(; "Song Festival") or Festival RTP da Canção is the name given to the national festival produced and broadcast by (RTP) to select for the Eurovision Song Contest. It was first held in 1964.
History
Like most music festivals in isolated countries, the was a very important event for the still-incipient Portuguese music industry of the 1960s and 1970s. Left-wing composers and writers would try to squeeze subversive lyrics in the contest, with great effect. After the 1974 revolution, incidentally code-triggered by that year's winner being played on national radio, Portugal became increasingly open to foreign culture, thus deeming the festival as a lesser musical event, dominated by below-standard pop songs with little or no impact in the industry, although remaining a popular TV show.
The 1990s saw a recovery of the contest's image, then considered a viable means for a new singer to start a career. Internationally acclaimed Portuguese singers Dulce Pontes and Sara Tavares made their debut in the 1991 and 1994 editions, respectively. Many other unknown performers like Lucia Moniz and Anabela leaped to national stardom after taking the RTP trophy.
After reaching an all-time high sixth place in the Eurovision Song Contest 1996, the festival steadily declined from then on. In 2000, the winner, "Sonhos mágicos" performed by Liana, did not participate in that year's Eurovision, as Portugal had been relegated from the contest after two consecutive poor showings in 1998 and 1999; this would be the second time in the festival's history that the winner did not participate in Eurovision. In 2002, the was placed on hiatus, contradicting the tradition of staging a festival even without participating in that year's Eurovision Song Contest, as happened in 2000 and 1970. From 2001, the festival saw consecutive changes of format. 2005 saw RTP commissioning a song for Eurovision, rather than organizing some kind of competition for select a national entry.
Since 2006, RTP has settled for a traditional multi-singer, multi-composer competitive format, claiming the memory of older contests and songs. Producers have since been invited to come up with songs, lyrics and singers, and the 2007 result with Sabrina almost making it to the Eurovision final, gave RTP the necessary confidence to maintain the current format. In 2009, an open call for songs was held by RTP, abolishing the invited producers method, with online voting deciding the qualifiers to the televised final from a list of 24 songs, with 12 competing in the live contest.
More changes to the format of the contest were made in 2010. Two semi-finals and a final are now held to select the winner. Foreign composers were once again permitted to compete. Since 2017, different languages are allowed to compete.
The 2020 edition of the festival marked the third time in its history where the winner was unable to participate in Eurovision, as the contest itself was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the 2026 edition, the rule obliging the winner to represent Portugal at Eurovision was replaced with a provision stating that the winner could decide to participate or not in Eurovision. Additionally, it was decided that the winner of the previous edition would have the ability to select one artist to participate in the festival.
Winners +Table keyWinnerSecond placeThird place◁Last place
Year Song Artist Songwriter(s) Eurovision result Final Points Semi Points 1964 "Oração" António Calvário João Nobre, Francisco Nicholson, Rogério Bracinha 13th ◁ 0rowspan="32" colspan="2" data-sort-value="99999" 1965 "Sol de inverno" Simone de Oliveira Carlos Nóbrega e Sousa, Jerónimo Bragança 13th11966 "Ele e ela" Madalena Iglésias Carlos Canelhas 13th61967 "O vento mudou" Eduardo Nascimento Nuno Nazareth Fernandes, João Magalhães Pereira 12th31968 "Verão" Carlos Mendes Pedro Vaz Osório, José Alberto Diogo 11th51969 "Desfolhada portuguesa" Simone de Oliveira Nuno Nazareth Fernandes, José Carlos Ary dos Santos 15th41970 "Onde vais rio que eu canto" Sérgio Borges Carlos Nóbrega e Sousa, Joaquim Pedro Gonçalvescolspan="2" 1971 "Menina do alto da serra" Tonicha Nuno Nazareth Fernandes, José Carlos Ary dos Santos 9th831972 "A festa da vida" Carlos Mendes José Calvário, José Niza 7th901973 "Tourada" Fernando Tordo Fernando Tordo, José Carlos Ary dos Santos 10th801974 "E depois do adeus" Paulo de Carvalho José Calvário, José Niza 14th ◁ 31975 "Madrugada" Duarte Mendes José Luís Tinoco 16th161976 "Uma flor de verde pinho" Carlos do Carmo José Niza, Manuel Alegre 12th241977 "Portugal no coração" Os Amigos Fernando Tordo, José Carlos Ary dos Santos 14th181978 "Dai li dou" Gemini Vítor Mamede, Carlos Quintas 17th51979 "Sobe, sobe, balão sobe" Manuela Bravo Carlos Nóbrega e Sousa 9th641980 "Um grande, grande amor" José Cid José Cid 7th711981 "Playback" Carlos Paião Carlos Paião 18th91982 "Bem bom" Doce Pedro Brito, Tozé Brito, António Pinho 13th321983 "Esta balada que te dou" Armando Gama Armando Gama 13th331984 "Silêncio e tanta gente" Maria Guinot Maria Guinot 11th381985 "Penso em ti (eu sei)" Adelaide Tozé Brito, Adelaide Ferreira, Luís Fernando 18th91986 "Não sejas mau para mim" Dora Guilherme Inês, Zé Da Ponte, Luís Manuel de Oliveira Fernandes 14th281987 "Neste barco à vela" Nevada Alfredo Azinheira, Jorge Mendes 18th151988 "Voltarei" Dora José Niza, José Calvário 18th51989 "Conquistador" Da Vinci Ricardo, Pedro Luís 16th391990 "Sempre, há sempre alguém" Nucha Luís Filipe, Ian van Dijck, Frederico Pereira, Francisco Pereira 20th91991 "" Dulce Pontes Jorge Quintela, José Da Ponte, Fred Micaelo 8th621992 "Amor d'água fresca" Dina Ondina Veloso, Rosa Lobato de Faria 17th261993 "A cidade (até ser dia)" Anabela Paulo de Carvalho, Marco Quelhas, Pedro Abrantes 10th601994 "Chamar a música" Sara Tavares João Mota Oliveira, Rosa Lobato de Faria 8th731995 "Baunilha e chocolate" Tó Cruz António Vitorino d'Almeida, Rosa Lobato de Faria 21st51996 "O meu coração não tem cor" Lúcia Moniz Pedro Osório, José Fanha 6th92 18321997 "Antes do adeus" Célia Lawson Rosa Lobato de Faria, Thilo Krassman 24th ◁ 0rowspan="6" colspan="2" data-sort-value="99999" 1998 "Se eu te pudesse abraçar" Alma Lusa José Cid 12th361999 "Como tudo começou" Rui Bandeira Jorge do Carmo, Tó Andrade 21st122000 "Sonhos mágicos" Liana Gerardo Rodrigues, Maria da Conceição Nortecolspan="2" 2001 "Só sei ser feliz assim" MTM Marco Quelhas 17th182003 "Deixa-me sonhar" Rita Guerra Paulo Martins 22nd132004 "Foi magia" Sofia Vitória Paulo Nevescolspan="2" rowspan="3" 15th382006 "Coisas de nada" Nonstop José Manuel Afonso, Elvis Veiguinha 19th 262007 "Dança comigo" Sabrina Emanuel, Tó Maria Vinhas 11th 882008 "Senhora do mar" Vânia Fernandes Andrej Babić, Carlos Coelho 13th6921202009 "Todas as ruas do amor" Flor-de-Lis Paulo Pereira, Pedro Marques 15th578702010 "Há dias assim" Filipa Azevedo Augusto Madureira 18th434892011 "A luta é alegria" Homens da Luta Jelcolspan="2" rowspan="4" 18th222012 "Vida minha" Filipa Sousa Andrej Babić, Carlos Coelho 13th392014 "Quero ser tua" Suzy Emanuel 11th392015 "Há um mar que nos separa" Leonor Andrade Miguel Gameiro 14th192017 "Amar pelos dois" Salvador Sobral Luísa Sobral 1st 758 1st 3702018 "O jardim" Cláudia Pascoal Isaura 26th ◁ 39colspan="2" 2019 "Telemóveis" Conan Osíris Conan Osíriscolspan="2" 15th512020 "Medo de sentir" Elisa Marta Carvalhocolspan="4" 2021 "Love Is on My Side" The Black Mamba Pedro Tatanka 12th15342392022 "Saudade, saudade" Maro Maro, John Blanda 9th20742082023 "Ai coração" Mimicat Marisa Mena, Luís Pereira 23rd 599742024 "Grito" Iolanda Alberto Hernández, Iolanda Costa 10th 1528582025 "Deslocado" Napa João Lourenço Gomes, João Rodrigues, Diogo Góis, Francisco Sousa, André Santos, Guilherme Gomes 21st 509562026 "Rosa" Bandidos do Cante Duarte Farias, Miguel Costa, Luís Aleixo, Francisco Pestana, Francisco Raposo, Kasha, Gui Alface, Gonçalo Narciso e Bluaycolspan="2" 12th74
Hosts 1960s
1964: Henrique Mendes and Maria Helena Fialho Gouveia 1965: Henrique Mendes 1966: Henrique Mendes and Maria Fernanda 1967: Henrique Mendes and Isabel Wolmar 1968: Henrique Mendes and Maria Fernanda 1969:
1970s
1970: Maria Fernanda and Carlos Cruz 1971: Henrique Mendes and 1972: and Carlos Cruz 1973: Alice Cruz and Artur Agostinho 1974: Glória de Matos and Artur Agostinho 1975: Maria Elisa and 1976: Eládio Clímaco and Ana Zanatti 1977: Nicolau Breyner and Herman José 1978: Eládio Clímaco and Maria José Azevedo 1979: José Fialho Gouveia and
1980s
1980: Eládio Clímaco and Ana Zanatti 1981: Eládio Clímaco and 1982: Alice Cruz, José Fialho Gouveia, Ivone Silva and 1983: Eládio Clímaco and Valentina Torres 1984: and José Fialho Gouveia 1985: Eládio Clímaco, and José Fialho Gouveia 1986: Eládio Clímaco, Ana Zanatti, José Fialho Gouveia, Henrique Mendes and Maria Helena 1987: Ana Zanatti 1988: Ana Paula Reis, Valentina Torres and António Sequeira 1989: and António Vitorino de Almeida
1990s
1990: Ana do Carmo and Nicolau Breyner 1991: Júlio Isidro and Ana Paula Reis 1992: Eládio Clímaco and Ana Zanatti (final); Júlio Isidro (semi-final) 1993: Margarida Mercês de Melo and António Sala (final); Júlio Isidro (semi-final) 1994: Ana Paula Reis and Nicolau Breyner (final); Ana do Carmo and Luís de Matos (semi-final) 1995: Carlos Mendes, Sofia Morais and Herman José 1996: Isabel Angelino and Carlos Cruz 1997: and António Sala (final); Isabel Angelino (semi-final) 1998: Lúcia Moniz and 1999: Manuel Luís Goucha and Alexandra Lencastre
2000s
2000: and Gaspar Borges 2001: Sónia Araújo and Cristina Möhler 2003: Catarina Furtado 2004: Catarina Furtado 2005: Eládio Clímaco and Tânia Ribas de Oliveira 2006: and Jorge Gabriel 2007: Isabel Angelino and Jorge Gabriel 2008: Sílvia Alberto 2009: Sílvia Alberto
2010s
2010: Sílvia Alberto 2011: Sílvia Alberto 2012: Sílvia Alberto and 2014: José Carlos Malato and Sílvia Alberto 2015: Júlio Isidro and Catarina Furtado 2017: José Carlos Malato and Sónia Araújo (1st semi-final) Jorge Gabriel and Tânia Ribas de Oliveira (2nd semi-final) Catarina Furtado, Sílvia Alberto and Filomena Cautela (final) 2018: Jorge Gabriel and José Carlos Malato (1st semi-final) Sónia Araújo and Tânia Ribas de Oliveira (2nd semi-final) Filomena Cautela and (final) 2019: Sónia Araújo and Tânia Ribas de Oliveira (1st semi-final) Jorge Gabriel and José Carlos Malato (2nd semi-final) Filomena Cautela and Vasco Palmeirim (final)
2020s
2020: Jorge Gabriel and Tânia Ribas de Oliveira (1st semi-final) José Carlos Malato and Sónia Araújo (2nd semi-final) Filomena Cautela and Vasco Palmeirim (final) 2021: Jorge Gabriel and Sónia Araújo (1st semi-final) José Carlos Malato and Tânia Ribas de Oliveira (2nd semi-final) Filomena Cautela and Vasco Palmeirim (final) 2022: Jorge Gabriel and Sónia Araújo (1st semi-final) José Carlos Malato and Tânia Ribas de Oliveira (2nd semi-final) Filomena Cautela and Vasco Palmeirim (final) 2023: José Carlos Malato and Tânia Ribas de Oliveira (1st semi-final) Jorge Gabriel and Sónia Araújo (2nd semi-final) Filomena Cautela and Vasco Palmeirim (final) 2024: José Carlos Malato and Tânia Ribas de Oliveira (1st semi-final) Jorge Gabriel and Sónia Araújo (2nd semi-final) Filomena Cautela and Vasco Palmeirim (final) 2025: Jorge Gabriel and José Carlos Malato (1st semi-final) Tânia Ribas de Oliveira and Sónia Araújo (2nd semi-final) Filomena Cautela and Vasco Palmeirim (final) 2026: Vasco Palmeirim, Catarina Maia and Alexandre Guimarães (1st semi-final) Filomena Cautela, Catarina Maia and Alexandre Guimarães (2nd semi-final) Filomena Cautela, Vasco Palmeirim, Catarina Maia and Alexandre Guimarães (final)
Green room presenters