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!

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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..... )

Regina Lund - naked and censored

Regina Lund's new video Jag är osynlig was censored by Youtube only minutes after it had been uploaded. In the video she was playing a female Jesus who gets crusified in the end. "I was shocked!" she says. "There's nothing more naked in it as in every church! It's ok to have naked man hanging on the wall but my nakedness is too much on internet? ". Oh well, no comment. She's prepairing a new album Dare Regina Lund and we of course remember her from her Melodifestivalen 2007 adventure with Rainbow star .

Russia recycles the video

Here is the video for Alexey's previous hit Бам Бам! and here is the video for his Eurovision 2011 entry Get you as Alex Sparrow as he likes to be called now abraod. Looks like he potreys the new rich Russia well.... The only problem is that he can't play the bad part convincingly not even a second. And did I say the song is crap? And of course as he is a Russian star he must have nude fotos of him flotaing around internet trying to be sexy and he fails there, too, big time. If you are not bad nor sexy you shouldn't push it. Maybe he should stick to singing jolly little numbers like the Kalinka rip off instead....

CAROLA'S BOOBS STEAL THE SHOW, SVT APOLOGIES

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TIM SCHOU AND HIS NAKED GRAVITY

Tim Schou has a pretty good solo career going since he left his friends in London. He's travelling the world and relesing songs and videos. The latest one is a great track and comes with a steamy video that kinda takes away from the song really. But who's complaining. If you got it, flaunt it. Enjoy the video below. This post coming after the other Dane, Rasmus Seebach as wishlist for Eurovision. To think about it, Tim would do nicely, too. Maybe he should give it another go?

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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.

CZECH REPUBLIC: MARTINA BÁRTA PRESENTS MY TURN

Czech Republic's internally chosen Martina Bárta has released her entry My turn for the Eurovision as well today. Not sure if I managed to keep my attention level very high for very long when listening to it.... Shame.

MÅNS ZELMERLÖW GETS NAKED FOR THE GOOD CAUSE

Reigning Eurovision song contest champion and the host of the next contest in May 2016 in Stockholm Mäns Zelmerlöw bares it almost all in GT following some other Eurovision stars like Blue and Jedward ( see more here ) All for the good cause of course, prostate cancer - something this blogger can also relate having experienced it in my closest circle. Nothing to laugh about. The annual Naked issue of GT or Gay Times features also several other celebrity men out of their designer fashion and stage or sports outfits. I guess Christmas came early to some fans when they can unwrap their most wished gift already now.... Maybe. But it's not the first time he gets naked.... he did so when hosting the annual QX Gala some years ago. Who knows what he and Petra have in store for us in May?!

Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

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