ESC 2017 REVIEW - PORTUGAL (02): SALVADOR SOBRAL

ESC 2017 REVIEW - PORTUGAL (02): SALVADOR SOBRAL - AMAR PELOS DOIS

Pictured is Portugal's antional flower lavender

Portugal has been in the Eurovision since 1964 and their best placing todate is 6th. They have long ago surpassed Finland as the worst, and they must have frustrated themselves as they decided to skip last year's edition and think it allover for a year. This year Festival da Canção was back and fans were expecting some modern eurotunes maybe as there was even a freedom of language. RTP again chose the composers and they chose the artists and submitted whatever they felt suitable. The result? At first glance nothing had changed: unfitting songs to Eurovision, most of them in Portuguese and having no chance at all impress the Europeans. All was forgotten when Salvador Sobral took the stage with a song his sister Luisa had written, Amar pelos dois...

Salvador Sobral (27) came to public light when participating in the Idols 2009, where he placed 7th. Also his sister took part earlier and placed third btw. Salvador has lived in the United States and Spain. He released his debut album last year and has released a couple of singles before. A lot has been talked and gossiped about his health condition and the fact is he will skip the technical rehearsals in Kyiv, and will arrive just in time for the dress rehearsals. After the Portuguese semifinal he was rushed to the hospital for hernia operations, and the rumours say he's suffering of a severe heart condition or needing a new heart asap. But nothing is confirmed and it's all about his song instead. That's very admirable as they could milk the pity here if they wanted to....

I have always liked the Portuguese music and their take on Eurovision, or rather the national final. Real songs and real Portuguese music not trying to please the Eurovision taste. I loved Amar pelos dois as soon as I got over Salvador's somewhat weird performance - but thinking about it now, having suffered hernia myself I can't even imagine how he managed to perform at all! The song is timeless. In a good way. It could have won Eurovision already in the 1950's or 1960's, and could win it in the 2010's more than in the 1990's I think. If there wasn't Italian gorilla involved this year this would be clearly my favorite to win it and I wish more than anything that Portugal would finally win it. But then as I said, there's the gorilla is there to mess things up..... And is it coincidence my top-3 are all non-English songs? Can we have a joint winner? 10/10

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Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

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