Semi-final 2 of Festival da Canção (FC) 2023
DATE: March 4th 2023
PLACE: The newly renovated RTP studios
HOSTS: Sónia Araújo and Jorge Gabriel on stage; Inês Lopes Gonçalves in the Green Room.
Song #1: Edmundo Inácio sings “A Festa” (the party)
We have here an ethno-pop song and Edmundo is alone on stage. Delivers a very good performance for this song that is all about a party, where he really can go in and enjoy himself but... does he wants to? This party seams like some corridors in life where power and politics take over. It is a very good performance.
Song #2: The Happy Mess sing “O impossível” (the impossible)
All six members are on stage singing, playing and easy dancing to this soft pop song. The impossible things in life sometimes can be worked out, but for that people must come together. It is a very nice performance but looks like this song won’t go anywhere.
Song #3 Teresinha Landeiro sings “Enquanto é tempo” (while it is time)
This fado style song is about the power of the songs which can save us when love is gone and we are alone. Especially those songs which have not been written yet. Performance is nice, but not as strong as you would think it would be if we think this is a fado.
Song #4 Bandua sing “Bandeiras” (flags)
This is probably the most “different” song in this semi-final. The two members of Bandua are on stage
together with another person who is playing a huge adufe (traditional square tambourine of Moorish
origin). Traditional sounds from the center of Portugal are here mixed with some electronic beat to ask us
why people keep raising flags is we don’t really know where the borders are in life. Their performance is
very impressive.Song #5 Bárbara Tinoco sings “Goodnight”
She almost got the ticket to Rotterdam 2020 and now she is back with a song in English. Sweet love song, and Bárbara delivers it very well in her own “soft” style of singing.
Song #6 Inês Apenas sings “Fim do mundo” (the end of the World)
The end of the World is almost here but we should not be afraid if we are together and we have our memories to cherish. The performance is good, especially the part where she plays the piano, but the transition to an up-tempo song does not work very well.
Song #7 Ivandro sings “Povo” (people)
Almost in a bossa nova style, “Povo” tells us about the pain and disillusions in life but also about the hope and will to move (far away) and find that peace we all look for. The stage is impressive, but the performance is a bit of a let down.
Song #8 Dapunksportif sing “World needs therapy”
The meaning of the song is exactly what the title says: nobody wants to live in a World with problems,
angry people and issues. This is the rock proposal in this semi-final. Great beat, very good performance.
Song #9 Lara Li sings “Funâmbula” (funambulist)
There is no need to explain who Lara Li is. Bringing back the sounds that made her famous in the late
70s/80s, Lara in her own unique style gives us this soft pop ballad about life and the journey till now.
And she sings about the will to keep going now but not in a danger way, it is better keep life going easily
and nice. This is an amazing performance.Song #10 Voodoo Marmelade sing “Tormento” (torment)
Song #10 Voodoo Marmelade sing “Tormento” (torment)
They probably saved the most danceable song till the end. This is a very energetic and good performance. All the torments and worries were already left behind and in order not to get into those issues again there is always the need to believe and ... sing!
RESULTS:
Qualified: SONG 1, SONG 5, SONG 6, SONG 7 and SONG 10 Qualified (second chance): SONG 8.