Portugal: Here are the songs for Festival da Canção 2019

Portugal's preparations for this year's Eurovision Song Contest started half a year ago when the broadcaster announced the 53rd edition of their national selection, Festival da Canção. Last month the names of the 16 composers were announced, and today, the Portuguese broadcaster RTP has revealed the 16 contestants and their songs for Festival da Canção 2019 during a press meeting in Lisbon.

The winner will represent Portugal at Eurovision Song Contest 2019 in Tel Aviv.

Festival da Canção – Semi-final 1

16 February 2019

• Calema – "A Dois"
• Conan Osíris – "Telemóveis"
• Ana Cláudia – "Inércia"
• João Campos – "É O Que É"
• Filipe Keil – "Hoje"
• Ela Limão – "Mais Brilhante Que Mil Sóis"
• Soraia Tavares – "O Meu Sonho"
• Matay – "Perfeito"

Festival da Canção – Semi-final 2

23 February 2019

• Lara Laquiz – "O Lugar"
• Madrepaz – "Mundo A Mudar"
• Mariana Bragada – "Mar Doce"
• Dan Riverman – "Lava"
• NBC – "Igual A Ti"
• Mila Dores – "Debaixo Do Luar"
• Marlon – "O Jantar"
• Surma – "Pugna"

Festival da Canção 2019

There will be 16 acts in Festival da Canção 2019, competing for the honour of representing Portugal at Eurovision Song Contest 2019 in Tel Aviv.

• Semi-final 1: 16 February 2019
• Semi-final 2: 23 February 2019
• Final: 2 March 2019

Eight entries will participate in each of the semi-finals, and the top four from each semi-final will qualify for the final. The decision is made by a 50/50 combination of votes from jury members made up of music professionals and a public telephone vote.

The semi-finals will be held at RTP's studios in Lisbon, while the final will be held in Portimão on 2 March 2019.

A total of seven hosts will present the songs:

• Semi-final 1: Sónia Araújo & Tânia Ribas de Oliveira
• Semi-final 2: Jorge Gabriel & José Carlos Malato
• Final: Vasco Palmeirim & Filomena Cautela

Inês Lopes Gonçalves will be the Green Room host during all three shows.

Portugal in Eurovision Song Contest

Portugal has participated 50 times since 1964. It was a very bad start, as they managed to get Zero Points in the debuting year. Before Eurovision 2017 they have never won the contest, and never made the top-5. In fact Portugal held the record for most appearances in the contest without a win! But that changed in 2017, where Salvador Sobral won with "Amar Pelos Dois".

Since the introduction of Semi-finals in 2004 Portugal only qualified for the Grand Final 5 out of 13 times.