Festival da Canção returned to our screens on Saturday night with semi-final 1 of the 2023 edition. Portugal began its search for an act to send to Eurovision in Liverpool.
Ten acts competed in this semi-final, including Eurovision 2018 star Cláudia Pascoal. Originally, six of them were set to make it through to the grand final on 11 March. However, technical issues occurred with one of the voting numbers. RTP decided this song would still move onto the final, thus ultimately seven acts qualified.
Festival da Canção 2023 semi-final 1
Results
The voting was done over two rounds. A 50% jury and 50% televote combination determined the first six qualifiers:
- Churky – “Encruzilhada”
- Cláudia Pascoal – “Nasci Maria”
- Mimicat – “Ai Coração”
- You Can’t Win, Charlie Brown – “Contraste Mudo”
- Sal – “Viver”
- Esse Povo – “Sapatos de Cimento”
A second round of 100% televote then chose the final seventh qualifier:
- Neon Soho – “Endless World”
Running order
- MoYah – “Too Much Sauce”
- Bolha – “Sonhos de Liberdade”
- April Ivy – “Modo Voo”
- Churky – “Encruzilhada”
- Cláudia Pascoal – “Nasci Maria”
- Sal – “Viver”
- Mimicat – “Ai Coração”
- You Can’t Win, Charlie Brown – “Contraste Mudo”
- Neon Soho – “Endless World”
- Esse Povo – “Sapatos de Cimento”
What did you make of the show? Do you think any of the semi-final 1 acts will go on to win Festival da Canção 2023? Let us know in the comments.
Loved several songs, got surprised by some for its quality on stage but I am still a Mimicat fan….
Oh hypster Portugal! Fdc is always a good surprise.
Mimicat was super! Improve the stagging and date more with the camera. You will have a top5 in Liverpool! Portugal, please choose Mimicat!
Neon Soho only making it by the skin of their teeth does not bode well for me. Luckily, my absolute favourite is in the second semi anyway, so all is not lost just yet.
Same here. I’ll wait until I see the results, but I find it strange that a jury wouldn’t reward those vocals so that even if the public wouldn’t vote massively, it would fall outside the top 5.
Probably the jury did not like that it was an all English song
I bet the jury found the lyrics very repetitive. I was blown away by the performance and the lead singers voice. It really felt like a moment. But, yes, there was less of a story and maybe too many “hold me boy”s. Portuguese musicians and public are more dialed into lyrical content than probably any other country. Which is why when you sing in Portuguese the bulk of European audiences miss what probably makes the most unique aspects of Portuguese music—what Portuguese call “the poem”. Also a reason you don’t have lots of repetitive chorus like you do in other… Read more »
I don’t believe it’s true
I agree that the jury should have rewarded Neon Soho. But then again, it also did not reward Bolha, which I would have thought would be a jury pleaser (at least the Portuguese jury…)
So far one of the best preselections this year and most of the songs are in beautiful portuguese language.
Muito obrigado, querido Portugal !
I still love Ai Coração but other songs were incredibly elevated by their staging. I do wish I could see more of mimicat’s face and expressions. It’s slightly messy for me. Why the lamp? I was hoping for a more stylized performance that had a more bold and graphic LED and maybe a styling that was a bit retro like her FdC publicity photo. Her red her and red lip really pop there. I think last night she got swallowed by tulle. She’s still miles ahead of anything voice wise. If she doesn’t qualify for the Final in Liverpool there… Read more »
As someone who has Ai Coraçao by far as favorite while thinking Festival da Cançao is the strongest selection of the Eurovision pre-season, I must agree based of Mimicat’s staging decisions.
Maybe I just set my expectations too high, but I expected the staging to be a reception room of a big Victorian style hotel with chic stairs in it. With Mimicat playing coy with the man she’s supposed to be in love with according to the lyrics of the song.
That’d be fun!
For me, Mimicat’s performance was better but I prefer Claudia’s song.
Mimicat BY FAR! Cláudia already her opportunity and went wrong. Portugal, choose smart 😉
Excellent show. I felt like I liked almost everything a little better after watching it. Mimicat in particular was an absolute force.
You Can’t Win Charlie Brown is on such another level compared to the other entries. What a magnificent three minutes that was.
Biggest surprise for me. I got Elbow vibes when listening to it
Th Charlie Brown was the highlight for me!
The Charlie Brown band and Mimicat would each make for yet another great Portuguese entry and this was just the “weaker” semifinal, FdC is just on another level this year.
Claudia Pascoal is the same one that got 0 points for Portugal in 2019, and yet she’s competing again… With a song even worse than O Jardim, and yet she’s already a finalist? I’ll be preparing my popcorn, waiting for them to pick her again, so that she could score another 0 points for Portugal 😉
She never got 0 points, stop lying
It wasn’t 2019…
She competed in 2018 and she got 21 jury points and 18 points from the public. So no 2019 and no 0 points.
Sometimes it pays to check your facts before posting and looking stupid.
Host countries rarely do well when they host because both juries and televoters are not predispose to vote for someone that just won unless of it’s something that truly stands out. Look at Austria, Netherlands, Israel — list goes on in modern Eurovision. Also—from the standpoint of FdC—Portuguese broadcaster chooses songwriters not singers for songs. She was asked to represent the song by Isaura. It wasn’t her song. Her style is more this that O Jardim.
What makes you think she will win. There are other contenders. So safe your popcorn for another time
I didn’t like the show, and didn’t like all the entries… the only thing i liked was the performance of Blanca Paloma
Española?
Portugal has some really good options that could really be a success for Eurovision 3 years in a row, and I must say the lighting during the performances is OUTSTANDING, it’s impressive.
Portugal has been another country at ESC ever since Salvador Sobral won and I really LOVE that change!
True I can feel this changes too, and it seems they made the good changes seeing their results the last 2 years. I’m happy that Portugal got rewarded.
Neon soho were my 3rd choice. My guess was that they got televote points and jury sank them because it’s in English. Could be wrong, but I’m surprised it was not in the first 6 semifinalists.
Haven’t we given up on the song being in english excuse after The Black Mamba won?
Nahh it’s complicated tho. Portuguese jury is Portuguese first. Public isn’t that biased, they just go for the song they like best, regardless of idiom.
The televote winner of that year was NEEV. I’m still salty the jury tank it so badly. The jury winner that year was a song sang in Portuguese both on their semifinal and the final.
But NEEV is part of the jury. And Maro sings mainly in English. I don’t think that this particular jury is that biased
Claudia was the highlight of the night! She deserves to win after her moving and grooving performance. A billion times better than Au Jardin!
No to be pedantic, but is “O Jardim”.
It’s a portuguese song with a title in portuguese, respect that .
It didn’t come across as disrespectful tbh. Portuguese spelling is very counter intuitive for anyone who isn’t a native speaker, especially for those who speak other latin languages, since the words are similar but the way you write them is different.
All great choices! Really happy that April Ivy didn’t make it as the song was nothing special and her vocals atrocious.
Never understood her appeal and this night just confirmed it.
Only right choices were made here, for once I have nothing to complain about haha
And the wild card went to Neon Soho! Yay!
I don’t have the live stream up, who’s the entry that got in because their phone line wasn’t working?
They haven’t said it and they haven’t disclosed the jury and televote results either (last year they already did the same if I’m not remembering wrongly). We’ll have to wait to find out.
It was nr 10. People on Instagram said there was an error when they called and couldn’t vote for it
They did say it. When they announced the sixth they said it was the one with the problem, “sapatos de cimento”
Song 10 (Sapatos de Cimento). The host let that one slip – he shouldn’t have – and there were some reports online during voting.
They didnt say, of course daaaaa??
Blanca Paloma; I’m a big fan of your singing. Thank you so much! (And I’m so sorry and embarrassed for getting your name wrong before.)
Blanca Paloma campaigning in Portugal with an acoustic version of “EaEa”. She can do no wrong, flawless as usual.
All the feels with Blanca again.
Just a voice and a guitar. Music
There was a technical issue with the televote for one of the entries and RTP decided to send it to the final, that’s why we’ll have 7 and not 6 qualifiers tonight.
Good news, maybe.
I’m really happy with these qualifiers. Now Neon Soho needs to be 7th if there’s another round still.
So we’re getting 14 finalists?
No. There will be 13 finalists in the final instead of 12. Unless there’s another technical issue in the second semi…
No, we’re getting 13 finalist. There was a problem with one of the telephone lines that prevented the votes from being counted for a certain contestant. As a matter of fairness, RTP decided that this competitor would be counted automatically.
So, apparently phone lines have re-opened in order to select an extra wildcard qualifier.
You can’t win Charlie Brown and SAL made it. Quality.
I am super happy about that. And Esse Povo is also a great surprise!
When does the bonus qualifer get announced or decided?
They said the voting will be open for 15 minutes.
They also mentioned that some technical issues happened and that’s why 6 qualified instead of 5 from the first round of voting. I wasn’t watching earlier, so I don’t know what happened.
Yes, this is what I have been told as well. I think two of the top 5 might have tied, and the computer said “six then”
One of the contestant’s line was not working for a while. Therefore, that contestant has been automatically qualified.
Ahhh, thanks. I hope it isn’t too obvious who the contestant was.
It’s not. I think all the contestants that pass had good chances before the vote and the voting places were not announced. Maybe we get some information soon because the people who tried to vote on that act could not actually vote.
It was. Unfortunately, the host let it slip. It was Sapatos de Cimento.
The qualifiers are: Churky, Cláudia Pascoal, Mimicat, You Can’t Win, Charlie Brown, Sal & Esse Povo.
Justice for Neon Soho!
Neon Soho might still win the wildcard slot.
Justice has been served.
Churky, Cláudia Pascoal, Esse Povo, Mimicat, SAL and You Can’t Win Charlie Brown qualified to the final.
The audience will still have an opportunity to pick another finalist. (Neon Soho, please!)
Hello! My favorite by far: You can’t win Charlie Brown. It would be such a great moment in Liverpool. But Mimicat is the most obvious choice… And why does RTP insists on this loooooong and tedious remaining show… rrrrrr
Because it’s a “festival”, of course. 🙂
Plus programming schedules, advertising slots, paid guests, an actual long voting window and time allowed for the technology to go wrong (unlike in Denmark).
Uhm I think it’s tedious for people that are not Portuguese. Thankfully the show is made for Portuguese audience ?
I am Portuguese 🙂
You know they gotta have the time to make the cash flow..!
Yes, that must be the reason…
Claudia and Neon soho are my winners of tonight
Portugal and San Marino really decided to keep us awake as long as possible.
Very good 1st semi final well done Portugal
my favourite is Sal 🙂
Have they chosen the qualifiers yet or is the show still going?
Still going
Still going. Not too late to tune in.
No thanks. I will wait for the results later. I’ll just listen to the songs or watch the semifinal one performances. that’s all I care about.
I was about to make a late dinner. I have to remember not to use too much sauce.
I think you used it all up with your Benjamin joke.
Yeah, I’m actually surprised Benjamin didn’t pick up more televotes. I did genuinely think he would come from behind, but nooo
He will find some solace somewhere, I’m sure.
Portugal has so much to choose from already, and this is only the first semi! Mimicat would be an obvious fantastic choice, and Neon Soho and Claudia also really elevated for me tonight! But “You Can’t Win Charlie Brown” absolutely won me over, fantastic performance that could only really come from Portugal. I don’t know how well it would do in a non-jury semi (especially one as though as SF1 this year), but it would smash the juries should it qualify.
Neon Soho . It’s contemporary . And edgy. And she sing it soooooo well. Then Claudia Pascoal, YCWCB and Esse Povo
Mimicat and Charlie Brown should be safe qualifiers and then I’m hoping the jury vote could also somehow get BOLHA over the line, they really deserve to make the final at least.
As a Portuguese, I’m so happy to see the evolution of the FdC. It makes me so happy. It seems that RTP is paying attention and it is putting a lot of effort in putting on a great show! ?
My qualifiers: Mimicat, Claudia, Neon Soho, Sal and Churky
Definitely rooting for Mimicat if it’s gonna be between her and Claudia, Nasci Maria repeats the same thing for exactly half of the song, just too repetitive to be allowed to win in such a strong field.
My qualifiers :
The 6th : Churky
A very decent semi final…Portugal got their roots at eurovision they will send whatever they want as usual
My qualifiers:
– Nasci Maria
– Ai Curacao
– Contraste Mudo
– Encruzilhada
– Sapatos di Cimento
Good luck, Portugal! As it most often is, top songs are really good in FdC.
Honorable mention goes to Neon Soho. Great performance, and grew on me tonight. Wouldn’t mind to see them in the finals.
You can include them to your qualifiers, because 6 will make it. 5 from the combination of jury and televote and then there’s a new round of voting so the audience can pick another one.
Cool! Then those are my 6 qualifiers. 🙂
Sal, YCWCB and Esse Povo are definitely the best songs of this semi. I will be glad if one of them wins. Neon Soho was a good surprise
Now that was a super strong semi. Cláudia, Mimicat, Neon Soho and You Can’t Win Charlie Brown should be obvious qualifiers. Any of them would probably get Portugal at least to my top 10 in Eurovision.
I’m also hoping for SAL to make it. This would leave a final spot for Bolha, Churky or Esse Povo and I would be fine with any outcome.
I agree with you, except for Claudia. Very underwhelming. I would be kind of upset if we choose that for Eurovision
It’s hard to tell who’ll go to Eurovision yet. Though based on the streaming numbers, Mimicat arrive tonight as a possible frontrunner to win the televote.
I agree with your top 4, objectively speaking they should not be in danger. But I have a hard time not seeing Bolha advancing after that vocal performance, although I’d prefer SAL and Esse Povo making it, speaking strictly about the songs.
I guess Bolha’s and SAL’s fates are on the hands of the jury. I can see Esse Povo doing better in a combination of jury and televote.
Esse Povo are so joyous. They have gone and put me in a right good mood. A great way to end the semi.
I really like Esse Povo and “Sapatos de Cimento” is so happy in a non annoying and non trivial way, it’s infectious.