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© Festival Cancao
Portuguese in full costume
[UPD - 2] 17. Showing some leg: Sabrina rehearses
Sabrina is all legs on stage as she twirls in a tiny black dress studded with shining diamonds. The female dancers appear in black trousers and waistcoats, with white long-sleeved shirts, apart from the central one who wears silver.
Focus on dance
There are enthusiastic whoops from the audience after each of her performances, which comes across on screen as a sea of swirling reds. The camera angles glide in and around the performers on stage, mimicking the waving reds of the background graphics. Much is made of the male-female dance routine on the camera, alternating between the female principle and Sabrina herself, who both take their turns with the only man on stage. There are some lovely close-ups of Sabrina, especially when the song switches language to French, Spanish and English.
Sabrina is as charming as ever, turning in a cheerful, vocally sound performance.
Portugal’s second rehearsal
Sabrina greeted the press and fans with a broad smile and Moi Suomi, mitä kuuluu? and of course got a loud applause. There were a lot of press and fans present and it looks like Portugal is gaining popularity rapidly in Helsinki.She and her team were very satisfied with their second rehearsal saying it went much better than the first one, especially the dancing and choreography.
She was asked if she plans to tour the Europe if her song becomes a summer hit after the contest and she answered nothing is planned yet but of course she would be happy to. First she must record her first album though.
A question about the song’s style followed and Sabrina said she likes her song a lot and is the kind of music she likes to perform before adding she will be happy just to sing, any kind of music. Right after she was asked to sing some fado and she gave it a try but stopped after few notes and promised to rehearse some first. After that Sabrina told she likes to sing all sort of music. Especially Latin pop and Portuguese music. She also prefers to sing in Portuguese and right after delivered a wonderful accapella version of Lusitana paixao, Portugal’s entry in 1991 to the joy of the people present and via screens in the media centre..
The inevitable came in the form of the question about the fact that Portugal now is the country participating for the longest time without winning after the Finnish victory last year. Does Sabrina think Festival do cancao is the right way to select the entry? Are the Portuguese people looking for a song that could win the Eurovision or just a song they like? Her answer was that their song this year is good and she is very happy to perform it and their goal is to bring Portugal to the final. If they manage in that they are happy. Another tricky question followed in the end: What does she think of the Norwegian entry? “I don’t think I know that one” she said before breaking into laughter. Then she told that of course she has heard the song but didn’t comment any further.
The press conference ended as usual with a bit of a chaos autographs, photos and promotional material.
- You can find the photo gallery here
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Portugal please follow Italy's example. We don't need to promote our country through this so-called festival. Portugal rocks by itself.
What a horrible choice of songs for the final!
Sabrina thank-you for representing Portugal' music and portuguese beauty so marvellous tonight. You were the star of the show!
Oh Paul, just shut up and go drown your frustations for not being able to enjoy the portuguese sun somewhere else!!
At least Guri Schanke from Norway is no real rival for Sabrina, I think. Sabrina is far better. She is cute, and she CAN dance and also sing, although there are stronger voices tzan hers. It's good and I want to see it in the final. But for next year it should finally be something really surprising for Portugal!
This was emberrasing. She can't sing, she can't dance. 0 pts.
I do not think that the conceptually Mediterranean entries of Portugal and Norway will both qualify to the finals.
Sabrina is adorable, and I hope she makes it to the final. I am quite impressed by the stage performance, too.
Good luck from Turkiye!
I am sure she is keeping something for the real performance on Thursday.
However, so far so good!
Gorgeous girl, great dancing tune, You go girl!
12 points to Portugal
She's a doll! Portugal has my votes this year.
Greetings from Bosnia 
good luck portugal !!
i like her performance
I like her and her song and her performance. Well i didn't like her hairstyle there, but hope she pass.
Please, Por favor, Bitte, παρακαλώ, svp, пожалуйста, tevreden,
per favore, VOTE FOR PORTUGAL!!!!!
GO SABRINA!!! YOU CAN DO IT!!!
portugal needs your vote!
if you like portugal song or performance or you think its time to portugal go to final or even if you are in love with Sabrina don´t forget to vote portugal because one vote of each people may be the pass to final! go sabrina go portugal
Sónia, don't forget that Portugal's song isn't (or wasn't supposed to be) a "latin song" before the contest. People just labelled it that way to add some more credibility to it.
Indeed, what people call "latin songs" isn't even traditional in Portugal (or France or Italy) ! That type of song is usual in Spain and hispanic countries, not here! It's just like saying that some other country should learn Flamenco with Portugal...
In this particular case, Norway really sounds more latin than Portugal's song (I'm not saying it's better or worse, but it does really sound), so Paul is actually right (although as Norwegian he's naturally biased hehehe)
Paul: A latin country performing a latin song should leard with a non latin country trying to sound Latin??????? Com'on, u must be kidding???????!!!!!!!!!
At least portugal's performance is not a deja vu strip act ........
Exceptuating the hair-style... I'm quite surprised, in the good way, about this performance.
Good luck Portugal!
Good luck from Portugal, Sabrina ^^***
you worthy final, Portugal. This is your time!
Now I love this song!!!!
Bravo Portugal. This is my favourite entry for a long time.
Never loose your beautiful language
I don´t think this is the outfit that she will wear in the semi, it is just the rehearsals and if u notice neither the back singers and dancers are wearing the semi final outfits.
The sincronizing problem has been resolved but the first girl put the golden color instead of the red so it missed it for the first minute, i hope they concentrate more, Good luck Sabrina you deserve a final spot.
Pedro
You really hate this song, don't you. Why? I didn't like it at all when I saw in in the Festival da Canção, but it has grown on me since. Besides, Sabrina is a cute and charming girl.
Please tell me: What is so terribly wrong with this? I don't get it.
She really does need something to distract people from actually listening to the music... maybe she could take all of her clothes, I'm sure there are plenty of straight men watching the show who would be more than happy to vote on her :-)
@ Eurovision Sweden
Why does Sweden send the same boring same year after year and it DOES work? (Nothing against Sweden but your country doesn't change it's musical style that often. It's clear that some countries-like Sweden- usually get their points much more easily than others)
stop! i like her outfit and hair-style. she needs to look flamboyant and charming on stage to attract attention. you know simplicity just doesnt work in esc anymore, you need to have a certain dose of charisma on stage, so well done sabrina, you look gorgeous !!!
and, portugal to take a lesson from norway on a latino tune?! just HAHAHAHAHA 
Paul 89
Learn with Norway???????????? Oh, please...
It's crap. Really, REALLY bad performer and song. Watch and learn from Norway.
@ KOSTAS ...until last year..that country was finland!
WOW SABRINA
realy like the performens!
its a nice sweet song, and might even pul true to the final 
GOOD LUCK PORTUGAL!!!
Portugal is indeed the country participating for the longest time without winning and would love to see them win. I don't think it'll be this year but if they really want it and try it systematically, they can do it.
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