🇵🇹 Blast from the Past: Portugal 1994

We know a lot about Eurovision and we want to share this knowledge with you! Therefore we’d like to bring you a blast from the past. Today we want to honour Sara Tavares, who participated for Portugal in 1994. She passed away last Sunday.

Portugal in the Eurovision Song Contest

Portugal started participating in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1964. It all started with a zero. This was the starting signal for a long and not easy road for Portugal. The idiosyncratic entries the country had often finished low. Exceptions were Carlos Mendes (1958) and José Cid (1980), both of whom reached a seventh place. In 1996, Lucia Moniz finished in sixth place with her “O meu coração não tem cor”. But for a victory, Portugal had to wait until 2017.

It was Salvador Sobral who managed to enchant both the televoters and the professional jury with his subdued song “Amar pelos dois”. It turned into a landslide victory for the Portuguese; something they had been waiting for so long. 

photo: EBU/Andres Putting

Festival RTP Da Canção 1994

The national final in Portugal is always called Festival RTP Da Canção. This year, two semifinals were held, on 10 and 17 january. Each of the semifinals contained 10 songs. Among them, Marco Quelhas, who represented Portugal in the 2001 contest as a half of the duo MTM. Eight songs headed to the final:

 

  1. Isabel Campelo, “Malmequer do Campo“, 122 pts, 3rd
  2. Trivium, “Trovas do Demo e d’el Rei“, 84 pts, 5th
  3. Pedro Miguéis, “Todos Nós Alguma Vez“, 136 pts, 2nd
  4. Inova Fora Nada, “O Vento Sabe o Que Quer“, 83 pts, 6th
  5. José Carvalho, “Lisboa, Minha Linda Cidade“, 92 pts, 4th
  6. Fernanda Lopes, “Se Fores Poema“, 75 pts, 7th
  7. Tó Carlos, “Ai Dona Inês“, 46 pts, 8th
  8. Sara Tavares, “Chamar a Música“, 220 pts, 1st

As you can see, Sara Tavares won with a landslide, 84 points ahead of the runner up!

Sara Tavares

Sara Alexandra Lima Tavares, born on February 1, 1978, in Lisbon, Portugal, was a renowned Portuguese singer, composer, guitarist, and percussionist. Of Cape Verdean descent, her parents immigrated to Portugal and settled in Almada in the 1970s. Tavares grew up in Lisbon and faced early family challenges, with her father leaving and her mother moving south with her siblings, leaving Sara in the care of an older woman.

Tavares exhibited remarkable musical talent from a young age. In 1994, at just 16, she won the national television song contest “Chuva de Estrelas,” performing Whitney Houston’s “One Moment in Time.” That same year, she triumphed at the “Festival da Canção,” earning a spot in the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest. Her winning song, “Chamar a Música,” was included on her debut EP, “Sara Tavares & Shout” (1996), where she blended gospel and funk with Portuguese influences.

Her debut album “Mi Ma Bô,” produced by Lokua Kanza, was released in 1999. In 2017, Tavares released the album “Fitxadu,”. It was inspired by Lisbon’s diverse African sounds and cultures, showcasing a more electronic and urban sound. The album earned a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Portuguese Language Roots Album.

Tavares was multilingual, composing in Portuguese, Portuguese-based Creole languages, and occasionally English. Sara was known for singing the European-Portuguese version of “God Help the Outcasts” from the Disney movie “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,”. She won a Disney Award for the best version of the original song with it. She also won a Portuguese Golden Globe for Best Portuguese Singer in 2000.

photo: Henryk Kotowski

Tavares passed away on November 19, 2023, in Lisbon at the age of 45, after a long battle with a brain tumor diagnosed since 2009​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​. Her death was a great shock in the Eurovision community.

Chamar a Música

“Chamar a Música,” the captivating song that Sara Tavares performed at the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest, showcases her exceptional talent as a young artist. At just 16 years old, Tavares brought this melodic and emotionally resonant piece to the Eurovision stage, representing Portugal with grace and artistry. The song is characterized by its smooth, soulful melody. It is blending elements of Portuguese musical tradition with contemporary influences. Although Tavares’ performance was well-received, it ultimately placed 8th in the competition. Despite this, “Chamar a Música” remains a significant part of her early career, reflecting her deep connection to her cultural roots.

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Eurovision 2026

Vienna 12 points: from a huge table to 7,000 crystals

Here is your article, ready to publish on Eurovision Universe. Written in the same style as the reference piece — with an intro, ~100 words per country, running order metadata, Yoast-friendly structure, and sources. Day four of first rehearsals at the 70th Eurovision Song Contest is underway in Vienna. The final eight countries of Semi-Final 2 step onto the Wiener Stadthalle stage for the very first time today, Tuesday 5 May. First rehearsals remain closed to press; three approved images per country will be published approximately 24 hours after each performance. The official Eurovision subreddit is providing live descriptions throughout the day. Eurovision Universe sought additional detail through national broadcaster coverage, social media, and press reports. All five countries below compete in Semi-Final 2 on Thursday, May 14. 🇨🇾 Cyprus — Antigoni, “Jalla” Running order: 8 | Rehearsal: 5 May, 09:00–09:30 CEST | Second rehearsal: 9 May Antigoni has been promising she would dance on the table. This morning at the Wiener Stadthalle she delivered  in a way nobody quite anticipated. The centrepiece of the staging is a table of extraordinary scale: large enough for all four dancers to join Antigoni on top of it, large enough to function as a full catwalk, and large enough that the chairs do not go beside it but on it. This choreography is tight and deliberate. The dancers even work with plates. And the whole setup directly brings to life the song’s most iconic lyric. It is a reference with Eurovision history behind it: Ivi Adamou danced on a table for Cyprus at Baku 2012, but the 2026 version operates on an entirely different scale. The table itself has a table runner made from an LED strip, which comes into its own during the “you want more?” section of the song. From there, Antigoni steps off the table and onto the catwalk with a purposeful strut, before the staging closes out with fire and pyrotechnics more commonly associated with rock entries than Mediterranean pop. The backdrop features giant ancient pillars lit in blue. Antigoni wears a short white beaded dress. Staging is by Sacha Jean-Baptiste, whose Eurovision credits include “Fuego” (Cyprus 2018) and the 2023 winner “Tattoo” for Sweden. Antigoni Buxton, 29, is a British-Cypriot singer-songwriter from North London who gained wider recognition after Love Island UK in 2022. CyBC selected her internally in November 2025. “Jalla”, meaning “more” in the Cypriot dialect, was co-written with Charalambous Kallona, Connor Mullally-Knight, Demetris Nikolaou, Claydee, Paris Kalpos, and Trey Qua. Cyprus competes 8th in Semi-Final 2. Sources: r/eurovision live thread / CyBC / Eurovoix / Instagram @antigoni 🇱🇻 Latvia — Atvara, “Ēnā” Running order: 9 | Rehearsal: 5 May, 09:40–10:10 CEST | Second rehearsal: 8 May Latvia’s first Vienna rehearsal delivers a scaled-up version of the performance that won Supernova 2026 in February. If the subreddit’s reporters are to be believed, it translates powerfully to the larger Wiener Stadthalle stage. Atvara completed three full run-throughs of “Ēnā.” The core concept remains unchanged: an intimate, atmospheric performance built around the song’s cinematic ballad structure and Atvara’s vocal. What has changed is the detail. Atvara is wearing a newly designed gown decorated with sparkling stones. They now extend further down the side and along her left arm. Speaking to Latvian broadcaster LSM ahead of Vienna, Atvara confirmed that the team had worked to adapt the Supernova concept to the Eurovision scale. They refined technical elements while leaving the core performance intact. Her stylist Inna Bertāne described the new dress in Latvian press as a deliberate step up. Atvara rose to prominence on TikTok via her debut single “Pie Manis Tveries” and later sold out 22 solo shows in Latvia in 2025. She won Supernova on 14 February, taking both the jury and public votes. Latvia competes 9th in Semi-Final 1. Sources: LSM / Supernova / Latvian Radio / Instagram @atvara.liene 🇩🇰 Denmark — Søren Torpegaard Lund, “Før vi går hjem” Running order: 10 | Rehearsal: 5 May, 10:20–10:50 CEST | Second rehearsal: 9 May The Melodi Grand Prix staging has arrived in Vienna completely intact, and apparently quite literally so. The box that defined Søren’s breakthrough performance in Frederikshavn was not dismantled and rebuilt for the Wiener Stadthalle; it was shipped as-is. When something works that well, you don’t take risks with it. That said, what is inside the box has been elevated for Eurovision. Søren opens in black leather trousers and an aquamarine silk chiffon shirt, before ripping it off mid-performance. The singer than reveals a sparkly black mesh top underneath. The outfit reveal lands as a proper moment. Inside the box, red tube lights illuminate and intensify as the performance builds, so that by the second chorus the whole structure is radiating heat, matching the choreography. This has been noticeably scaled up from the national final, particularly the thrusting during the first verse. When Søren finally steps out of the box towards the end of the song, a storm takes over the stage floor and the backdrop behind him. The respite is brief: the graphics transform into blazing fire for the final twenty seconds.  Søren Torpegaard Lund, 27, is a trained musical theatre actor who graduated from the Danish Stage Arts School and played Tony in West Side Story at the Copenhagen Opera House in 2021–22. He co-wrote “Før vi går hjem” with Clara Sofie Fabricius, Thomas Meilstrup, and Valdemar Littauer Bendixen, winning Melodi Grand Prix on 14 February with both the jury and public votes. Denmark competes 10th in Semi-Final 2. Sources: r/eurovision live thread / DR / ESC Insight / Instagram @sorentorpegaardlund 🇦🇺 Australia — Delta Goodrem, “Eclipse” Running order: 11 | Rehearsal: 5 May, 11:00–11:30 CEST | Second rehearsal: 9 May The biggest name in this year’s contest steps onto the Wiener Stadthalle stage and, by all accounts, does not disappoint. Delta Goodrem’s first Vienna rehearsal for “Eclipse” is a significant production. The staging is developed by Black Skull Creative, the team behind the entire Liverpool 2023 contest, alongside creative director

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Eurovision 2026
Martijn

Vienna 12 points: from a huge table to 7,000 crystals

Here is your article, ready to publish on Eurovision Universe. Written in the same style as the reference piece — with an intro, ~100 words per country, running order metadata, Yoast-friendly structure, and sources. Day four of first rehearsals at the 70th Eurovision Song Contest is underway in Vienna. The final eight countries of Semi-Final 2 step onto the Wiener Stadthalle stage for the very first time today, Tuesday 5 May. First rehearsals remain closed to press; three approved images per country will be published approximately 24 hours after each performance. The official Eurovision subreddit is providing live descriptions throughout the day. Eurovision Universe sought additional detail through national broadcaster coverage, social media, and press reports. All five countries below compete in Semi-Final 2 on Thursday, May 14. 🇨🇾 Cyprus — Antigoni, “Jalla” Running order: 8 | Rehearsal: 5 May, 09:00–09:30 CEST | Second rehearsal: 9 May Antigoni has been promising she would dance on the table. This morning at the Wiener Stadthalle she delivered  in a way nobody quite anticipated. The centrepiece of the staging is a table of extraordinary scale: large enough for all four dancers to join Antigoni on top of it, large enough to function as a full catwalk, and large enough that the chairs do not go beside it but on it. This choreography is tight and deliberate. The dancers even work with plates. And the whole setup directly brings to life the song’s most iconic lyric. It is a reference with Eurovision history behind it: Ivi Adamou danced on a table for Cyprus at Baku 2012, but the 2026 version operates on an entirely different scale. The table itself has a table runner made from an LED strip, which comes into its own during the “you want more?” section of the song. From there, Antigoni steps off the table and onto the catwalk with a purposeful strut, before the staging closes out with fire and pyrotechnics more commonly associated with rock entries than Mediterranean pop. The backdrop features giant ancient pillars lit in blue. Antigoni wears a short white beaded dress. Staging is by Sacha Jean-Baptiste, whose Eurovision credits include “Fuego” (Cyprus 2018) and the 2023 winner “Tattoo” for Sweden. Antigoni Buxton, 29, is a British-Cypriot singer-songwriter from North London who gained wider recognition after Love Island UK in 2022. CyBC selected her internally in November 2025. “Jalla”, meaning “more” in the Cypriot dialect, was co-written with Charalambous Kallona, Connor Mullally-Knight, Demetris Nikolaou, Claydee, Paris Kalpos, and Trey Qua. Cyprus competes 8th in Semi-Final 2. Sources: r/eurovision live thread / CyBC / Eurovoix / Instagram @antigoni 🇱🇻 Latvia — Atvara, “Ēnā” Running order: 9 | Rehearsal: 5 May, 09:40–10:10 CEST | Second rehearsal: 8 May Latvia’s first Vienna rehearsal delivers a scaled-up version of the performance that won Supernova 2026 in February. If the subreddit’s reporters are to be believed, it translates powerfully to the larger Wiener Stadthalle stage. Atvara completed three full run-throughs of “Ēnā.” The core concept remains unchanged: an intimate, atmospheric performance built around the song’s cinematic ballad structure and Atvara’s vocal. What has changed is the detail. Atvara is wearing a newly designed gown decorated with sparkling stones. They now extend further down the side and along her left arm. Speaking to Latvian broadcaster LSM ahead of Vienna, Atvara confirmed that the team had worked to adapt the Supernova concept to the Eurovision scale. They refined technical elements while leaving the core performance intact. Her stylist Inna Bertāne described the new dress in Latvian press as a deliberate step up. Atvara rose to prominence on TikTok via her debut single “Pie Manis Tveries” and later sold out 22 solo shows in Latvia in 2025. She won Supernova on 14 February, taking both the jury and public votes. Latvia competes 9th in Semi-Final 1. Sources: LSM / Supernova / Latvian Radio / Instagram @atvara.liene 🇩🇰 Denmark — Søren Torpegaard Lund, “Før vi går hjem” Running order: 10 | Rehearsal: 5 May, 10:20–10:50 CEST | Second rehearsal: 9 May The Melodi Grand Prix staging has arrived in Vienna completely intact, and apparently quite literally so. The box that defined Søren’s breakthrough performance in Frederikshavn was not dismantled and rebuilt for the Wiener Stadthalle; it was shipped as-is. When something works that well, you don’t take risks with it. That said, what is inside the box has been elevated for Eurovision. Søren opens in black leather trousers and an aquamarine silk chiffon shirt, before ripping it off mid-performance. The singer than reveals a sparkly black mesh top underneath. The outfit reveal lands as a proper moment. Inside the box, red tube lights illuminate and intensify as the performance builds, so that by the second chorus the whole structure is radiating heat, matching the choreography. This has been noticeably scaled up from the national final, particularly the thrusting during the first verse. When Søren finally steps out of the box towards the end of the song, a storm takes over the stage floor and the backdrop behind him. The respite is brief: the graphics transform into blazing fire for the final twenty seconds.  Søren Torpegaard Lund, 27, is a trained musical theatre actor who graduated from the Danish Stage Arts School and played Tony in West Side Story at the Copenhagen Opera House in 2021–22. He co-wrote “Før vi går hjem” with Clara Sofie Fabricius, Thomas Meilstrup, and Valdemar Littauer Bendixen, winning Melodi Grand Prix on 14 February with both the jury and public votes. Denmark competes 10th in Semi-Final 2. Sources: r/eurovision live thread / DR / ESC Insight / Instagram @sorentorpegaardlund 🇦🇺 Australia — Delta Goodrem, “Eclipse” Running order: 11 | Rehearsal: 5 May, 11:00–11:30 CEST | Second rehearsal: 9 May The biggest name in this year’s contest steps onto the Wiener Stadthalle stage and, by all accounts, does not disappoint. Delta Goodrem’s first Vienna rehearsal for “Eclipse” is a significant production. The staging is developed by Black Skull Creative, the team behind the entire Liverpool 2023 contest, alongside creative director

Read More »
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