We at That Eurovision Site will be ranking national finals throughout this coming season. The next national final that the team have taken a closer look at is Festival da Canção 2025, which will take place between the 22nd of February and 8th of March. Festival da Canção will select the Eurovision representative for Portugal in Basel.
Who is taking part in 2025?
There are 10 artists taking part in the first semifinal of Festival da Canção. The artists taking part are as follows:
| Entrant | Entry |
| Xico Gaiato | “Ai senhor!” |
| Rita Sampaio | “Voltas” |
| Du Nothin | “Sobre nós” |
| Marco Rodrigues | “A minha casa” |
| Margarida Campelo | “Eu sei que o amor” |
| Josh | “Tristeza” |
| Capital da Bulgária | “Lisboa” |
| Bluay | “Ninguém” |
| Jéssica Pina | “Calafrio” |
| Peculiar | “Adamastor” |
Who are our qualifiers from Festival da Canção 2025 Semifinal 1?
We ranked the songs taking part in the first semifinal, using a 1-10 ranking: 1 being our favourite, 10 being our least favourite song. We then calculated the average of all our rankings. Right below, you can see our top six for this selection. Ahead of the semifinal, we will be revealing the qualifiers, and will release the full breakdown when the selection finishes.
5th (tie). Jéssica Pina – “Calafrio” (6.00):
5th (tie). Josh – “Tristeza” (6.00):
4th. Du Nothin – “Sobre Nós” (5.17):
3rd. Xico Gaiato – “Ai senhor!” (3.17):
1st (tie). Peculiar – “Adamastor” (2.67):
1st (tie). Capital da Bulgária – Lisboa (2.67):
What did some of our team members have to say about their favourite songs from Festival da Canção 2025?
Rory (“Ai senhor!”): “Ai Senhor!” is a cry for the world to get up and act to save the planet we’re living and Xico convey’s that desperation for action so clearly in this song. While the song can border on repetitive for some, this song is full of impact and power, swelling at just the right moment and leaving the listener completely wowed. This should – and will – do well.
Shiloh (“Adamastor”): I love “Adamastor” because it brings the drama! Adamastor is a figure in Portuguese mythology from their colonial era, meant to personify the Cape of Good Hope and the futility (or not?) of mankind trying to conquer the sea. And by god does Peculiar deliver on that. The tense opening and the unpredictable nature of the instrumental knit together to craft a roiling, nautical sense of doom. Personally, I think Portugal couldn’t pick a better entry to go to Eurovision, and I loved this immediately.
Angus (“Lisboa”): The very first thing that struck me about this song are the vocals. It’s rare that a singer can so confidently and directly convey such strongly mixed emotions, and also sound so gorgeous at the same time. Add in some intimate altpop production work and you get this great track, which manages to be unmistakably Portuguese without being all that much like anything they’ve ever sent.
What is Festival da Canção?
Festival da Canção is a Portuguese music festival held every year. Artists apply, but can also get invited to take part in the festival by 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, in 1974 due to a boycott and in 2000 due to relegation.
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 with 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 represent Portugal in Basel? As always, let us know what you think by commenting below. Also, be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Threads and Bluesky for all things Portugal at Eurovision 2025!
News Source: That Eurovision Site
Photo Credit: RTP
Euan T