The final of Festival Da Canção takes place tonight. So the Wiwi Jury — our in-house panel of musical unprofessionals — is chowing down on some pasteis de nata. Ooo, we just love that custard! After licking our fingers clean we got back to reviewing the final three finalists. Did they amaze? Or were we ready to get back to our suckling pig from last night? Read on to find out…
José Freitas with “Mal menor (Ninguém me guia à razão)”
http://youtu.be/DvdoMxWgNCs
Kristin: I honestly don’t know…I do like the bluesy sound he has going on, but I’m also pretty sure that this would be the “Meh” entry of the year. People simply wouldn’t appreciate it. But I think I’m gonna go with my heart here, regardless of future results for José.
Score: 7/10
Liam: Please José, stick to the local gigs! You are not for Eurovision, nor will you ever be!
Score: 0.5/10
Robyn: Well, no one could ever accuse José of holding back. He puts a lot into this performance, but the song is just a generic bluesy soul number. And despite his theatrics, it all ends up coming across like the sort of act that would play in a noisy bar on a Thursday night. It’s surprisingly forgettable.
Score: 4/10
Sopon: A fifties rock ballad in Portuguese. No thank you. This would score Portugal last in the semi-final.
Score: 0/10
Average Score: 2.9/10
Simone de Oliveira with “À espera das canções”
http://youtu.be/T586U78226o
Kristin: She’s back, y’all! And she brought a heartfelt ballad with her. Simone is the ultimate ESC veteran, and if she represents Portugal, I’m down with that. The woman is a legend IMO. She has a wonderfully gravelly voice and the song fits her like a glove. It might be just a little bit too calm for the big stage, but still so beautiful.
Score: 7.5/10
Liam: When Simone was announced, I was a skeptic. But this song is just so beautiful. It’s haunting. It takes me to a dark and mysterious place. Simone represented Portugal in the 1960s. Even now, she still has the ability to sing a tune.
Score: 7.5/10
Robyn: Simone represented Portugal twice in the 1960s, and this year seems like a perfect opportunity to send the old girl back for another go. Her husky voice is rich and expressive, and conveys the sentiment of the song. By which I mean I may have got all emotional. *sniff*
Score: 7/10
Sopon: I have three opinions on this song that are unrelated to each other. Firstly, it would be nice to see a longtime Eurovision veteran return and bring back a vintage feeling for three minutes as long as it doesn’t bore us (hence the babushki). Secondly, I am reminded about Lys Assia’s attempt to get back in the game when she learned to skateboard and rap. And thirdly, this song is the absolute opposite of what Eurofans want to vote for. It’s a boring song sung by an old woman in traditional Portuguese style. At least “All In Your Head” actually stuck in your brain! Overall, this won’t work at all in Vienna.
Score: 3.5/10
Average Score: 6.4/10
Teresa Radamanto with “Um fado em Viena”
http://youtu.be/jXH4_EwrGeY
Kristin: Oh another Fado number. I’m literally jumping for joy, because that music genre is one of my favorites. However, this isn’t nearly as good as Yola Dinis’s song. Teresa seems to be losing it at the end of the song, and when she performs it live, I fear that may bite her in the bum. It might be the chorus though — it sounds like the composers weren’t quite sure in which direction they wanted to take the song, so it ended up being all over the place. Too bad, it had potential.
Score: 5,5/10
Liam: This song has an intriguing opening. Yet it seems to drag on… and on… and on until eventually I fall asleep.
Score: 6/10
Robyn: When this song started, I was hooked. The opening verse is smoky and seductive, the soundtrack of a sultry summer night. Oh yeah. But then the chorus comes along and it’s the ’80s. The song continues like this – saucy verses, dull and dated chorus. Don’t play with my heart like this, Portugal.
Score: 5/10
Sopon: Well, what did you expect? It’s literally a fado song written as an ode to Vienna. Boring, boring, boring!
Score: 5/10
The songs are all horrible. Portugal should withdraw.