Iceland has made its choice for 2024! In the penultimate weekend of a truly riveting national selection season, Söngvakeppnin kept both the bookies and the viewers on the edge of their stólar. The show was, per its literal translation, “a singing competition”; however, it was anything but predictable.
Hosted at Laugardalshöll in Reykjavík, the 143-minute broadcast (yes, indeed) began charmingly with a look back at Selma Björnsdóttir’s beloved 1999 entry “All Out of Luck.” Selma herself, a stunner at 49, set the stage for a fabulous evening.
Brothers VÆB were the first competitors to perform with their song “Bíómynd.” An ode to the cinema, this act featured a gorilla, a princess, and an assortment of astronauts—one of whom accepted a film award mid-performance. “Bíómynd” was the only song performed in Icelandic, though a combined English/Icelandic version has also been released.
Next was Hera Björk, seeking a return to the Eurovision spotlight after 14 years. Her song “Scared of Heights”—the more triumphant but perhaps less catchy sibling (or cousin?) to 2010’s “Je ne sais quoi”—showcased her powerhouse vocals. Atop the first of three tiny staircases used in the Söngvakeppnin final, Hera did in fact look a tad acrophobic.
In an uncomfortable albeit endearing interlude, hosts encouraged the audience to sing just the “cha cha cha” portion of Käärijä’s 2023 hit by the same name. In the background, Icelandic children flailed to make themselves visible on camera—a staple of every national final.
Then, it was Anita’s turn. Obviously very comfortable on-stage, she and her dancers gave a performance built for Eurovision—bedazzled Roomba® and all. Though Anita was one of four artists to switch to English lyrics for the Söngvakeppnin final, her vocals seemed most impacted by the language change, as “Downfall” took on a different timbre than “Stingum af.”
Fourth to perform was the bookmakers’ favourite: Bashar Murad. Credited for Iceland’s high position in the overall ESC odds, Bashar’s entry made no comment on the genocide unfolding in his home nation of Palestine but instead offered an understated and catchy foray into the realm of country music. Concluding dramatically upon the evening’s second tiny staircase, “Wild West” was arguably the most unique entry of the show.
Finally, wildcard Sigga Ózk gave a flawless and upbeat performance of her song “Into the Atmosphere.” Employing one last tiny staircase, Sigga brought the hús down with the revelation that she had not actually been saying “Go Tiffany” all along. Nonetheless, she ended with a shout-out to Tiffany for good measure.
In the Söngvakeppnin superfinal, Hera Björk and Bashar Murad went head-to-head. While Hera’s performance was partially bungled by out-of-sync playback (whoopsie, guess that wasn’t live), Bashar seemed more comfortable the second time around—heart reveal notwithstanding.
The audience enjoyed an impressive revamp of Diljá’s 2023 entry “Power” whilst awaiting the final results. At last, we learned that it was Hera, not Bashar, who dominated the second televote. And with that, the 51-year-old from Reykjavík is off to Eurovision once more.