Portugal's Eurovision 2026 contestant Bandidos do Cante have shared the one thing people should know about them: they started singing from a very young age in traditional choral groups from Alentejo, without formal musical training. The five-piece band, formed of Miguel Costa, Duarte Farias, Francisco Raposo, Luís Aleixo and Francisco Pestana, are competing in the first semi-final on Tuesday 12 May in Vienna, Austria.
The Inspiration Behind 'Rosa'
Their song 'Rosa' draws inspiration from Alentejo itself and the band's connection to that culture and way of life. The track explores themes of love, nostalgia and 'saudade' — a Portuguese term for a deep and bittersweet longing for someone or something absent, loved and perhaps lost forever. The song blends Cante Alentejano, a traditional singing style recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, with a modern pop sound.
What Would a Eurovision Win Mean?
For Bandidos do Cante, winning Eurovision would be an enormous honour. They believe it would feel like Cante Alentejano itself had won the competition — a victory for their culture and traditional way of singing that means so much to them.
