Portugal in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011

Eurovision Song Contest 2011
Country	Portugal
National selection
Selection process	Festival da Canção 2011
Selection date(s)	Online vote 20–27 January 2010 Final 5 March 2011 50% Jury 50% Televoting
Selected entrant	Homens da Luta
Selected song	"A luta é alegria"
Finals performance
Semi-final result	Failed to qualify (18th)
Portugal in the Eurovision Song Contest
◄2010 • 2011 • 2012►

Portugal participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Düsseldorf, Germany, having selected their entry through a televised national final, organised by Portuguese broadcaster Rádio e Televisão de Portugal (RTP).

Festival da Canção 2011

The Portuguese broadcaster, RTP, used the same selection method they used in 2010. Song writers, singers and groups could have submit their songs through the RTP website until the January 16th deadline. Those interested had about two months to submit their entries. A jury of experts selected between 20 to 24 of the best songs. Once the songs were chosen, people from all over the world had a chance to listen and selected their favourite song through the RTP’s website. Then, from the 20th 27 January the Portuguese public were able to vote for their favourite song.^[1][2]

The 12 most voted entries then competed at a grand-finale, held on 5 March. The song that represented Portugal in Düsseldorf was selected from a combination of jury votes and televoting. The songs must be performed in Portuguese. The singers and song writers must have Portuguese citizenship but the composer can be a foreigner.^{[3] [4]}

The host of the grand-finale, for the fourth year running, was Sílvia Alberto. She was joined by Joana Teles (conducting the "Green Room" Interviews). At a press conference, the broadcaster (RTP) announced the chosen finalists and the running order of the final show.^{[5] [6]}

Online voting

Final

Controversy

The results of the Portuguese selection competition caused much controversy. The band Homens da Luta won the Portuguese final for the Eurovision Song Contest 2011. At the end of the show, the members of the band were interviewed by the press, including oikotimes.com. In a statement in English, the lead member Jel presented the band as “the struggling people of Portugal. We represent the people that don’t like the way things are in Portugal and in Europe and we are going to be in Düsseldorf to tell the world”. Talking about the entry “A luta é alegria”, Jel stated that “this song is our weapon!” After leaving the venue, to attend a previously scheduled concert, the singer added, “People are joining the struggle, every time you hear someone singing the song in the streets, it is someone else that is joining the struggle”. At the venue, the members of Homens da Luta appealed to everybody to join the struggle. After their victory was announced several fans of the Eurovision Song Festival left the venue in protest. If the Portuguese entry suggests a clear political meaning, the song could breach a Eurovision Song Contest ruling and be disqualified. RTP, the Portuguese broadcaster, declined to disqualify the band's entry which further fueled the controversy.

At Eurovision

Portugal entered in sixteenth position in the first semi-final on 10 May, but didn't qualify for the final with an eighteenth place with 22 points, marking the first time since 2007 that Portugal failed to advance to the final.

Points Awarded by Portugal^[9]

Semi final 12 points  Greece 10 points  Iceland 8 points  Finland 7 points  Azerbaijan 6 points  Lithuania 5 points   Switzerland 4 points  Albania 3 points  Russia 2 points  Norway 1 point  Serbia

Final 12 points  Spain 10 points  Italy 8 points  Azerbaijan 7 points  Ukraine 6 points  Ireland 5 points  Moldova 4 points  Iceland 3 points  United Kingdom 2 points  France 1 point  Slovenia

See also

• Portugal in the Eurovision Song Contest
• Eurovision Song Contest 2011

References

External links

• (Portuguese) RTP - Festival da Canção 2011

Portugal in the Eurovision Song Contest
Participation 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Artists 1960s António Calvário Simone de Oliveira Madalena Iglésias Eduardo Nascimento Carlos Mendes Simone de Oliveira 1970s 1970 Tonicha Carlos Mendes Fernando Tordo Paulo de Carvalho Duarte Mendes Carlos do Carmo Os Amigos Gemini Manuela Bravo 1980s José Cid Carlos Paião Doce Armando Gama Maria Guinot Adelaide Ferreira Dora Nevada Dora Da Vinci 1990s Nucha Dulce Pontes Dina Anabela Sara Tavares Tó Cruz Lúcia Moniz Célia Lawson Alma Lusa Rui Bandeira 2000s 2000 MTM 2002 Rita Guerra Sofia Vitória 2B Nonstop Sabrina Vânia Fernandes Flor-de-Lis 2010s Filipa Azevedo Homens da Luta Filipa Sousa 2013 Suzy Leonor Andrade
Songs 1960s "Oração" "Sol de inverno" "Ele e ela" "O vento mudou" "Verão" "Desfolhada portuguesa" 1970s 1970 "Menina do alto da serra" "A festa da vida" "Tourada" "E depois do adeus" "Madrugada" "Uma flor de verde pinho" "Portugal no coração" "Dai li dou" "Sobe, sobe, balão sobe" 1980s "Um grande, grande amor" "Playback" "Bem bom" "Esta balada que te dou" "Silêncio e tanta gente" "Penso em ti, eu sei" "Não sejas mau para mim" "Neste barco à vela" "Voltarei" "Conquistador" 1990s "Há sempre alguém" "Lusitana paixão" "Amor d'água fresca" "A cidade (até ser dia)" "Chamar a música" "Baunilha e chocolate" "O meu coração não tem cor" "Antes do adeus" "Se eu te pudesse abraçar" "Como tudo começou" 2000s 2000 "Só sei ser feliz assim" 2002 "Deixa-me sonhar (só mais uma vez)" "Foi magia" "Amar" "Coisas de nada (Gonna Make You Dance)" "Dança comigo (Vem ser feliz)" "Senhora do mar (Negras águas)" "Todas as ruas do amor" 2010s "Há dias assim" "A luta é alegria" "Vida minha" 2013 "Quero ser tua" "Há um mar que nos separa"
(Note: Entries scored out are when Portugal did not compete)