The Portuguese audience and jury have chosen the initial six finalists for the 2023 Festival da Canção, securing their direct tickets to the grand final on Saturday, March 9.
The first semifinal aired live on Saturday, February 24, at 22:00 CET from RTP studios, hosted by Tânia Ribas de Oliveira and José Carlos Malato, with Inês Lopes Gonçalves and Wandson in the Green Room.
The top five finalists, chosen by both RTP’s selected jury and televoting, secure direct entry to the final. The sixth finalist will be chosen through a second round of televoting after the top five finalists are revealed.
The first five finalists, half chosen by the jury and half by televoting, are Rita Rocha, Nena, Perpétua, iolanda, and João Borsch. The sixth finalist selected via a second round of televoting is NOBLE.
Here’s a recap of the results from the first semifinal of the 2024 Festival da Canção:
| Artist | Song | Phase I | Phase II |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nena | “Teorias Da Conspiração” | Q | |
| Perpétua | “Bem Longe Daqui” | Q | |
| MELA | “Água” | NQ | |
| Mila Dores | “Afia a Língua” | NQ | |
| LEFT. | “Volto a Ti” | NQ | |
| Rita Rocha | “Pontos Finais” | Q | |
| NOBLE | “Memory” | Q | |
| João Borsch | “…Pelas Costuras” | Q | |
| Iolanda | “Grito” | Q | |
| Bispo | “Casa Portuguesa” | NQ |
Review the first semifinal’s 10 performances of the 2024 Festival da Canção.
1. Nena – “Teorias da Conspiraçao”
2. Perpétua – “Bem Longue Daqui”
3. MELA – Água
4. Mila Dores – “Afia a Língua”
5. LEFT. – “Volto a ti”
6. Rita Rocha – “Pontos Finais”
7. NOBLE – “Memory”
8. João Borsch – “…Pelas Costuras”
9. iolanda – “Grito”
10. Bispo – “Casa Portuguesa”
How Does the Voting System Work for the 2024 Festival da Canção?
The voting system consists primarily of 50% jury and 50% televoting. In both semifinals, RTP’s selected jury and the public together choose the initial five finalists, while the sixth finalist is chosen via a second round of televoting.
After the second semifinal on March 2, the final performance order will be announced, and phone lines will open for voting for the favorite contestant throughout the week. During the final gala, the selection of Portugal’s Eurovision representative follows the same pattern as the semifinals: 50% regional jury, comprising Portugal’s five regions (North, Centre, Lisbon and Tagus Valley, Alentejo, and Algarve), and the two autonomous archipelagos (Azores and Madeira), and the other 50% from televoting.
Authors of a Portuguese Festival Defined by Quality and Identity
A total of 809 submissions were received for this year’s preselection, with six selected by RTP. The remaining 14 proposals, completing the total of 20, were selected by the Portuguese public radio company based on established artists in the music industry.
The list of selected authors for this new edition of the Portuguese festival is as follows:
- Bispo
- Buba Espinho
- Cristina Clara
- FILIPA (open admission)
- Huca
- iolanda
- João Borsch
- João Couto (open admission)
- LEFT. (open admission)
- Leo Middea
- Maria Joã
- MELA (open admission)
- Mila Dores
- Nena
- NOBLE
- No Maka
- Perpétua
- Rita Onofre (open admission)
- Rita Rocha (open admission)
- Silk Nobre
Authors of the 2024 Festival da Canção / RTP
Portugal in Eurovision: Ups and Downs with Only One Victory
Portugal’s Eurovision debut dates back to 1964 when António Calvário became the first representative, but unfortunately, his song “Oraçao” received no points, landing Portugal at the bottom of the scoreboard.
Portugal’s subsequent Eurovision entries didn’t achieve desired success. They even had to withdraw from the competition in 2013 and 2016 due to financial difficulties. However, their return in 2017 marked Portugal’s victory with Salvador Sobral’s touching ballad “Amar Pelos Dois,” earning a historic 758 points. Portugal hosted Eurovision 2018 in Lisbon, but their representative, Cláudia Pascoal, with her song “O Jardim,” only received 39 points, finishing last.
In the previous edition of the 2023 Festival da Canção, Cláudia Pascoal returned with a renewed musical image, earning the bronze medal with her song “Nasci Maria” after Mimicat’s victory with “Ai Coração”.