Portugal: More than 600 submissions received by RTP for Festival da Canção 2022.

Portugal: More than 600 submissions received by RTP for Festival da Canção 2022.
Saturday, 23 October 2021

  • The Portuguese national broadcaster, RTP , has revealed that they have received over 600 submissions for the country' Eurovision national selection,  Festival da Canção 2022.

    Portugal will be using once again its tradional national selection format of Festival da Canção which will be running for its 56th edition. Last evening the submission period was completed with RTP revealing that they have received over 600 songs for the next edition of the festival which will select the nation's next Eurovision hopeful. 

    Now RTP has the tough job to shortlist the entries that will be taking part in the live shows of the competition. The 56th Festival da Canção will have two semi-finals, each selecting five songs for the grand final.

    Twenty songs will be in the contest, just as happened in 2021. But the first big news is that, this time, there will be four contestants selected by a contest for free submission of songs.

    The competition, which had its first performance in 1964, when Portugal premiered at the Eurovision Song Contest, will take place, in the first months of the year, with the dates still to be announced.

     

    Portugal in Eurovision

    Portugal joined the Eurovision family in 1964 when it was represented by António Calvário, who finished last without any points. Since their debut in 1964 Portugal has missed five times the contest, the latest was in 2016 and has competed in total 51 times in the competition. Before 2016, the best result of Portugal in the contest was a 6th placing in 1996 with Lúcia Moniz performing “O meu coração não tem cor” in Oslo.

    In 2017 the country got its name on the list with the winning countries, as Salvador Sorbal was crowned winner in Kyiv with his song Amar Pelos Dois . Following Salvador’s win the country hosted the 63rd edition of the contest in Lisbon.In 2019 Conan Osiris ,winner of the Portuguese national final Festival da Cançao represented the country in Tel Aviv with his entry Telemoveis. Despite the outstanding alternative performance in the first semi final, Conan failed to qualify to the Grand final.

    In 2020 Elisa won the national final with "Medo de sentir"  but eventually never had the chance to perform on the Eurovision stage as the contest was cancelled due to the covid-19 outbreak.  

    This year the group The Black Mamba won the 55th edition of the Festival da Cançao with the song 'Love is on my Side'  which  competed in the 2nd Semi final and after qualifying to the Grand final finished 12th with 153 points on the overall scoreboard. 

    News Source: RTP

    Image: Foto:  EBU / THOMAS HANSES