DISCLAIMER: All the opinions stated in this post represent the views of the person quoted and do not represent ESCUnited as a whole. We are an opinionated lot with conflicting opinions, for which we take full responsibility.
As the end of February draws nearer, so too does the end of the 2025 national final season. We’re getting closer to knowing the final lineup for ESC 2025, but before we get there we still have to visit some of the largest national finals in Europe! Today’s reviews take us to Portugal, where ESCUnited is reviewing the lineup from Festival da Canção 2025. Ahead of the first semi-final this weekend, let’s look at the ten songs which will be competing for a place in the final, and what some of our writers think.
Today we have 5 participants who will share their thoughts with us:
- Alexandros: his favourite will be very clear when you see it
- Boris: verbose and sassy all rolled into one
- David: didn’t even pretend to enjoy this selection
- Rebecca: finally found a reason to bust out the literature knowledge
- Sam: too tired to beat around the bush today
Okay, we all know what you really want, and that’s to get on with the reviews!
Xico Gaiato – “Ai Senhor”
Alexandros – 4 – “This year’s Festival De Cancao has a good mix of songs overall, although previous years have had their fair share of decent entries. However, this particular song falls short. The chorus is clever, but it doesn’t resonate with me personally.”
Boris – 9 – “One of several entries that could reasonably pass as a Balkanic entry were it not for the instrumentation. “Ai Senhor!” is a certified banger, combining thundering drums with flamenco-esque chanting and a banging rhythm. This explosion of dramatic chanting is very much not what Festival da Canção normally includes in its line-up, but that’s precisely what I find exciting. Xico breaks the mould with a song that could easily overcome the language barrier if staged properly. I’m hooked, and I believe many discerning viewers will be as well.”
David – 4 – “I think it’s cool with this warrior like theme that the song gives, as if a war is about to take place. Instrumentation is very enjoyable, but mixed with these vocals, the song overall becomes a bit more questionable. The vocal seem perhaps a bit too soft, for a song this intense sounding. Which is just very contradicting.”
Rebecca – 7 – “I’m loving the dark drama here. The heavy, beating drum is great, and the lyrics are very poetic and add a flair of despair to the dark theming. Towards the end the instrumentals really kick into a storm of noise, which is a really cool climax—the vocals just need to make sure to keep up with that and not get lost in the eye of the hurricane. I like this one!”
Sam – 8 – “This is very, very cool. There’s an urgency and a desperation behind it that draws my attention. This could do very well with some exceptional staging.”
Highest Score: 9 (Boris)
Lowest Score: 4 (Alexandros, David)
Total Score: 32/50 (6.4 Average)
Rita Sampaio – “Voltas”
Alexandros – 5 – “Another fantastic example of how women are making their mark. It’s a great song with a beautiful way of transforming traditional elements through techno.”
Boris – 7 – “A fun Lo-Fi trip song. “Voltas” is an enjoyable entry to have in between the extraverted spectacles by Peculiar and Xico, providing a well-needed moment of pause. It’s perhaps a bit too safe of a composition to really make a splash otherwise, but you never know – the vocal harmonizations are strong here, and pair well with Rita’s naturally brittle voice.”
David – 1 – “I don’t appreciate how the song is tricking me mind to think something is going to happen, by the inclusion of a few loud sounds, just for the song to return to it’s low and slow tempo. The chorus is moving and nicely produced, but the rest is very lackluster and I feel I need to remain a bit to patient with this one.”
Rebecca – 5 – “I’m generally slightly more partial to Portuguese ballads than those from other countries, because they tend to have a lot more texture in their instrumentals and vocals. This one is no exception—there’s a soft quality to the vocals and a wooden percussion that gets me interested, but at the end of the day, this is still just fine. Nothing really goes anywhere in the three minutes, so I’m left feeling vaguely sleepy and unable to remember a distinct melody, even though I’m sure I didn’t have a bad time listening to it.”
Sam – 6.5 – “The production is interesting, as are the lyrics – a dreamy, Imogen Heap meets Billie Eilish vibe. Unfortunately I think the melody gets lost in it.”
Highest Score: 7 (Boris)
Lowest Score: 1 (David)
Total Score: 24.5/50 (4.9 Average)
Du Nothin – “Sobre Nós”
Alexandros – 5 – “Okay, this is a pleasant song, especially considering its Nordic melody. However, it’s repetitive for me, especially since the lyrics are only “Sobre Nos” throughout the chorus. Nevertheless, I can envision it being a great live performance and a suitable descent for Festival De Cancao. Apart from that, it’s not my favorite song out of all the ones this year.”
Boris – 6.5 – “Du Nothin kick off this selection with fairly standard, but pleasant radio pop filler. There not much of note happening in “Sobre nós”: it’s a nothing more -or less- than a nice song with a catchy rhythm and good vocals.”
David – 6 – “Some more modern music, which is performed in Portuguese. I actually wish Portugal would allow something like this far more, because it has its own charm to it. I feel the Portuguese language shines in a lovely melodic way here, and I’m more welcomed to join this party. Not a bad effort, and far more open, than one would think.”
Rebecca – 6 – “We have a fun, disco beat underneath a very sweet song here, which is a nice juxtaposition. The drums and strings add great texture as we get further into the song, and I love his voice a lot. As much as I enjoy it, it doesn’t quite stick the landing. I feel that it needs a bigger climax, because right now it just feels like a rehash of the chorus with very little payoff.”
Sam – 5.5 – “It’s 2010s indie rock infused with disco-style strings and the faintest whiff of whatever genre Imagine Dragons is. The result feels a little confused, and the lyrics are more than a little generic.”
Highest Score: 6.5 (Boris)
Lowest Score: 5 (Alexandros)
Total Score: 29/50 (5.8 Average)
Marco Rodrigues – “A Minha Casa”
Alexandros – 1 – “Do you recall the movie “The Polar Express”? Well, this song reminds me of it. The melody and voice from Marco are pleasant, but this song almost lulled me to sleep during my first listen.”
Boris – 2 – “You have slow songs. You have slow songs that are also boring. You have slow and boring and are also sleep-inducing. And then you have whatever “A minha casa” is which manages to be annoying BECAUSE it combines those three things and arranges them as a Christian Morality Tale. (regardless of lyrics). It’s a very tedious number. Avoid this one, por favor.”
David – 1 – “I really loathe these touchy slow ballads… they just don’t appeal to me. I’m just waiting for it to end most of the time. As much as I do remain patient and hope for something extraordinary to happen, it just never happens, and instead I’m more joyful when we reach the end. It’s the same here, and it’s a me problem, I know that. Respect for a lovely voice.”
Rebecca – 2 – “A very basic love ballad. As sweet as it might be, musically it’s not giving me a whole lot. There’s not much wrong with it but I struggle to pick out anything that makes it stand out to me. I’m bored! Give me some vocal variations at the very least!”
Sam – 6 – “This is a very standard but sweet love ballad. Marco’s voice is very nice. I do, however, think one needs to look no further than the current reception (at least outside of Slovenia) to Klemen’s Eurovision song to gauge how well “A Minha Casa” would do in the contest. Then again, Portuguese is a much more sonically-pleasing language than English.”
Highest Score: 6 (Sam)
Lowest Score: 1 (Alexandros & David)
Total Score: 12/50 (2.4 Average)
Margarida Campelo – “Eu sei que o amor”
Alexandros – 3 – “It’s a refreshing change to have a jazz-pop entry for Eurovision. However, it’s just another filler song. It’s reminiscent of Bruno Mars, but it lacks any unique qualities that make it stand out.”
Boris – 6 – “A little bit of jazzy soul never hurt anyone.”
David – 1 – “Can I call this Soul-jazz? I’m gonna do that anyway, and wow… I’m getting depressed from this. This is just heavy and difficult to simply enjoy in a casual setting. This is not exactly what I would ever listen to, unless it’s played in the background somewhere, where I can’t control who plays the music. I personally just don’t wish to listen to this kind of music.”
Rebecca – 5 – “This sounds like the music my therapist plays in her office while I’m waiting for my appointment. I don’t mean that it’s bad, more that it works better as peaceful background music than a song that stands out.”
Sam – 6.5 – “This is an extremely pleasant, jazzy, loungy number and Margarida sings the hell out of it. I do feel it’s a bit more suited to a jazz club than to Eurovision. I think it’s just a bit too sedate for Eurovision’s voting public. If I was doing this in 2017, that would have been my exact review of “Amar Pelos Dois,” so what do I know?”
Highest Score: 6.5 (Sam)
Lowest Score: 1 (David)
Total Score: 21.5/50 (4.3 Average)
Josh – “Tristeza”
Alexandros – 10 – “Okay, so here we go. Gosh, how can I describe my feelings for this song without losing my mind? The emotions, his voice, the lyrics—everything is so beautiful. Listening to this song, I can see my emotions manifesting before my eyes. Even without knowing Portuguese, I completely understood what he has to say about pain and sadness. Ultimately, I believe this song has the potential to win Eurovision if it’s selected. If the staging is equally captivating as his song, we could witness Portugal winning with another fantastic ballad. Please choose this one; otherwise, I’m afraid I’ll be plunged straight into the depths of my pain.”
Boris – 6 – “Boomers have so much to answer for, and that includes GenZ’s INABILITY to have and be fun. JOSH is mostly uninteresting to me – “Tristeza” is a well-crafted ballad that allows for a captivating live with good vocals, but it’s in the same zone as the vocal and lyrical masturbation pieces I usually don’t care for. Its strengths are technicalities, and I personally would enjoy it more if the instrumentation had more pomp and bombast. I’m giving a point extra for the musical break because I’m a fan of harp. Otherwise, I’d rather have Portugal cast this aside for a more interesting slow song (like Lisboa or Medo).”
David – 1 – “This is probably over the top dramatic. I mean, I do sense that the song tries to create this intense feeling and sound, but I’m just not quite surprised. It feels very predictable, and there’s nothing that I’m personally looking forward to with the song. Well… other than just waiting for the song to be over.”
Rebecca – 8 – “This is so pretty. Josh has a gorgeous voice, the lyrics are so poetic and meaningful, and there is such a great sense of buildup and rising tension, especially with the menacing horns before the final chorus. I think the biggest issue is a lack of energy—not that it needs to make me jump around or sing along, definitely not. What I mean is something that focuses and channels the rising tension in order to help the song reach a satisfying climax. This could be in the vocals or Josh’s stage presence, but I think the easiest solution would be some sort of staging that tells a very simple story and gives the audience a focal point to latch onto. Overall I’m very impressed, and if done properly this could be something very special.”
Sam – 8.5 – “I’ve been critical of Sad Boy Anthems before, and JOSH may declare himself King of the Sad Boys with “Tristeza,” but this is some seriously high quality wallowing. There’s drama. There’s tension. There’s a killer instrumental bridge leading to a climactic final chorus. King Sad Boy is serving vocals, and I’m here for it.”
Highest Score: 10 (Alexandros)
Lowest Score: 1 (David)
Total Score: 33.5/50 (6.7 Average)
Capital da Bulgária – “Lisboa”
Alexandros – 4.5 – “This song is pleasant, but I’m feeling a bit restless. I appreciate the melody, but it seems too mainstream for Eurovision. However, her vocals are truly impressive, and I must acknowledge her talent.”
Boris – 8 – “Her stage name is a play on her given name, Sofia <3 “Lisboa” follows the trend of Portuguese ballads – verbose and long, but compensates for it with good accelerated instrumentation, harmonious vocals and an endearing story about a woman ready to move in with love of her life. It’s a pretty, delicate song that would be a welcome addition to ESC2025’s clown car line-up should it win FdC.”
David – 1 – “This is very lengthy before it gets somewhere. While I’m waiting, I’m just losing my patience more and more, and when the song starts to pick up, it barely does, before it just returns to it’s own slow pace, before ending on a slow high. I’m bored, I’m waiting too long and I end up waiting on nothing, so this is really nothing for me.”
Rebecca – 7.5 – “This really captures a mix of childlike wonder and the bittersweet feeling of a young adult who is coming to terms with losing that. I think the final third needs a slightly more fulfilling climax, but other than that this is very cute and soft and sweet. Under the right circumstances, I get the very distinct impression that this could make me burst into tears—Sofia and her team should absolutely lean into that. Make me cry!”
Sam – 7.5 – “This belongs in a film (possibly one based on the story this song tells) but I actually think it could be a dark horse at Eurovision as well. It’s very Phoebe Bridgers, which I mean as a compliment. I almost feel like an English version of this could be a mainstream hit.”
Highest Score: 8 (Boris)
Lowest Score: 1 (David)
Total Score: 28.5/50 (5.7 Average)
Bluay – “Ninguém”
Alexandros – 4 – “Okay, that’s a good ballad, but it’s quite a common one. I can’t say whether I like it or not, but it doesn’t excite me as much as other songs at this year’s Festival. However, I can see the potential for a great staging. The last part is great, but it’s a bit too cheesy for my taste.”
Boris – 3 – “Sadly not BLUEY who is an antipodean icon, but BLUAY who is a San Remo coded ponderous bore – you know the type: looks like a dealer, sounds like the eulogist at your aunt’s funeral. Portugal’s slow songs often trend towards being verbose and longwinded, but “Ninguém” really comes across as life-ending for the -lack of- sustenance it provides to anyone who isn’t a born and bred lusophile.”
David – 1 – “We’re dealing with quite a ballad here… I mean, I’m really bored to be honest, but I do admire the unique voice, quite soft and elegant, just like the melody. However, that saves nothing for me, as the song is just very boring throughout its entirety. Not that I expect something bombastic only, but I just don’t wish to get sleepy when listening to music.”
Rebecca – 3 – “It’s pretty, don’t get me wrong, but eh. I’m not enraptured by it like I am some of the other pretty songs in this selection. And not only does he talk at me—the absolute highest transgression a song can make in my book— he ends the whole song with it, so instead of giving me time to forget that it happened I’m stuck with the memory of the worst part of the song fresh in my mind! At least do me the decency of hiding it in the middle like Franka and Aiko did.”
Sam – 6.5 – “The lyrics are somewhat cheesy, sure, but otherwise this is very nice. Bluay’s vocals are impressive. I could do without the monologue at the end.”
Highest Score: 6.5 (Sam)
Lowest Score: 1 (David)
Total Score: 17.5/50 (3.5 Average)
Jéssica Pina – “Calafrio”
Alexandros – 6 – “The grove of this song is something I love, but does it stand alone as a Eurovision song? I’m not entirely sure. I appreciate when Portugal selects these alternative entries that retain the traditional character but incorporate a unique element that sets them apart.”
Boris – 5 – “Great hairdo, mid song. Jessica sings the type of jazz song that gets radio airplay in Portugal and Brazil, basically all the time. That makes it on trend, which is good. Unfortunately, that also makes “Calafrio” difficult discern from other similar songs, which is not so good.”
David – 1 – “Oh, we’ve gone fully jazzy on with this song. This just hits me in a negative way, it’s a real mood killer for me. I’m not into jazz at all, and as lighthearted it might sound, it just hits me in a depressed and very dragging way. Let’s just say, despite it’s only 3 minutes in length, it is some of the longest 3 minutes that I’m dealing with here.”
Rebecca – 4 – “A nice jazzy lounge piece, but I’m feeling a lot of dissonance between the music and the lyrics at certain points. “I can go from beast to beastly” is apparently a line used several times here, and perhaps my translation is not the best, but the music doesn’t exactly give me the impression that this is what she’s singing about? Is it a femme fatale sort of thing or…? Either way, I’m not really meshing with this.”
Sam – 5.5 – “This is a more upbeat, and maybe less polished, jazz club bop than Margarida’s, and yet it doesn’t really stand out. Also, for some reason, I simply cannot make sense of the lyrics.
Highest Score: 6 (Alexandros)
Lowest Score: 1 (David)
Total Score: 21.5/50 (4.3 Average)
Peculiar – “Adamastor”
Alexandros – 6.5 – “With a well-staged performance, this song has the potential to be a hit. The beginning is so scene-setting that I can already envision it on Eurovision. I love the harmonious blend of the backing vocals with his voice. The bridge also adds a powerful element that elevates the song to new heights.”
Boris – 9.5 – “We interrupt this selection of mid ballads with a firecracker of an experimental song that Portugal are also known for. Peculiar serves the other Portuguese specialty: Quirky avant-garde art pieces that blend traditional styles with modern techniques. The end result is beautifully harmonized and incredibly interesting composition that has me crave for more of the same. ”Adamastor” is perhaps too quirky for Portugal’s tastes, but it is as close to an ideal spectacle piece entry as they get in Festival da Canção.”
David – 6 – “Very clever, it keeps this mystical and suspenseful sound and then it really hits. Very unique and special in sound, the Portuguese language also feels elevated by being used in a rather unusual way, combined with something new. This is very creative and daring, and it works the first time, but I’m sure about it in the long run.”
Rebecca – 9 – “Oh hell yeah, we love a good literature reference in this house! Finally, a use for my literature degree! For those who aren’t aware, Adamastor is a character from classic Portuguese poetry that symbolises the power of nature—in particular the sea—so the sea-shanty theming here is on point. The whole song really creates a sense of an epic tale being told to us, and the rap and dance elements blend surprisingly well into it. I think the end needs to have a bit more of an explosion, like a wave crashing against the coast. Don’t be afraid to make the ending a bit rough and aggressive, I say! I would give this a high score simply by allowing me to make use of my degree for a moment, but in actuality there is a lot in this song that is very impactful and captivating.”
Sam – 8 – “An absolute banger in a field of delicate flowers. This song makes me want to charge into battle. Imagine the staging opportunities.”
Highest Score: 9.5 (Boris)
Lowest Score: 6 (David)
Total Score: 39/50 (7.8 Average)
The Results So Far
We’ve talked about the 10 acts from Semi Final 1, so let’s take a look at where the rankings sit so far:
- Peculiar – “Adamastor” (7.8 Average)
- Josh – “Tristeza” (6.7 Average)
- Xico Gaiato – “Ai Senhor” (6.4 Average)
- Du Nothin – “Sobre Nós” (5.8 Average)
- Capital da Bulgária – “Lisboa” (5.7 Average)
Peculiar pulls ahead with a strong 1.0 lead over Josh in second place. Xico Gaiato takes third place, and rounding out the top five is Du Nothin and Capital da Bulgária. But these rankings aren’t set in stone—with 10 more songs set to compete in Semi Final 2 next week, and who knows where they will fall in the eyes of our reviewers? Stay tuned to find out!
Festival da Canção 2025 kicks off tonight with Semi Final 1, starting at 10:05pm CET.
Agree with our ranking? Think we’re completely wrong in every way? Let us know what #YOU think on our socials (@escunited), Discord or at our forum.
