EUROVISION 2023: ICELAND - SÖNGVAKEPPNIN 2023 REVIEW

Iceland's traditional Söngvakeppnin, the national selection for Euroviison song contest 2023 will be done the usual way: Ten songs all performed in Icelandic in two semi-finals where from two songs will be voted by the public alone to the grand final.An additional wildcard may be added by the organizers to the final line up.

In the final the songs can be performed also in English if they so wish and intend to do so if they win and there will be two rounds: first one with 50/50 televote/international jury. The top-2 will go to a super final with 100% televote.

As there are only ten songs I will just review them all together - and usually get it all wrong in Iceland but never mind!

Semi-final One

Bragi - Stundum snýst heimurinn gegn þér *****

Sometimes a song hits you hard when you hear it for the first time. Sometimes the said song really isn't nothing extraordinary or special but still, without any particular reason. This is one of them. I just loved this from the first hearing. in Icelandic mind you, not so keen on the English version. I don't know why but I do. Maybe that late night moment, my mood, whatever... My favorite song of the national final season so far. So nice to hear a song without gimmicks, just a good melody, no fuss arrangement, good vocals. And sadly I think this will have no chance whatsoever but I don't mind. I can keep this to myself.

Móa - Glötuð ást ***

Some how very Icelandic, old school. Interesting theatrical voice. Sadly I suppose this has no chance whatsoever either.

Benedikt - Þora **

A bit anonymous in every sense. Nothing to say really. I don't see this qualifying either.

Celebs - Dómsdags dans **

I have said all previous that they may have no chances to qualify, it's because of this nonsense. Knowing how Icelandic voted for example last year this should be a sure qualifier. I find this rather uninspired and annoying really.

Diljá - Lifandi inni í mér ***

Apparently the fan favorite and the other quite sure finalist. I'm not a big fan but I get the appeal. A bit all over the place and noisy.

Semi-final two

Kristin Sesselja - Óbyggðir *

This isn't goina nywhere but some higher notes. My attention was soon lost.

Langi Seli og Skuggarnir - OK *

Ok.... Nostalgy. I'm just not old enough to feel that, nor young enough to find this new and exciting. Probably this sail to the final..... Sigh.

Silja Rós & Kjalar - Ég styð þína braut ***

There's something nice about this, will work fine or burn live on stage I guess.

Úlfar - Betri maður ***

If the first semi feels very clear who qualifies this second one is much more open, I think. Having no idea how popular or known the artists are it's a wild guess who's going to qualify. This one's another pleasant song that goes nowhere in Liverpool if chosen.

Sigga Ózk - Gleyma þér og dansa **

Sounds like this could've been the Icelandic entry circa 1994. Again another quite pleasant song that has no chance in Liverpool. But what do I know?

Comments

ESC 2016 WISH LIST: MARGARET FOR POLAND

Małgorzata Jamroży aka Margaret has also been tipped for Eurovision and apparently she did turn it down but she'd be perfect. She's got a look and persona you can't unnotice nor forget, she's got hit songs, she has been voted or nominated for everything from Trendy artist to the Hope of the Year, Fashion Icon and Glamour Woman of the year besides the usual best video, song, album, debut..... Oh she's also a fashion designer! She's very clever with social medias and would surely use it to her advantage if selected for Stockholm 2016. Her debut album is titled Add the blonde , do we need to say more? Except it includes mostly Swedish written pop tunes like Tell me how are ya , Wasted , Start a fire and Heartbeat . And of course her debut single and internationally noticed Thank you very much that you can enjoy below with all its anti-textil feel. I think she's Eurovision perfection, she's cheeky and fun, can we have her?

SONGS OF THE YEAR 2015: #5 KRISTA SIEGFRIDS - ON & OFF

Krista Siegfrids is delivering nice pop tunes one after another and this one is particularly catchy and soon you will be singing along..... Hopefully her Melodifestivalen entry will be equally good!

ESC 2016 BELARUS: NAKED WITH WOLVES?

Today's funniest Eurovision related story comes from Belarus. Some sources claim Ivan wants to perform on stage naked and with live wolf or wolves. It surely would be a first on Eurovision stage! We have seen some forgotten underwear over the years, and some cardbox animals though..... Is it time to take things a bit further? No, according the rules live animals are not allowed, and Eurovision being a family show nudity won't do either. (It seems to be ok to be half naked if you are a dancer though..... )

GOODBYE, FAREWELL...

The time has come. After all these years, 5,7 million visits, 12.000 articles I guess the time has come. As much as I love and care for Eurovision it just doesn't feel the same. The Corona years took their toll and the past two years and certain decisions have helped me to mature the idea that next year I will hear the songs for the first time in semi-final just like any so called local. The bubble has burst. Add the toxicity in social medias and fandom. The arrogant teenagers who saw their first contest somewhere 2017 or even 2021 who think they know it all and only their opinion matters. Did I mention the toxic atmosphere on social medias? I'm too old for that sh*t. It's been a long ride that took me to various Eurovision on spot as a fan and tourist, as a journalist, as a delegation member. I met some great people, made memories of lifetime. In stressful, sad periods of my life this blog has been my safe place, a place to escape and forget everything else for an hour o

BLOGILKAR EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: HANNAH MANCINI

Straight into interview with my Bycycling reporter Robert goes American born Slovenian represent Hannah Mancini. The chatty lady tells us how she ended up from LA to Slovenia and how it is. She does also some serious name dropping. Talks about Slovenian music business. And has her husband turned into an Eurovision maniac?! And how Slovenian does she feel actually? And who would she like to grace the Eurovision stage for Slovenia again? Read it all here: Thank you Hannah for this interview. You're an American woman singing for Slovenia. How on earth did you end up there? I married a Slovenian man! Actually he lived in the States when I met him. I always loved the idea of living in Europe and it was kinda perfect as I met an European man! And he always wanted to come to Europe, his parents emigrated when he was a small child so eventually when the opportunity came, he had a good business thing happening there and also I had some music contacts in Amsterdam and in the UK an

NO AMOR IN ICELAND FOR ÁSDIS MARIA

In Iceland Söngvakeppni Sjónvarpsins 2014 started as well. Five songs in the running and two were voted to the final: Gréta Mjöll - Eftir eitt lag and Gissur Páll Gissurarson - Von . To be honest I'm not very suprised about the choices even if I was hoping for Ásdís María Viðarsdóttir - Amor to make it. The people of Björk didn't warm up to that enough, sadly. Also Sverrir Bergmann - Dönsum burtu blús and Vignir Snær Vigfússon - Elsku þú are out but that's ok. Or maybe I would have sent Ásdis Maria with Vignir to the final....Oh well. Next week another five songs and two qualifiers.

Blogilkar exclusive: PASHA PARFENI INTERVIEW

My flying reporter Robert managed to get hold on Pasha Parfeni from Moldova today who has become during this week pretty big favorite to do well. How did he end up in Eurovision, what his goals are and is his granny better than the ones from Buranovo? And will we get a cover album full of Eurovision later on? Find it out here: Why do you want to participate in Eurovision? That's a very difficult question... I want to be a star! A worldstar, ha ha! But I know it's not easy even in Eurovision, only Celine Dion and ABBA have made it. But I can make myself a bit more known, it's good for promotion. After Eurovision I will finish my album and my promo-CD already has nine songs. We will recod maybe 4-5 more and it will make a good album. With what result will you be happy here? Happy? … Top-10! Then I'll be absolutely happy! So if you don't get to the final you will be totally depressed? Yes, maybe... Yes, it would be hard. For me and my team. What are y

CAROLA'S BOOBS STEAL THE SHOW, SVT APOLOGIES

Update! Another thing got Swedes talking last night: Carola's boobs when she was giving away an award. This is not the first time her boombs cause headlines; her misfortunate adventures in the 80's in Japan wer explained with her boobs being too big for Japanese market. Ok.... Or was it the song ? Anyways, Carola apologies and says she thinks the dress is stylish and elegant (even her friends said so) and she's a mature woman in her 40s, not a 16-year-old girl and looks like one. The Swedish Oscars, Guldbagge awards were given out last night. Carola was there as a guest star to sing Barbra Streisand's The way we were when honoring the movie stars who passed away during 2012. However, the cameras were too much on Carola, not on the stars showed in photos in the background and that upset many viewers as that part of the show was to celebrate them, not Carola. Oh well... The producer of the show tells in Aftonbladet the part of the show was made the sam

Summer songs: Kylie Minogue - On a night like this

This is one of the songs that make me think of sweaty summer nights, humid air and being slightly drunk... I wonder where that all comes from? Anyways. Kylie Minogue recorded On a night like this, maybe not first but better than Pandora or Anna Vissi . And Lord which is actually great!

GREECE: HELENA PAPARIZOU HITS AGAIN WITH HAIDE

Eurovision song contest 2005 winner Helena Paparizou has been enjoying Top-5 hits every year since 2003 with the exception of 2010 and 2014, this latest one being already her 27th! And Haide is charting also in Bulgaria and Finland, of all places. The catchiness of her hits has changed less over the years than her face.... Here's the English version , below the Greek version.

Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Search This Blog