It’s been a life-changing year for Salvador Sobral — and not merely because he won the Eurovision Song Contest in May. Earlier this month the “Amar pelos dois” singer underwent a successful heart transplant, which came after several months spent waiting for a compatible heart. Today the celebrations continue as Salvador turns 28 years old. Parabéns, Salvador!

To celebrate his Eurovision victory, RTP — the Portuguese broadcaster — aired a two-part documentary called “Sem Fazer Planos do Que Virá Depois” (Without Making Plans of What Comes After). It aired on December 26 and 27 and proved to be a heart-warming retrospective that coincided nicely with the holiday season.

The documentary follows the journey of the Lisbon-born jazz star, his sister Luísa and the Portuguese delegation, beginning with the first days of the national final — Festival da Canção — and culminating with his win at Eurovision.

Directed by Portuguese Eurovision commentator and journalist Nuno Galopim and Miguel Pimenta, the first episode takes us back in time to some of the country’s old classics before delving deeper into preparations for Festival da Canção 2017. The national final came after a one-year hiatus, during which RTP paused, rethought its approach and rebranded the show to take it to new heights.

While sharing some exclusive backstage material from the show, Luísa Sobral explains how she wrote “Amar Pelos Dois” and when she decided Salvador was going to be the one singing it.

For the second episode we fly to Kyiv, where Eurovision insiders share their experiences and give insight into Salvador’s days on-the-ground. Featuring wiwiblogger Bernardo Tavares Pereira, attention turns to Luisa’s first rehearsals on the Eurovision stage, Salvador’s arrival on the red carpet and the events that led to the Portuguese victory in Ukraine.

RTP's "Sem Fazer Planos do Que Virá Depois" (Without Making Pl…

RTP's Salvador Sobral documentary "Sem Fazer Planos do Que Virá Depois" (Without Making Plans of What Comes After) PREMIERES on the 26th and 27th of December only on RTP1 at 22H00 CET. It includes the team involved in Portugal's #eurovision victory, Portuguese music legends, #festivaldacanção acts and our very own Portuguese wiwiblogger Bernardo T. Pereira. Don't miss it!

Posted by Wiwibloggs on Tuesday, December 19, 2017

“[The delegation] released him to the ‘circus’,” Bernardo explains. “When he arrived on the red carpet, you could see he was completely out of his comfort zone.”

“So the Portuguese delegation decided to close itself in a bubble to protect Salvador. With all the interest from the international press, they ended up coming to us [the other Portuguese in the press room] to get information on him. It was information we didn’t have.”

One of the most touching and emotive moments came when Salvador spoke about the victory speech that made waves around Europe — with some applauding his candor and others labelling it “beneath a winner”.

“There were like 40 meters to get to the stage,” he said laughing, “and I’m thinking: What am I going to say? I knew there was a speech.”

“If I had a speech prepared it could have been more serious. It could have had more meaning, I could have been a bit more coherent. But it was a strong, emotional moment. You want to say everything. I don’t know. It came out like that. Truly, it came out of the depth of my soul, because of everything I was feeling that week.”

You can watch both episodes of “Sem Fazer Planos do Que Virá Depois” on RTP Play in Portuguese. An international version is in the works and will be ready in the new year. 

What did you think of Salvador’s documentary? Do you think his win represents a significant moment in Portuguese music history? Tell us in the comments section below!

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AngieP
AngieP
6 years ago

Although I’m not a fan of the song (it’s a good song but it’s not my winner let’s say), it’s a deserved winner.
I believe it’s one of the songs that either you like it or not. Whatever the case, this victory is significant and we’ll remember it for many years.

Denise Bring
Denise Bring
6 years ago

I really hope wiwi is not going big on doing reaction videos. Those things are so degrading to themselves. Its self abuse. Their videos are already cringeworthy but this is a new low.

Jo
Jo
6 years ago
Reply to  Denise Bring

lol

Fatima
Fatima
6 years ago
Reply to  Denise Bring

I hope they do more reaction videos. When the moment is right, they are great fun. The same goes for self-abuse.

Ranting Ruby
Ranting Ruby
6 years ago

OMG, just watched ep. 2 in Portuguese anyway …. HIS SPEECH WAS COMPLETELY BRILLIANT AND APT AND INTELLIGENT AND HEARTFELT AND TROOOOO!!!!!!!! Absolutely loved it, and I couldn’t understand a word!!!! PLEASE, Wiwibloggs, let us know when we can watch this again with sub-titles!!!! I truly believe we will be seeing a New Age of ESC in 2018 – back to the basics of music!

Women, football and rock'n'roll
Women, football and rock'n'roll
6 years ago
Reply to  Ranting Ruby

I indeed hope your prospect about 2018 is right!

Elsa
Elsa
6 years ago
Reply to  Ranting Ruby

His rendition of the song, at the end of the documentary, is absolutely superb… so beautiful.

pp
pp
6 years ago

Interesting that Salvador didn t won both time in first semi and final in national final in Portugal televote. Both time pwon Viva la Diva with song Nova Gloria

Ranting Ruby
Ranting Ruby
6 years ago

I’m HANGING OUT to watch this doco, but don’t speak a word of Portuguese … any chance of a “heads up” when it’s available with English (or Australian) sub-titles? To answer the question, this win was significant for Eurovision full stop, not just Portugal – Salvador and Luisa (and RTP) re-wrote the rule-book, not before time … and ironically, with some good old-fashioned quality singing and song-writing. Love, love love! Seriously hoping the legacy of melody-and-message takes over from gimmick-and-glitter …roll on 24 language-ESC 2018!

Dark
Dark
6 years ago
Reply to  Ranting Ruby

There will be an international version (at least, that’s what I heard).

The Anders
The Anders
6 years ago

What he said needed to be said, so when he did that, it was a big relief for me – like finally someone says so in public. Unfortunately he is up against a capitalist music industry that promotes just standardized fast food music built on clichés without any depth, and the EBU seems to promote that too. A small thing btw. He is right that music is not fireworks, but music is not necessarily feeling either. Some is of course, but there is also outspokenly brain-music which doesn’t contain many emotions, but which is artistically interesting still. There is not… Read more »

The Anders
6 years ago
Reply to  The Anders

What would you say are the emotions in something like this?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aieoOz-dFo

Fatima
Fatima
6 years ago
Reply to  The Anders

Thanks Charles, I’m going to take your comment and put it on my roses. It will be great fertiliser. I just like the music I like, I don’t wait for my emotions to be “provoqued”.

Kaz
Kaz
6 years ago

Wow me and Salvador have such close birthdays! Mine is 30 December! Happy Birthday Salvador

QOO
QOO
6 years ago
Reply to  Kaz

Mine is 31 December! Happy Birthday

Hebbuzz
Hebbuzz
6 years ago

Coming from his soul but very true. I agree fully. Glad the transplant worked out well. I always thought the song was about his to be donor ? heart. Bless him.

Jonas
Jonas
6 years ago

Happy Birthday, Salvador.

I never had any issues with his speech – he was right. It wasn’t a rant against pop music, it was a rant against trash pop music.

As an aside – can somebody please confirm for sure if the person posting on Twitter as @sobral_salvador (https://twitter.com/sobral_salvador) is actually the real Salvador or just some imposter?

I’m pretty sure it’s a fake, and it really bugs me to see somebody misrepresenting Salvador all the time.

desfolhada
desfolhada
6 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

It’s a fake account.
I’m really worried about the person behind this account it’s creepy.

Women, football and rock'n'roll
Women, football and rock'n'roll
6 years ago

I think he was right about what he said! Having said that, maybe he could have chosen another moment / not said “music without content”

But I agree with him, ESC is sometimes too much about “surface, rather than content”. Visuals sometimes overshadow the essential bit – music.

His victory was also a victory for music. Content, soul and honesty, over OTT props, glamour etc. Which is very good. I hope many countries will follow this brilliant example in 2018 🙂

Wonderful winning song by the way. A victory for honest music, with no OTT glamour extras

Women, football and rock'n'roll
Women, football and rock'n'roll
6 years ago

Well, good too see your comment about my nick was a joke. But satire or not. It’s not as if it’s a “competition” between straight / gay male fans. How silly would that be? People are people, no matter what. I mean, what unites us is the love for ESC and the music. Nothing else. I am not looking upon women on a piece of meat, neither do I go to all football matches. My nick is however not purely coincidence, I should say. There are have been nicks here addressing just the opposite too, remember 🙂 And we all… Read more »

Hada
Hada
6 years ago

To be fair, this year the highest placed stereotypically gay act was Sweden at 5th, after Portugal (hipsters), Bulgaria (teenage girls), Moldova (memes), and Belgium (millennial/Gen Z angst). And I’m sure plenty of gays voted for the first four acts, so I guess everybody or almost everybody does want a change.

Women, football and rock'n'roll
Women, football and rock'n'roll
6 years ago
Reply to  Hada

I don’t believe there is such things as “gay” or “straight” taste, maybe to some extent, but not as a rule. Thankfully. There are many straight people who love disco, and (thankfully) many gays who like rock.

For me it’s all about good / bad music. Which can be find in ANY music style.

As for my nick (as Charles brought it up) – I could have chosen “Sex, drugs and rock’n’roll”, which my nick is a paraprhase on 😉 But I am not into drugs…..

I agree Sweden had a bad act btw.

Women, football and rock'n'roll
Women, football and rock'n'roll
6 years ago

@ Hada: Call me ignorant if you like? 🙂 But what is “memes”? Some youth culture? You said those who voted for Moldova.

I think Portugal won because people want ESC to be about music, rather than glamour. At least – some of the reason.

Jonas
Jonas
6 years ago

The mistake Charles made was assuming you are a man. You could easily have been a woman, so his point about gender sterotypes sadly fell flat. The ongoing discussion about how “gay” the contest is baffles me – nobody ever, ever whines and bitches about how “straight” big sporting occasions like FIFA World Cup are. The slightest hint of straying from accepted gender norms really throws some people for a loop. Sad. Anyway, I generally agree with Women, football and rock’n’roll’s comments – so really this conversation has been redundant and I am going to stop typing now. Happy New… Read more »

Women, football and rock'n'roll
Women, football and rock'n'roll
6 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

Redudant yeah – happy new year to everybody! 🙂

Fatima
Fatima
6 years ago

I think many countries WILL follow Sobral in 2018, and they will all fail. One of the main reasons he won was because he was the only one with that type of performance. His gimmick, deliberate or otherwise, was not having a gimmick. If several acts attempt the same thing, they’ll cancel out one another. Victory in Lisbon will go to an act without pretensions.

desfolhada
desfolhada
6 years ago
Reply to  Fatima

Fatima, they won’t follow Sobral, I mean copy, probably these countries will choose something more genuine like Netherlands had made recently. I’m not worried about results. We need more artists and not singers of talent shows with a strategic song for win. Damn I know all countries has underrated bands/artists, these bands/artists has already an album with great songs, it’s time to spotlight them.

Hada
Hada
6 years ago

Happy 28th birthday, Salvador!

Women, football and rock'n'roll
Women, football and rock'n'roll
6 years ago
Reply to  Hada

I second that – happy 28th birthday to one of my favourite ESC winners

Ethan1994
Ethan1994
6 years ago

I think if he had prepared his speech beforehand, he could’ve probably made a better choice of words, and not sounded so pretentious. I think that’s all the problem was, really. If he wanted to say that he feels that there should be more creativity and depth in mainstream pop music (which I don’t disagree with), then he should have actually said that. But with the way he worded his speech, it just came off as him gloating that he deserved to win because his music is so important, and not “disposable”. And to make it worse, he said that… Read more »

desfolhada
desfolhada
6 years ago
Reply to  Ethan1994

(I felt him so tired, (when I’m sick or with low blood pressure sometimes I can be rude, just a fact)) His speech wasn’t perfect for me, but I also don’t disagree at all, capitalist music is not ethical music but not my problem, only of who made music for money is not making something true for themselfs. I was really sad because Robin’s instagram post, I know he had also some reason, but why he felt offend? probably Robin’s song is not something genuine for himself? Probably can Robin rotolate the “fast food” of “real music”? (hmm idk) For… Read more »

Women, football and rock'n'roll
Women, football and rock'n'roll
6 years ago
Reply to  desfolhada

Robin made a fool of himself in this case – I agree

AzeriChico
AzeriChico
6 years ago

I hope that we will get the chance to listen him singing “Amar pelos dois” at Lisbon stage. 🙂

Jo
Jo
6 years ago

Hopefully, Lisbon 2018 will give the victory to another great song. I love perfect trilogies. Congrats!