Who will represent Portugal in Lisbon?

27 September 2017 at 16:50 CEST

RTP, Host Broadcaster of the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest has released details about the upcoming national selection in Portugal. Festival da Canção 2018 will feature 26 songs in total and comprise of two Semi-Finals on 18th and 25th February and a Grand Final which will be held in Guimarães Multiusos on Sunday 4th March.

The two Semi-Finals will each feature 13 songs. Seven songs from each Semi-Final will proceed to the Grand Final in March where 14 entries will battle for the right to represent Portugal on home ground in Lisbon in May.

A tried and tested formula

Following the same methods used in Festival da Canção 2017, which resulted in Portugal winning the Eurovision Song Contest, broadcaster RTP invited 22 composers to present an original song. Salvador Sobral, the winner of Festival da Canção 2017, was given the opportunity to invite one extra composer. The other three entries in the selection were chosen through preselection competitions organized by public radio station Antena 1. One of these three composers, Daniela Onis, was chosen through a competition for songwriters without any record release prior to 15th September. The other two were selected out of 346 submissions, open to all Portuguese citizens or those currently living in Portugal. As in 2017, it will be up for the composers to decide which artists will perform their song.

The line-up for the Portuguese national selection in 2018 RTP

Composers for 2018

Aline Frazão
Armando Teixeira
Benjamim
Bruno Cardoso
Capicua
Diogo Clemente
Diogo Piçarra
Francisco Rebelo
Fernando Tordo
Isaura
João Afonso
Jorge Palma
José Cid
JP Simões
Júlio Resende
Mallu Magalhães
Miguel Ângelo
Minta (Francisca Cortesão)
Nuno Rafael
Paulo Flores
Paulo Praça
Tito Paris
Janeiro (invited by Salvador Sobral)
Daniela Onis (selected through submissions to Antena 1)
Peter Serrado (selected through submissions to Antena 1)
Rita Dias (selected through submissions to Antena 1)

Earlier this month reigning Eurovision champion, Salvador Sobral, announced that he is taking a break from music on health grounds. The singer gave an emotional farewell concert last week and said "I'll be back soon, now how soon I do not know." On behalf of the entire Eurovision family we wish Salvador all the very best!