barra Vaz – “Anda Estragar-me os Planos” (Francisca Cortesão)
- Bruno Vasconcelos – “Austrália” (Nuno Rafael)
- Maria Amaral – “A Mesma Canção” (Paulo Praça)
- Janeiro – “Oficialmente (sem título)”(Janeiro)
- Rita Días – “Com Gosto Amigo” (Rita Dias)
Second Semi-Final:
- Susana Travassos – “A Mensageira”(Aline Frazão)
- Lili – “O Voo das Cegonhas” (Armando Teixeira)
- Sequin – “All Over Again”(Bruno Cardoso)
- Tamin – “Sobre Nós” (Capicua)
- Daniela Onís – “Para Lá Do Rio” (Daniela Onís)
- Diogo Piçarra – “Canção do Fim” (Diogo Piçarra)
- David Pessoa – “Amor Veloz” (Francisco Rebelo)
- Cláudia Pascoal – “O Jardim” (Isaura)
- Rita Marques – “Anda Daí” (João Afonso)
- Dora Fidalgo – “Arco-Íris” (Miguel Ângelo)
- Minnie & Rhayra – “Patati Patata” (Paulo Flores)
- Peter Serrado – “Sunset” (Peter Serrado)
- Maria Ines Paris – “Bandeira Azul”(Tito Paris)
The composers of all the entries competing to represent Portugal were announced back at the end of September 2017 and several days after the announcement, RTP organized and allocated them in each of the two semi-finals. They have selected the singer/singers that will perform their tracks, as it happened in 2017 as well.
The Hosts
The Semi-Final One will be hosted by Jorge Gabriel and José Carlos Malato, while the Second Semi-Final will be presented by Sónia Araújo e Tânia Ribas de Oliveira. Filomena Cautela and Pedro Fernandes will host the Grand Final.
New Jury Members
RTP has presented a renewed jury panel with Júlio Isidro as the spokesperson. These are the judges of Festival Da Cançao 2018:
- Júlio Isidro
- Tozé Brito
- Carlão
- Sara Tavares
- Luísa Sobral
- Ana Bacalhau
- António Avelar Pinho
- Mário Lopes
14 acts will be competing in Festival Da Canção’s grand final. The winner will be determined by the combination of the votes from a specialized panel and televoting (50/50).