How will RTP select the 20 songs to compete in Festival da Canção 2018?

Fresh news coming from Portugal! RTP has revealed the way they will select the 20 songs to compete in Festival da Canção 2018. The Portuguese National Final will follow the same format of the previous edition: two Semi-Finals on February 18th and 25th, and the Grand Final on March 4. However, RTP will use a slightly different method to select the 20 competing songs. Check it out!

Festival da Canção 2018

After the Portuguese victory in Kiev, there is no time to lose. RTP has just revealed more information about Festival da Canção 2018. The Portuguese National Final will follow the successful format of the previous edition: two semi-finals on February 18 and 25 and the Grand Final on March 4. While the Semi-Finals will take place at RTP’s studios in Lisbon, the Grand Final will leave the capital for the first time in 17 years, taking place in Guimarães. The competition will feature 20 songs (10 songs per Semi-Final), and from each Semi-Final 5 songs will advance to the Grand Final.

The selecting method

The Portuguese broadcaster will invite 17 composers to present an original song. Just like in 2017, these composers are free to choose their respective singer, language and genre. As the winner of the previous edition, Salvador Sobral has the power to invite one composer in the same terms of the invitations launched by RTP. The two remaining places will be filled by the winners of two open competitions. One those competitions is “Master Class”. This is a radio program hosted by Antena 1 for composers and authors with no published works. Finally, the remaining place will be chosen through an open call for songs. Therefore, Portuguese citizens and foreigners living in Portugal are able to participate. The songs will be later evaluated by a jury, and the winner will be invited to present the song in one of the Semi-Finals. Time to try your luck!

The voting system

The voting system will follow the same lines of the previous edition. Why change what is working fine? This way, the 50/50 voting system will be used for the three shows. A jury and the televote will decide which songs will advance to the Grand Final. At the Grand Final, the next Portuguese representative will be decided by seven regional juries and once again by the televote. However, in the case of a tie, the situation will be solved differently in the Semi-Finals and in the Grand Final. In the Semi-Finals the vote of the professional jury prevails. On another hand, at the Grand Final, the televote has the last word.

What do you think about the new changes? Who do you want to represent Portugal next year? Let us know your opinions in the comments below or on social media @ESCXTRA.