About
Biography
Early Life and Background
Telma Ágústsdóttir is an Icelandic pop singer born in Reykjavík in January 1977. She grew up in the town of Garðabær and later moved to Hafnarfjörður during her youth. Music runs in her family. Her father, Ágúst Atlason, was a member of the renowned Icelandic group Ríó Tríó. Telma developed an early passion for music and began singing in local bands as a teenager. By age 15, she was performing with various groups, most notably a rock band called Spur. This early experience on stage helped her hone her vocal skills and gain confidence as a performer.
Musical Career and Eurovision
In 2000, Telma achieved national fame when she represented Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest. Partnering with singer Einar Ágúst Víðisson, she formed the duo August & Telma and won the Icelandic national selection (Söngvakeppnin) that year. They performed the pop-rock song “Tell Me!” on the Eurovision stage in Stockholm. The energetic duet, delivered in English, earned 45 points and finished 12th out of 24 entries. This performance made Telma a household name in Iceland virtually overnight. “Tell Me!” also became a domestic hit, topping Iceland’s singles chart for two weeks in May 2000 and ending the year as the country’s fifth best-selling single. Telma’s bright voice and engaging stage presence shone during the contest, which remains a highlight of her musical career.
Later Activities and Career Changes
After the Eurovision spotlight, Telma did not pursue a long-term solo recording career or further attempts at the contest. Instead, she gradually stepped away from pop stardom. In the years following 2000, she performed with a popular party band on the local music circuit but eventually moved on from the band scene. Telma chose to focus on a more traditional path and began working for Isavia, the company that operates Iceland’s airports. Despite leaving the pop limelight, she stayed connected to music in a different way. Telma joined Rokkkór Íslands, a rock choir, where she continues to sing for enjoyment. Through the choir, she has performed rock classics on stage, showing that her passion for music never faded.
Personal Life
Telma has largely kept her personal life out of the public eye since her Eurovision days. She did not branch into acting or other entertainment fields, preferring a private life after her brief burst of fame. In recent years, however, she has explored new creative outlets beyond singing. In 2023, she delivered a talk titled “Kona býr til podcast – Nýhugsun” (“A Woman Creates a Podcast – New Thinking”) at a women’s business conference, where she discussed starting a podcast.
