We can not wait for the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool. Therefore, we have a closer look at one of the contestants every day. Today: Iceland.
Diljá
The Icelandic preselection Söngvakeppnin was won by Diljá. She co-wrote her song “Power” with Pálmi Ragnar Ásgeirsson.
Diljá’s full name is Diljá pétursdóttir. She was born in Kópavogur, the 2nd city of Iceland. Diljá’s first steps into stardom came when she took part in Ísland Got Talent in 2015. In 2018 she took part in a contest called Vælið. She moved to Copenhagen to study music in 2020, but came back now to participate in Söngvakeppnin, the national final for the Eurovision Song Contest. Yesterday, Diljá was one of the performers in Eurovision In Concert.
Söngvakeppnin
Söngvakeppnin is the Icelandic national final for the Eurovision Song Contest. Already in 1986, when Iceland debuted, that was the name of the national final. Ten songs competed and the winner was Pálmi Gunnarsson, who sang “Gleðibankinn“. However, Icelandic broadcaster RÚV decided that the song should be sung by a group. Pálmi was joined by Eirikur Hauksson and Helga Möller in the group Icy. Also in 1994 it was not the Söngvakeppnin winner who represented Iceland. Singer Sissa (Sigrún Eva Ármannsdóttir) won the contest but was, according to RÚV, not good enough to sing her song “Nætur” in Eurovision. She was replaced by Sigga (Sigriður Beinteinsdóttir). Fun detail: 2 years before, Sigga and Sissa also took part, but then as a duo, Heart 2 Heart.
There has not been a Söngvakeppnin every year. Iceland also selected the song internally on several occasions. Since 2005 however, there always has been a Söngvakeppnin. Okay, not in 2021, when the 2020 winner Daði & Gagnamagnið could take revenge for the cancelled Eurovision Song Contest. Oh and we want to show you one Söngvakeppnin song in particular. The song was called “Is this love?“. And yes, you know the guy who sings it!
Sigga
Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest
As mentioned, Iceland took part in the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time in 1986. The first three entries all became 16th. It was Daniel Águst Haraldsson who broke the spell in a negative way: he did not get any points back in 1989. When Iceland became 4th in 1990 with Stjórnin this was so exceptional for the country that a big celebration followed on the island, as if they won the European Championship Soccer.
Iceland never won the Eurovision Song Contest. However, they became 2nd twice. In 1999 it was Selma with her “All out of luck” and in 2009 Yohanna got silver with “Is it true?”. And this will always remain a speculation, but it might well be possible that Daði & Gagnamagnið would have won the contest with “Think about things”. In all the alternative contests and polls replacing the cancelled contest, Iceland got the number 1 spot.
Bookmakers
Currently Iceland has the 25th place in the betting odds. That would be enough for a place in the final. However, if we look at the particular betting odds for the 2nd semifinal, Diljá would be placed 14th. Of course we hope for Iceland that they will have a place in the final.
The song
And of course, this is the song:
