🇵🇹 Portugal
Song: “Anos 70 (The 70’s)”
Performer: Nicolas Alves
This is only the seventh participation in Junior Eurovision for Portugal. They performed in 2006 and 2007 and took a long break until 2017. Except for the COVID-plagued 2020, they’ve been back every year since. Last year featured their best result: eleventh. Appropriately enough, it was a Fado number, which explains why it finished third in the online vote. This year, Portugal sends Nicolas Alves who finished runner-up in The Voice Kids.
With the exception of last year, Portugal has had good singers sing lackluster songs at Junior Eurovision. The songs may not be the best, but they were able to show their talent. This is an interesting song about a boy of modern time who feels like he should have been born in the 70’s. Yeah, kids and teens always think the times were better back then. Especially the music. Alves has the gravely voice to song like he’s one up-and-coming 70’s rocker. He shows his free-spirited attitude in the video. If you ask me, the song sounds more like it has a 90’s grunge vibe rather than from the 70’s. And I know 70’s music!
JESC Chances: Portugal may have had the third-most online votes last year, but it was for a Fado song. There’s a certain national pride when a Eurovision song with their national culture is included happens. This being a pop-rock song, I don’t think they will be as excited to vote for. This is a song that’s different and unique. I question if the young would go for a grainy rock song. I am usually pessimistic about songs that are different and unique going far at Junior Eurovision, but anything can happen. Besides we shouldn’t forget that a song featuring children buzzing like bees won one year!