The 2020 Eurovision national finals season will once again feature a late-night marathon hosted by Portuguese broadcaster RTP.
The Festival da Canção is an acquired taste, with a reputation for sending songs that under performed at Eurovision – although everything changed in 2017 when Salvador Sobral ended six years out of the grand final and won the whole shebang with “Amar pelos dois“.
There will be two semi finals (22/29 February staged at RTP studios) with a grand final on 7 March. This week, RTP named the sixteen composers (or teams) who will enter songs. 14 received direct invites, one won a radio contest called ‘Master Class’ and the other place went to the winner of an open competition.
Here’s the list …
António Avelar Pinho
Blasted Mechanism
Dino D’Santiago
Elisa Rodrigues
Filipe Sambado
Hélio Morais
Jimmy P
João Cabrita
Marta Carvalho
Meera
Pedro Jóia
Rui Pregal da Cunha
Throes + The Shine
Tiago Nacarato
Cláudio Frank (Masterclass winner)
Dubio Feat. (Open contest winner)