Portugal selects last four finalists of Festival da Canção 2020

Portugal finishes this Eurovision busy day with the selection of the last four finalists of Festival da Canção 2020.

Jimmy P, Tomás Luzia, Kady and Elisa Rodrigues have qualified and will be competing once more on 7 March 2020 for the honour of representing Portugal at Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in Rotterdam.

Festival da Canção 2020 – Semi-Final 2 Results

• Jimmy P – "Abensonhado"
• Tomás Luzia – "Mais real que o amor"
• Kady – "Diz só"
• Elisa Rodrigues – "Não voltes mais"
• Dubio feat. +351 – "Cegueira"
• Luiz Caracol & Gus Liberdade – "Dói-me o país"
• Judas – "Cubismo enviesado"
• Cláudio Frank – "Quero-te abraçar"

The finalists were announced in random order.

The Show

Festival da Canção's semi-final 2 was hosted by Sónia Araújo and José Carlos Malato. Inês Lopes Gonçalves was in charge of the green room.

Unlike the previous years, and similarly to Eurovision, RTP decided not to reveal the Semi-finals results. Those will only be known in two weeks, after the winner of Festival da Canção 2020 has been announced.

As for the voting, it followed the normal rules. The jury panel held 50% of the responsability whereas the public vote the other 50%. The jury panel was the same as last week with two former Portugal's representatives - Conan Osíris (2019) and Anabela (1993) - and Capicua, Héber Marques, Isilda Sanches, Miguel Ângelo and Rui Miguel Abreu.

Eduardo Nascimento (Portugal 1967) who passed away in late 2019 was remembered.

Festival da Canção 2020

The 16 songs that will compete for the honour of representing Portugal at Eurovision Song Contest 2020 were divided into two Semi-finals with 8 songs each where 4 will qualify for the Final.

The Semi-finals were held at RTP's studios while the show's Grand Final will take place in Coliseu Comendador Rondão Almeida in Alentejo. Inês Lopes Gonçalves will host the Green Room for all shows. Each of the three shows will have a different pair of presenters:

• Semi-final 1: 22 February 2020 (Hosted by Tania Ribas de Oliveira & Jorge Gabriel)
• Semi-final 2: 29 February 2020 (Hosted by José Carlos Malato & Sonia Araujo)
• Final: 7 March 2020 (Hosted by Filomena Cautela & Vasco Palmeirim)

Portugal in Eurovision Song Contest

Portugal has participated 51 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 14 times.