Applications for the ‘open call’ for Festival da Canção 2025 have opened as RTP have confirmed the 59th edition of the contest.
Six open call artists
The application window opened yesterday at 3pm and will run until October 15th – those interested in applying can submitting up to two demos on the RTP website. In 2023, Mimicat became the first winner of Festival Da Canção to have been included through the open call.
As with this year’s edition of FdC, six songs will be selected from the open call, and will join 14 songs sourced from composers invited by RTP themselves. These composers can either choose to perform their song themselves, as all of the invitees did last year, or invite an artist to interpret the song on their behalf (such as Elisa performing Medo De Sentir.)
What is Festival da Canção?
Festival Da Canção is a Portuguese music festival held every year. Artists apply, but they also get invited to take part in the festival by the broadcaster RTP. Festival da Canção selects the Portuguese representative for the Eurovision Song Contest.
This national final is one of the oldest national finals and has been going for 57 years. The first edition of Festival da Canção was all the way back in 1964. The festival was held in 1970 and 2000 despite the country not taking part in the contest, first due to a boycott, and then in 2000 due to be relegated from the contest.
Portugal’s Eurovision Journey
Portugal debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest with António Calvário’s “Oração” in 1964. Since then, Portugal has participated in the competition 55 times – appearing the final 46 times. Their only win in the competition came in 2017 with Salvador Sobral, performing his heart-wrenching song “Amar Pelos Dois”.
Portugal’s most recent participation was with iolanda and the song “Grito”. iolanda managed to qualify for the Grand Final and once there, she finished in 10th place. She received a total of 152 points, of which 139 points came from the jury and 13 points came the televote.
Who would you like to see in the 59th edition of Festival Da Canção? Do you think Portugal can keep up their qualification streak? As always let us know what you think by commenting below. Also, be sure to follow “That Eurovision Site” on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Tumblr, Threads and Bluesky as we turn our attention to Eurovision 2025!
News Source – RTP
Photo Credit – Pedro Pina
Giwrgos Oiko 
Samantha