You know you're finally excited about your country's chances again when you switch off the TV by mistake while nervously trying to adjust the sound before the big performance starts
Damn, have yet to watch the full performance. Also you know it when your body literally screams "joy! jump!" yet you sit quiet and still telling yourself "oh but it was so expected..".
I don't know, it is a weird feeling. Similar to that of Euro 2016. We Portuguese people are just not used to being on the spotlight like this
About the performance...I liked the presentation. I guess there were not many alternative scenarios to that of performing in the middle of the crowd.
Salvador looked a bit hesitant at times with his gestures. Something to review before the final, I'm afraid. I feel like these gestures started out as a genuine body reaction to what he felt while performing the song but now he is conscious that it is something people expect from the performance. So in a way it kind of became the choreography. And I know that Salvador is careless enough not to make this an issue...but, when your genuine way of expressing yourself becomes "the talk" and it is perceived by some as odd or in a negative way...then I believe, that leaves some kind of mark within the conscience.
So all this to say that while I believe he is not in any way consciously trying to avoid his natural performing manners, I fear that the whole buzz of him being "the cool outsider kid" somehow still affects his performance unconsciously.
It's just a tiny detail but I couldn't help notice. I wish his body language felt more fluid as before.
Other than that it is obviously an honor to see your country's entry getting this kind of reaction and treatment. The organizers know this and are using it, however. Whether it is to our advantage or not only Saturday will tell. The spotlight feels good but one needs to know when it feels
too good.
I think Salvador is a little bit overwhelmed by the whole contest in my opinion. I could see him kind of inebriated with this new big experience at various points of the evening. I felt some discomfort from him when being interviewed by RTP just before the semi-final started. I don't know...I have the feeling that this is being some kind of freudenschade experience to him
In a way, I am glad that he has his sister alongside him all the time - she is much more down to Earth and really acts like a protective older sister most of the time.
All should be good, this is just me trying to get into the skin of the person insider the performer.
Later into the evening I like how much more relaxed he looked in-between the shots taken while the voting lines were being announced. His sill antics with Luísa made me laugh in a genuine way.
Even though it was expected, just being in the final already means a lot to us here in Portugal. I'm glad we ticked that off, now we can focus on what really matters.
I have no idea what SF2 reserves plus the 3 unrevealed big 5 acts but judging only from SF1...it does feel like anything else outside of top 5 will feel criminal. Personally speaking, even not winning feels criminal at this point to me
After having a taste of what the big rival and favorite is all about...
There's still 2 major things against the entry still. I'm sorry to say language because the Eurovision I grew up with had language rules and it still feels right to me. Yes, music can speak in universal dimensions but people in overall and on average still want things they can understand. I do not fit into this category myself but I understand that the average person just is this way by default. Playing against my reasoning is Marija in 2007, thankfully.
The other thing is the fact that we are still talking about a ballad here. Ballads have the same right as upbeat songs obviously but I feel that people when voting for a winner tend to vote for something they can remember. Luckily there are exceptions throughout history but in the end Eurovision is a one-week party and if you really are into voting in the contest you will hype away whatever makes you move the most. By move, I mean literally moving in here
I feel that in the end a song that moves you on the inside only (unless someone is yet to unveil the choreography to "Amar pelos dois", that is) creates some sort of limited reaction in you.
I'm drifting in here and losing focus on my point anyway...my point is just that while I am thankful Salvador's song is special for being the antithesis of what you expect from a modern era ESC winner - it still is the very same reason why I fear for it and can see people not liking it.
This will be our best shot in a long time. It might not be the perfect one but this year we came up with what was missing. We have a simple yet beautiful melodious song. We have meaningful, moving and marking words going along with it. We have this odd character giving life to it in such a non-pretentious and genuine way. It should be all we need.
So crossing my fingers on saturday xcrossed
P.S. To my fellow Portuguese users in here...you know the song has struck the right nerve when asking people from your own country why they do not like the song all they come up with is empty reasoning. I can see that the melody and the words are just so strong that they bring out in our peers a discomfort that should not exist - of letting emotions out and for once not feeling scared to say that someone from your country is making you proud. After all, it is in the genetic code of most of our kind to just be negative and self-critical (as a country we really take the trophy for this one, trust me) anyway.
P.S. 2 First half? Not the best news.
1And he looked so handsome in black! 
I love Italy as well, but Salvadors performance last night was just breathtaking. 
