Photos: RTP / Pedro Pina

We were back in Portugal on Saturday for semi-final 2 of their Eurovision selection Festival da Canção 2023.

Another ten acts took to the stage, all hoping to secure one of six remaining spaces in the grand final.

The show was hosted by Sónia Araújo and Jorge Gabriel. Inês Lopes Gonçalves was back in the green room.

Festival da Canção 2023 semi-final 2

Results

The voting was done over two rounds. A 50% jury and 50% televote combination determined the first five qualifiers. These were:

  • Ivandro – “Povo”
  • Edmundo Inácio – “A Festa”
  • Bárbara Tinoco – “Goodnight”
  • Voodoo Marmalade – “Tormento”
  • INÊS APENAS – “Fim do Mundo”

A second round of 100% televote then chose the final sixth qualifier, who was:

  • DAPUNKSPORTIF – “World Needs Therapy”

The six qualifiers from semi-final 2 will join the seven who made it through in last week’s semi-final 1 for a 13-act grand final on Saturday 11 March. Here, one act will emerge as the winner and become Portugal’s entry for Eurovision 2023 in Liverpool.

Running order

  1. Edmundo Inácio – “A Festa”
  2. The Happy Mess – “O impossível”
  3. Teresinha Landeiro – “Enquanto é tempo”
  4. Bandua – “Bandeiras”
  5. Bárbara Tinoco – “Goodnight”
  6. INÊS APENAS – “Fim do Mundo”
  7. Ivandro – “Povo”
  8. DAPUNKSPORTIF – “World Needs Therapy”
  9. Lara Li – “Funâmbula”
  10. Voodoo Marmalade – “Tormento”

Are you happy with the qualifiers? Do you think the eventual winner will come from semi-final 2? Shout out all you thoughts down in the comments below.

131 Comments
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UnpopularESCFan
UnpopularESCFan
1 year ago

This year Portugal has one of the best national finals in a long time. Such a great musical diversity. Mimicat, Cláudia, Edmundo, Neon Soho, You Can’t Win Charlie Brown, Ivandro. I don’t matter which is going to win because all of them are good choices for Eurovision.
I just feel sad that ESC fans are not paying the same attention that are giving to other countries. Thank you Portugal for being so unique!

Gabago
Gabago
1 year ago

A Festa is the best choice for Liverpool, he has everything, excellent song, voice, perfomance. I also love Tormento. Nasci Maria, Ai Coracao and Endless World are nice but not at the same level of the first two. I really don’t like Goodnight (dear Portugal, choose a portuguese song, it’s such a beautifull language). Good luck from Italy ????

Ria NL
Ria NL
1 year ago

Edmundo is my winner for Liverpool

Amar pelos dois
Amar pelos dois
1 year ago
Reply to  Ria NL

My favourites are Edmundo, Voodoo, Claudia and Mimicat. But once more a very great FdC and I like the portuguese language: Obrigado Portugal!

Tibor
Tibor
1 year ago

Although everyone did really well tonight, nobody had bad vocals or other major issues, this result is a little disappointing, particularly since a jury is involved. But things wouldn’t be avantgarde, if the world was already ready for them.

Jos
Jos
1 year ago
Reply to  Tibor

I respectfully disagree. Song number 2 had plenty of vocal issues. Even Edmundo and bandua were not flawless. Song 3 was the best vocal performance of the night in my opinion.

Tibor
Tibor
1 year ago
Reply to  Jos

It’s not a requirement to sound exactly like the studio cut – as Teresinha did. Bandua and Edmundo weren’t pitchy, that’s all that counts. But Teresinha would have been a clear qualifier in my book as well, that’s for sure. I think we shouldn’t try to rationalise elimination by retrospectively applying overblown standards of vocal perfection or imagining nonexistent staging mishaps. People just didn’t vibe with the songs as much as some of us did, it’s probably as simple as that.

Caliope
Caliope
1 year ago

I’m excited because this year there’s a good chance we are sending something energetic and I was thinking we are going to open the Eurovision? ? Claudia and Minicat are my favorites

Yana
Yana
1 year ago

2nd Semi was pure delight. Edmundo, Bandua, Lara Li, Ivandro and Teresinha did a marvelous performance. I hope Edmundo, Ivandro or Claudia win.

Filipe
Filipe
1 year ago

Let’s be real: Bandua were not very smart with their staging. They went far too avant-garde for the song and got the “Conan @ ESC” curse. Needlessly, as their live performances are great in a more classical folky way. Edgar’s vocals was ropey and I hoped he would get a bit of vocal support. The power of the studio version was lost in a messy staging. Still expected them to get the 6th slot, nevertheless, but I guess the alienation of the public was bigger than expected. This semifinal was not as good as the first one, song- and particularly… Read more »

marta
marta
1 year ago

(from a portuguese person) i truly don’t get how bandua didn’t make it to the final. They were my top 1 for the night of FdC but now we cant do anything. Probably Portugal can’t handle 2 mans with skirts. About the ones who got to the final, a few things to say: 1- i get the mensage about Tinoco staging but… doesn’t fell right. The song is cal and beautiful, and the stating makes it even calmer and doesn’t glue me to the screen, but we will see in the final. 2- Ines Apenas needs to be more relaxes,… Read more »

Colin
Colin
1 year ago

I’ve watched the performances on the playlist after PZE not knowing who made it through, so here we go: I absolutely understand Edmundo, Barbara, Ines, and Ivandro. They were all really great! I am especially smitten by how creative and effective Barbara’s staging is. I am okay with Voodoo Marmelade making it as well. What I’m not okay with is Dapunksportif making it at all, yet alone ahead of Bandua. I thought that they did really well in live, and was certain they’d qualify. Moreover, Lara Li and Teresinha were also much better than World Needs Therapy. For wars and… Read more »

Jos
Jos
1 year ago
Reply to  Colin

“ were also much better than” says it all, it’s your opinion. Did you bother to vote? I couldn’t as I live outside Portugal, those who voted decided and that is what televote means.

Colin
Colin
1 year ago
Reply to  Jos

Televote has decided. I’m not saying I’m disproving the legitimacy of the result. I’m just saying I disagree. Yes, it’s merely my opinion. As mostly everything written down on these message boards.

Kosey
Kosey
1 year ago
Reply to  Colin

That is a little bit rude to classic rock fans Colin. The lyrics are not great but DAPUNKSPORTIF performed the classic rock genre very well, they deserve respect for that.

Colin
Colin
1 year ago
Reply to  Kosey

They have my respect as a band (mostly all contestants from all NFs do), but I just don’t feel like the song was on pair with the rest of the songs in this semi. The lyrics were the least convincint part, but that aspect also matters. The instrumental is solid, but doesn’t stand out either (in my opinion).

Eve
Eve
1 year ago

Oh no! After the good news from Serbia, Portugal is such a dissapointment! Bandua was an pure art!!!!!

Filipe
Filipe
1 year ago

Mimicat NEEDS to win. Portugal, SF1 of ESC is getting very strong. Please, choose the one and only ‘Ai Coração’. You don’t need another 2019 with Claudia. Choose SMART! Greetings from Brazil!

Alaska
Alaska
1 year ago

Bandua had the same fate as Sambado and Fado Bicha last year. Portuguese audience is still quite resistant to the idea of mixing folk with queer aesthetics. Sad…

TB98
TB98
1 year ago
Reply to  Alaska

Conan literally won FDC. And he’s gay. Bandua weren’t really that great tonight tbh. The vocals could’ve been better and honestly the reception here at my house was terrible. My mom couldn’t stop laughing at the performance. Unfortunately, after that, I had a feeling it was going to NQ.
I think after what happened with Conan at Eurovision, people are probably scared of voting for a similar act.

Mbappe
Mbappe
1 year ago
Reply to  TB98

I apologize in advance, but your mother is such a normie.

TB98
TB98
1 year ago
Reply to  Mbappe

Girl, no need to apologize. She kinda is. She also laughed at Conan’s Eurovision performance (heard the song for the first time that night). So, I wasn’t surprised about her reaction to Bandua.

Tiago S
Tiago S
1 year ago
Reply to  TB98

My mum also said Telemoveis 2.0 in the first seconds of the performance, as if it was a bad thing. Bandeiras was also one of my favourites but it didn’t make me go vote (this year I don’t love a contender with passion). In 2019 I voted Conan dozens of times. It was all our nothing for me. Sorry that Bandua didn’t go through but I don’t have a horse in the race this year.

Catriona
Catriona
1 year ago
Reply to  Mbappe

I’m a trans woman and gay. My brother is about as cis/het as it gets. We both hated Conan’s song in 2019. I think painting us all with the same brush when it comes to music tastes isn’t the best idea.

Mbappe
Mbappe
1 year ago
Reply to  Catriona

I only meant it in terms of easily dismissing an entry that’s a bit more inaccessible and out-there just because, I’m actually cis/het too, and from Eastern Europe as well.

Vicci
Vicci
1 year ago
Reply to  Alaska

Edmundo?????

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
1 year ago
Reply to  Alaska

Immediately, my mind went to Fado Bicha.
I don’t believe that they missed out for musical reasons shall we say?

Anoni
Anoni
1 year ago

Oh, no, Portugal why… The only song I liked in this semi didn’t even go through to the final… That, of course, is Bandua – Bandeiras. Damn, so now I only have Claudia Pascoal to hope for.

Mbappe
Mbappe
1 year ago

That generic rock band qualifying over Bandua is extremely and utterly lame, what the hell is wrong with Portugal? I thought that, out of all the countries, they would be ones to appreciate Bandeiras at least to some extent…

Jos
Jos
1 year ago
Reply to  Mbappe

Nothing is wrong. People vote in what they want to which might be different of your or my opinion.

Mbappe
Mbappe
1 year ago
Reply to  Jos

What’s even the point of inviting them if the jury is not going to properly reward them? Bandeiras deserved to landslide their vote tonight.

Jos
Jos
1 year ago
Reply to  Mbappe

What don’t you understand of the voting system? Even if bandua were 2nd or 3rd in the juries (which I doubt) an 8th or 9th in the televote wouldn’t qualify them. And the vocals were not flawless.
I’m not saying I agree or disagree, it’s the system rules. These are the risks, those who disagree better don’t watch

Mbappe
Mbappe
1 year ago
Reply to  Jos

The vocals not being flawless doesn’t matter that much to me when the song was just on a completely different level to the rest of the field…

L’oiseau
L’oiseau
1 year ago

But happy that Ines made it.

Zanoni
Zanoni
1 year ago

Dapunksportif would have been my first on the chopping block, but eh, I still kinda like it. It’s just a shame what was lost.

L’oiseau
L’oiseau
1 year ago

What an horrible end to this night… Bandua not passing… amd dapunksportif??? C’mon…

Marcin
Marcin
1 year ago

Disaster. Bandua was the only reason why I followed FdC this year. Now I’m out.

Jean-Paul
1 year ago
Reply to  Marcin

GoodBye!!!!

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago

No. Bandua not going through is bad enough, but losing to that song is just another slap in the face.

Kosey
Kosey
1 year ago
Reply to  Jonas

I think the song itself is not that bad, all classic rock fans will have voted for it as there’s nothing else like it in the competition. The lyrics are trite but perhaps that doesn’t translate to a non-native speaking audience?

Kosey
Kosey
1 year ago
Reply to  Kosey

And I share the disappointment of Banda not getting through, they deserved it.

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago
Reply to  Kosey

It’s not just the triteness that bothers me, but yeah, I don’t know. Maybe it’s the style, like you say.

Doris
Doris
1 year ago

lol they saved the worst song.

Sabrina
Sabrina
1 year ago

So… the audience left Bandua behind to give the wildcard to my least favorite entry of the night… Dafunksportif will be in the final.

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago

I don’t believe Nicolas is really a child. There is some trickery involved, he is too mature, too good.

Sabrina
Sabrina
1 year ago

The other 5 would be also my personal qualifiers, but it’s awful that Bandua haven’t qualified after the televote/jury combo. They need at least to get the wild card.

Mbappe
Mbappe
1 year ago

Bandua not among the first 5 qualifiers, really? This is just insane, who gets to decide these results?

L’oiseau
L’oiseau
1 year ago

Can’t believe Bandua did make it! So said

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago
Reply to  L’oiseau

Still a chance… hope is not lost.

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago
Reply to  Jonas

Hope is now lost.

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago

Carlos Mendes. Both times he represented Portugal it was in the UK, so he fits with the theme tonight.

Amar pelos dois
Amar pelos dois
1 year ago
Reply to  Jonas

I rememer he was very handsom in 1972….

Sabrina
Sabrina
1 year ago

Filipe Sambado and Surma being very Filipe Sambado and Surma on an interval act. I would like to see them competing in FdC again.

Jos
Jos
1 year ago
Reply to  Sabrina

I went to the final in Portimão (>2300km) to see Surma in 2019.

Tibor
Tibor
1 year ago
Reply to  Sabrina

That was a great interval act, I thought I recognized Surma and Filipe Sambado was as striking as ever. Did you catch if this is available to buy or was this just a live performance for FdC?

L’oiseau
L’oiseau
1 year ago
Reply to  Tibor

No. It was an homage to a singer songwriter

Zanoni
Zanoni
1 year ago

I’m taking Edmundo, Happy Mess, Teresinha, Bandua, Barbara and Ivandro. Ines is a cruel cut. Please screw up the voting again, Portugal.

Vicci
Vicci
1 year ago
Reply to  Zanoni

Lololol

Arthur
Arthur
1 year ago

A bit disapointed by my two favorites performances:
Lara Li’s is too simple and not very telegenic.
Edmundo a bit high tuned in my opinion

Mio
Mio
1 year ago
Reply to  Arthur

Lara and Edmundo were my two favorite performances. Also liked Bandua.

Yana
Yana
1 year ago
Reply to  Mio

Same here. Lara was so classy. Just spectacular. Edmundo was stunning too. And Bandua were really strong. Such a shame only Edmundo made it to the final.

Mbappe
Mbappe
1 year ago

Voodoo Marmalade were great, they should really be qualifying at least. Bandua are legendary, please just send them to Liverpool now.

imabereal
imabereal
1 year ago

Edmundo was the best of this semi-final.

Tibor
Tibor
1 year ago

It’s really hard to make up my mind about this semi, there was no weak vocal performance, everyone really was up to the task. Edmundo, Teresinha and Bandua should be safe, I hope Ines and Ivandro make it as well. But I could honestly not be mad about anyone advancing tonight. It’s a very tight race.

Vicci
Vicci
1 year ago

Tormento was so good… fingers crossed for them, Edmundo, The Happy Mess and Bandua to go to the final ( although I really think that Lara Li’s ballad is extremely beautiful, just not for Eurovision)

Tibor
Tibor
1 year ago

I don’t mind a little lively guitar tune like “Tormento”, but do I need it to advance? I wouldn’t be mad, but since I can only pick six songs, not every cute song can make the cut.

Kosey
Kosey
1 year ago

Voodoo Marmalade were a pleasant surprise, I’ve slept on the studio cut. I’m getting Mumford & Sons vibes.

Sabrina
Sabrina
1 year ago
Reply to  Kosey

Thinking the same here. It was flying under my radar, but now I want them to qualify.

rjacg80
rjacg80
1 year ago
Reply to  Kosey

I had this as a guilty pleasure, but this live performance felt too lazy and amateurish

GojoSatoru
GojoSatoru
1 year ago
Reply to  rjacg80

same

Tibor
Tibor
1 year ago

Lara Li’s performance was lovely, but perhaps a little too simple. And why was there a music stand before her?

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago
Reply to  Tibor

To take away any nerves about forgetting lyrics? To give even a slight effort of “staging”? i don’t know.

rjacg80
rjacg80
1 year ago
Reply to  Tibor

I was thinking: is she having memory issues or something? Because the lyrics are actually wordy and complex…
It felt strange and like an obstacle between Lara Li and the audience…

Mio
Mio
1 year ago
Reply to  Tibor

I loved her delivery and was captivated.

L’oiseau
L’oiseau
1 year ago
Reply to  Tibor

Yes the music stand was really weird. I guess she has memory issues…

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago

Invisible percussion. Invisible guitar and strings. No pretence that the music is live… I like it. It at least emphasized that the vocals are real and performed with heart.

Kosey
Kosey
1 year ago

Lara Li feels very eerie and slightly sinister and I actually really enjoyed it. I can’t speak Portuguese so no idea if that fits the lyrics, but it is the impression I got.

Mio
Mio
1 year ago
Reply to  Kosey

I loved it too. It had a story telling quality.

John
John
1 year ago

Not for ESC, but damn this is so beautiful. It’s like the essence of Fado.

Tibor
Tibor
1 year ago

I’m not into “World needs therapy”, it has questionable lyrics and is musically not really inventive. In a lineup like this, it shouldn’t stand a chance.

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago

Dapunksportif, Well intended lyrics I’m sure, but no. My least favourite. “I don’t know what’s going on” they sing. That’s the problem, most people don’t.

Kosey
Kosey
1 year ago

I love me a slice of classic rock and DAPUNKSPORTIF deliver it very well, some great guitar and drum work and the lead singer has a strong vocal

Sabrina
Sabrina
1 year ago

Ivandro’s vocals and his song’s lyrics are beautiful. But I miss more building on the melody. It starts and finishes the same way and it travels on a straight line.

Tibor
Tibor
1 year ago

I just love Ivandro’s voice. The song is perhaps a little folksy for me, but his vocals more than make up for it.

Kosey
Kosey
1 year ago

Ivandro has beautiful staging and an exceptional voice. The song is a little bit to one-paced for me.

Sabrina
Sabrina
1 year ago

I’m not sure if it was the best way to stage Inês Apenas’ entry, but her song is a big grower, I hope I can see her in the final.

Anita
Anita
1 year ago
Reply to  Sabrina

I love this!

Vicci
Vicci
1 year ago
Reply to  Sabrina

I know that it has its public, but to me it caused anxiety….

Sabrina
Sabrina
1 year ago
Reply to  Vicci

The song you mean? I like how it develops, but I guess I can understand why you feel it.

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago

“Fim do Mundo” is one my favourites on studio alone, but ti didn’t quite work for me tonight. I’m not sure why.

Tibor
Tibor
1 year ago

I really love Ines Apenas’ song and the performance was good, she was perhaps a little stiff and in a field like this, this could make the difference. I’m a little worried.

Kosey
Kosey
1 year ago

Another amazing example of the piano playing itself. It really spoils the authenticity of a performance for me, I don’t know why artists decide to do it?

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago
Reply to  Kosey

To show they can!

Anita
Anita
1 year ago

I think Sabrina and Tibor should marry ?

Anita
Anita
1 year ago
Reply to  Anita

I tried an emoji again, forgot it shows as question mark.

The emoji I tried 😀

Sabrina
Sabrina
1 year ago
Reply to  Anita

At least about music I guess we wouldn’t fight. 😀 But I’m not single haha

Anita
Anita
1 year ago
Reply to  Sabrina

🙂