Portugal secured 12th place at the 23rd edition of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest (JESC), held on Saturday, December 13, in Tbilisi, Georgia, through the performance of Inês Gonçalves. France was the event’s overall winner.
Inês Gonçalves, who gained fame by winning “The Voice Kids Portugal,” performed “Para Onde Vai o Amor?”, a song composed by Miguel Cristovinho, Buba Espinho, João Direitinho, and Aurora Pinto, which delves into themes of love and longing that linger after losing someone.
The teenager, turning 13 this month, resides in Alentejo with her family. She began singing at the age of three, attended classes on Cante Alentejano, and is a member of the Ourique Children’s Choir and a cante trio.
Watch (or rewatch) today’s performance by Inês Gonçalves:
This marks the 10th time Portugal has participated in the festival for those under 14 years. The country first entered in 2006, but was absent from the competition from 2008 to 2016.
In 2024, Victoria Nicole and the song “Esperança” achieved 2nd place with 213 points after winning the public vote, marking Portugal’s best-ever result.
The 23rd edition of Junior Eurovision was held in Tbilisi, Georgia, following the country’s victory last year with “To My Mom” by Andria Putkaradze.
