Portugal: RTP returns to Junior Eurovision with Simão Oliveira for 2021

Portugal: RTP returns to Junior Eurovision with Simão Oliveira for 2021
Monday, 19 April 2021

  • Portugal is returning to Junior Eurovision in 2021 and has already picked their representative as Simão Oliveira will fly the flag in France next November. 

    Portugal is not only returning to Junior Eurovision in 2021 after a year of absense, but has also revealed their next representative.

    RTP has already determined the country's hopeful! Simão Oliveira will be Portugal's hopeful for Junior Eurovision 2021, marking the first act to be selected for this year's edition. 

     

    Simão Oliveira is the winner of the tv talent show The Voice Kids, which he won in last night's final show. 

     

    A few words for Simão Oliveira

    Simão Oliveira is 13 years old  from Arouca. He lives with his parents and his 8-year-old sister, Rita. Everyone in the family likes to sing and are very excited, but no one has the dream of pursuing a career. The mother works at the Town Hall and the father at the Santa Casa. 

    He started singing at the age of 4  .When he started listening to fado , at the age of 6, he fell in love. There he wanted to start listening to the oldest and most traditional themes and fado singers.  

    He frequents the youth band of Arouca and plays the clarinet . Friends find it very funny to sing fado, because it is fashionable, but when they sing the classics they always think it is old. He does not care! His references are Tony de Matos, Amália, and recently Zambujo. 

    This year he participated in the Portuguese edition of The Voice Kids, which he won. 

     

    Portugal in Junior Eurovision

    Debuting in 2006, Portugal has a total of five participations in the contest in the edition of 2006-2007 and 2017-2019, with the best result being the 14th place of Pedro Madeira and Mariana Venâncio in 2006 and 2017, respectively. 

    In 2019 in Gliwice, the country was represented by Joana Almeida and "Vem comigo (Come with Me)", finishing in 16th place with 43 points, all from the online vote.

    Last year although RTP initially anniounced that it will take part in Junior Eurovision in Warsaw, the ongoing covid-19 pandemic and the implemented restrictions forced the broadcaster to rule out 2020 participation.