Up the ambition, source stellar artists and get ready to slay — that seems to be the thinking at Portuguese broadcaster RTP, who today revealed the complete list of artists competing in the first semi-final of Festival da Canção 2017, its Eurovision 2017 selection.
Clearly keen to get back to the Eurovision final, the broadcaster invited some of the country’s top composers to write songs. Two of the composers — Márcia and Celina da Piedade — have decided to write songs for themselves. If you got it, flaunt it! This year artists can sing in any language, which many see as a step toward modernity for the traditionally traditional festival.
Below you can see the list of artists who have been drawn into the first semi-final. They are listed by the running order. The composers are listed in parentheses.
Semifinal 1 – 19 de fevereiro
- Márcia (Márcia)
- Golden Slumbers (Samuel Úria)
- Fernando Daniel (Nuno Feist)
- Deolinda Kinzimba (Rita Redshoes)
- Rui Drumond (Héber Marques)
- Lisa Garden (Pedro Saraiva)
- Salvador Sobral (Luísa Sobral)
- Trio led by Kika Cardoso (Nuno Gonçalves)
Festival da Canção 2017: Fernando Daniel
The acts include three winners from The Voice.
Fernando Daniel, the most recent winner, drew endlessly positive comments on our post speculating about his participation back in December. His blind audition of Adele’s “When We Were Young” has now been viewed nearly 10 million times, showing just how much Portuguese viewers love him. He’s got the voice and he’s got the look — a lethal combination at Eurovision. (Hello, Måns Zelmerlöw!)
Rui Drumond, winner of the second season of The Voice back in 2014, should be a familiar face to Eurofans. He represented Portugal at Eurovision 2005 alongside Luciana Abreu as part of the group 2B. They finished 17th in the semi-final and failed to qualify.
And last but certainly not least is 2015 winner Deolinda Kinzimba — an incredibly powerful singer of Angolan descent. She moved to Portugal at the age of 19, after living in Tanzania, and has made a name for herself through the pop, R&B and gospel genres. Her covers of Beyoncé and Whitney Houston show she has the tools and the charisma to slay.
Go Portugal, everybody wants you to slay!
Paul: “Does anyone know if any of the national finals/semis are being broadcast on the Eurovision website like previous years?”
Nothing, from any country, is being broadcast on Eurovision.TV anymore.
They’ve ended their streaming service as the technology was getting old and couldn’t keep up with demand. But they are encouraging all broadcasters to live stream their national selections, so expect to see it somewhere – most likely on the broadcaster’s website.
Ooooo, Fernando Daniel is SO hot! 😀 Let’s hope he makes it through, but we REALLY need to hear the songs. Personally, I’m glad his song will be in Portuguese…some people are still under the illusion that English language songs can only win. Just no. It’s the song, performance and overall impression that matter most to juries and tele-voters alike! 🙂 Anyway, good luck to Portugal! Hope they make it the final this year!!
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Oh God i’m so exciting Fernando Daniel compete in Festival Da Cancao sure he can bring the trophy to Lisbon
Why Fernando is not singing in English?
I want Portugal to win.. you have the performer to do it.. hopefully Portugal won’t miss this opportunity with a forgettable song.
Really looking forward to the Portugese selection. I have a good feeling about it and im very happy for the Portugese fans. They deserve a good result in esc.
Omg omg omg omg Fernando Daniel is participating! Hooray, I’m so happy I could die. I recently sent him a message on Facebook asking if he thought of participating in this contest, and he never answered back to me, and when I found that he WAS going to participate when I saw this article, I clapped so loud, my neighbors heard me and told me to be quiet XD. Though I’m happy he’s participating, I’m still hoping he brings out a great song, which I’m (not patiently) waiting for. If it is, he’ll probably give Portugal a top ten placing… Read more »
Yaaaas! Go Portugal! 🙂
To Anglicize a song or not to Anglicize (and stay Portuguese)? That is certainly the question.
Don’t let the “names” fool you….it’s about the song. A name may have a weak song, and still not qualify.
@Charles
Wait for the songs first, don’t be so bitter
Fernando is the clear winner from a popularity point of view … and those twitter rubbish stuff he wrote and those sexually questionable pics he shared on twitter just helps his popularity grow further … especially within the Eurovision fandom universe where controversy shines bright like a diamond … otherwise his remarkable talent alone would make him boring and with no charisma …. again … within the Eurovision fandom universe. Now … where is the song? Is it any worth it all the fuzz around him? … I have my doubts about it … but again … that popularity factor… Read more »
Fernando Daniel is for sure going to be our representative this year. He’s the hot new thing right now in the country (he won the voice only 3 weeks ago with great frenzy). So people are going to vote for him no matter what. The problem is that he chose a composer that is not very good for eurovision (has tried several times to win Festival da Canção with the kind of old-fashioned songs that are the reason Portugal has been doing so poorly in the competition). The fact that they already announced the song will be in Portuguese sends… Read more »
2 questions: 1-Will the next acts be revealed tomorrow or next week?; 2-Will the songs be released prior to the semis or will we first hear them in the competition?
Does anyone know if any of the national finals/semis are being broadcast on the Eurovision website like previous years?
Gosh, having Portugal in the final again would be so sweet.
Portugal is in the good way! Finally! Great names in this semifinal.
Fernando is very popular, so lets hope that Feist have wrote a great song for such good voice! It will be a strong semifinal.
Some big names here I see, it’s time Portugal qualifies!
Hmm Portugal seems to be taking it seriously.
I just literally came!
Love Deolinda Kizimba,Marcia and the Golden Slumbers(love these indie gurls)
PORTUGAL FOR THE WINNNNNN Finally some effort !
Deolinda Kinzimba é a melhor opção para Portugal avançar pra final. <3
They will release the songs before the semifinals?
These names are crazy good for FdC standards!
Let’s hope the songs are great as well
This semi final is already LIT
FERNANDO!!!!!!! if nuno gives him a good song, i would not be surprised to see portugal in the top 5 for the first time. maybe even win.