The names are in, the songs are out and excitement is building up nicely as the Portuguese Eurovision renaissance continues.
On February 22, semi-final one of Portugal’s Festival da Canção 2020 will take place at RTP headquarters. Eight songs will battle for four spots in the Elvas grand final. The running order is yet to be announced but you can listen to all eight songs.
Which one is your favourite? Which four songs do you think should advance to the final? Listen to the eight semi-finalists and choose your favourites. You can select up to four acts, but you can only vote once. So choose wisely!
Festival da Canção 2020 – Semi-Final One Songs
Bárbara Tinoco – “Passe-Partout”
Miss Tinoco rose to fame after performing her self-composed song “Antes Dela Dizer Que Sim” on The Voice Portugal. She was unable to captivate any of the judges with her first audition but her jam started playing in all major radio stations immediately. She joins forces with another The Voice alumni, Tiago Nacarato. “Passe-Partout” winks at the French chanson, with major jazz and pop vibes. A charismatic and interesting throwback to past decades.
Invited Composer: Tiago Nacarato
Blasted – “Rebellion”
The Portuguese band is an MTV Europe Music Awards and Portuguese Golden Globe winner and has been on the music scene since 1999, being one of the most respected and well-known acts of the nation. “Rebellion” showcases the band’s strengths. A strong and memorable production.
Invited Composer: Blasted Mechanism
Elisa – “Medo de Sentir”
Composer Marta Carvalho chose Elisa to sing a contemporary pop ballad with strong production. Elisa’s delicate voice gives life to a beautiful yet powerful arrangement from Grammy-award-winner Davide Rossi.
Invited Composer: Marta Carvalho
Filipe Sambado – “Gerebera Amarela do Sul”
Newcomer Filipe Sambado has been making a name for himself exploring different styles within the pop genre. “Gerebera Amarela do Sul” will be part of his upcoming album and is in line with Filipe’s style and work.
Invited Composer: Filipe Sambado
Ian Mucznick – “O Dia de Amanhã”
Ian is a former member of Portuguese band “Los Tomatos” and has also collaborated with Real Combo Lisbonense. He will sing “O Dia de Amanhã”, composed by João Cabrita, member of Cais do Sodré Funk Connection. Cabrita composed Portugal’s Junior Eurovision 2017 song “Youtuber”.
Invited Composer: João Cabrita
JJaZZ – “Agora”
The duo JJazz accepted Rui Pregal da Cunha’s invitation to perform the jazz-inspired ballad “Agora”. The song follows the Festival da Canção trend of investing in music genres from outside the mainstream.
Invited Composer: Rui Pregal da Cunha
MEERA – “Copo de Gin”
Pop-electronic group MEERA embraced RTP’s invitation 100%, being composers and also performing “Copo de Gin”, a sophisticated pop entry that challenges the conventional, hinting at the past but with its eyes set in the future.
Invited Composer: Meera
Throes + The Shine – “Movimento”
“Movimento” brings us a cocktail of pop and electronic, saying hello to African vibes and mixing it up with some modern production. It’s a breath of fresh air in a sea of conventional music-making, something Throes + The Shine are known for doing.
Invited Composer: Throes + The Shine
Poll: Who should win semi-final one of Portugal’s Festival da Canção 2020?
[polldaddy poll=10491999]Which songs from semi-final one of Festival da Canção 2020 are you most excited about? Let us know in the comment section below.
Throes + The Shine – “Movimento” and Blasted – “Rebellion” are my faves so I hope both of them… but since only one song can win over all I’m hoping at least Blasted – “Rebellion” make it the most. Anyways good luck to all the participants.
1. Medo de sentir
2. Passe partout
3. Rebellion
4. Copo de gin
I think passe partout will win and i am ok with it. its a very good song and with the right staging it may stand out.
Also rebellion could do well in rotterdam.
BLASTED with Rebellion is the best choice for Eurovision 2020, OPEN UP for SAVE THE PLANET. 😉
Blasted for sure! They have so much to give to us for sure!
rebellion or movimento – Elisa third (just don;t get why so many like Barbara – I find it so old fashioned n dull )
Ya I don’t get it as well with Barbara’s one. I personally see much more potential with Blasted
Portugal best entry’s 2020. Rebellion and passe-partout for shure. Great choices, a tal songs and amazing quality. I belive in Portugal to have a good position this year if this songs go eurovision.
Rebellion and passe-partout for shure the best choices and entry’s Portugal 2020.
I agree with you on Throes+the Shine, but on the other hand seeing how the voting was for Conan, which shares the same musical universe, I don’t know…
For me the more promising is by far Movimento by Throes + The Shine. It’s the most up-to-date tune and reflects better imo where contemporary Portuguese music is right now. After that Passe-Partout from Barbara and then Elisa (the production of this one is indeed very good). But unfortunately I am not enthusiastic about any of the entries.
PS: I love Filipe Samabado’s work. However this song is way underneath of his normal level 🙁 unless he surprises me live
Barbara Will win. I think that os the favorite in Portugal. And both of jury and televoters Will give her 12 points.
Passe-Partout is my favorite, but Movimento would place highest at Eurovision. Rebellion is decent but that would NOT do well. The lyrics, “this is a this is a REBELLION” would get cheesy so fast. Trust me.
If Barbara wants to do an English version of her entry, it should have a shout-out to Celine Dion’s home town of Charlemagne, Quebec, Canada. After all, PP is the title of a children’s educational TV show that she grew up watching, and has recently been rebooted by Tele-Quebec.
Bárbara Tinocco or Blasted for Eurovision.
Problem: Blasted live won’t sound as good as it sounds on that YouTube video.
I bet for Barbara’s win and Portugal will be in my TOP3 for sure.
have you even see their live performances on youtube? they set the stage on fire every single time
The semis of this year’s FdC are even more unbalanced than those in ESC 2018. To the point there’s the risk that one of the favorites ends up eliminated. I guess Bárbara and Blasted are the favorites to qualify (and to win the whole thing, which means that the final winner of the televote may be disclosed right then) and I want Elisa and Throes + The Shine to qualify with them. But I think Sambado and Meera are pretty much alive too. I hope at least this means that Dubio and Kady will peacefully sail to the final in… Read more »
Dubio better qualify. Cegueira is my winner for Portugal this year.
Rebellion is excellent and is by far my favourite.
I voted for Meera and will download it. But none of the songs are going to win ESC. None of them gave me winner vibes. What this SF has going for it is that it’s an eclectic mix of songs that showcase Portugal.
Blasted and Barbara !!!but fingers crossed for Blasted
This fandom is so deluded to put Ian Mucznik last…
Polish diaspora will save him
I don’t think so, there are only 1,600 Poles in Portugal.
Well i thought about saving him in this pole, not in competition lol
Ágora, Rebellion and Copo de Gin are amazing. Passe-partout is quality but not my cup of tea. This is a really strong semi. I wouldn’t even hate it if Portugal went with an English song, it’s that good.
SF 1 is much strongerthan 2d. From SF2 for me only 1 song deserve final.
That 1 song better be Cegueira
Only them and Candy is good in SF2
Mistake Kady not Candy
Any link to watch the show
Probably you can watch live transmission here https://www.rtp.pt/play/direto/rtp1
My TOP 4
1.Barbara
2.Blasted
3.Filipe
4.Elisa
Well it seems that Portugal will be sending their first ever song in English
I don’t think it will be that easy. I predict the main audience choosing Barbara instead. Unless people who like rock and don’t usually watch the show actually pick up the phone to vote.
What a strong semi. Rebellion and passe partout are both experimental interesting and with loads of potential. Well done Portugal!
I gotta say “Movimento”, “Rebellion” or “Medo de sentir” but this could be the final perfectly. SF 2 is going to be so uninteresting.
Last time Portugal sent something from a movie from the 50s, they went and won the whole thing. 😉
(Kind of…., you get my point!)
It kinda did, like I can totally imagine Sinatra or Armstrong singing “Amar pelos dois”.
gerbera amarela do sul is my absolute favorite tbh, love the medieval vibes
I agree with the poll, both on qualifiers and order of them lol hopefully it will be the results
PASSE-PARTOUT is the best! Rebellion will most likely get crucified with the juries (and quite rightly so)
i also will support Passe-Partout. Rebellion ist not bad but I don´t want Portugal singing in English. Sorry…
Why ”rightfully so”? Rebellion is a *really* strong song and if a country like Armenia or Sweden came up with that, most people would fully support it. I am someone who really encourages language diversity and I would be sad if we heard almost nothing except English on ESC, yet I have to admit if the song is good. I feel like we criticize countries when they stay in their own loop, yet criticize them again if they break the tradition. 🙁
Because it’s my opinion and if I wish to express it, I have every right to!
Of course you do, but I just hope it’s for the reasons other than the language, because almost all other countries get to sing in English without judgment.
I think that the song is great, but everyone has a right to their own opinion.
That too and the fact it sounds more like a protest than a song!
That too and the fact it sounds more like a protest than a song!
So what if it is a protest? As long as it isn’t political, it’s sociological so it’s more than welcome!
semi of death lol, only one who is a contender for eurovision, Blasted Mechanism with their alien/syfy show act
My wishes for qualifiers:
1. Blasted
2. Elisa
3. Throes+the shine
4. Barbara Tinoco
My prediction:
1. Barbara Tinoco
2. Elisa
3. Blasted
4. Filipe Sambado
All of my top five are in this semi. This is brutal. Good luck, Portugal! Hard decisions here!
Hope Bárbara Tinoco
Are any of them worth a listen ? The top 16 videos for Portugal are so short I can’t make up my mind at all and I am not a fan of most of em anyway !!
And Bernardo says it’s the semi of death ????
Will I be bored to death or what ?
Lol , I’m still not getting answers
-19 is an answer lol
Just search for blasted and Barbara Tinoco who are the favorites.
Could they make it more difficult?? Sure, the whole NF is very lovely, but all of my top 4 are in this semi:
– Rebellion
– Passe-Partout
– Medo de sentir
– Movimento
Even if there are other good songs (and frankly, no bad ones at all), if Portugal goes for one of these, they could once again be in my top 10 or 15.
Movimento is sooo good, I want totally to go out and dance to it, gives me the vibe of modern, of dancehall, I don’t know, I just like it. Also Rebellion is good.
dancehall doesn’t work in contests, it flopped big time in last years Afrimusic contest, one of the Nigeria entries