Zach Kerr is a two Chief Editors of ESCUNITED. This review is an opinion and does not reflect the view of ESCUNITED.
by: Zack
It is fitting that I am watching the Iceland National Selection this weekend as in North Carolina, we were hit with part of a winter storm. Here, a small amount of snow and ice can cause closures and accidents galore, which has been the case over the past 24 hours. Luckily for me, I nestled on my couch, streaming Söngvakeppnin 2013 onto my laptop.
The show pretty much follows the same format as yesterday’s first semi-final. Well executed and to the point! However, I found today’s songs to pale in comparison to yesterday’s. It’s too bad an act like Magni would have been a shoe-in tonight and instead does not make it because of last night’s placement.
Klara Ósk Elíasdóttir: Skuggamynd
A nice start to the show. But goes a bit off key at the end with the key change.
Jogvan Hansen & Stefanía Svavarsdóttir: Til Þín
Eurovision does love their male/female duets don’t they? I wouldn’t say there was anything special about this performance but they performed it quite well.
Sylvía Erla Scheving: Stund Með þér
Another run-of-the-mill Eurovision-ish song. She is young and I’m sure as she sings more, her voice will grow stronger. At some points, she sounded off. This didn’t do much for me, just like the previous song. Right now, it’s hard to tell which of the three have a good shot at making it to the final.
Haraldur Reynisson: Vinátta
The sole song in the composition in which the artist is the sole composer of the entry. Another nice song, but nothing really stood out. I’m afraid this will not stand out tonight, nor would it stand out in Malmo if selected.
The way this is going, it looks like if they have a jury wildcard, it will surely come from the first semi-final (more people expressed disappointment that Magni didn’t make it, rather than Yohanna). They may get their wish!
Unnur Eggertsdóttir: Ég Syng!
For whatever reason, I don’t remember listening to this when the first songs came out. It’s very current in terms of American pop music, in the vein of Miley Cyrus (before she went cuckoo with that “Can’t Be Tamed” crap). The only issue is without the Icelandic language, I feel like I’d be watching something that came out of Latvia or the Netherlands in that it is cute, but a bit corny. I wonder how this would translate to the Malmo stage.
Erna Hrönn Ólafsdóttir: Augnablik
Like Birgitta yesterday, I have high hopes for this song! With the show putting Erna in last, it seems to be the case. She’s competed numerous times and has sung backup for Yohanna and Hera Bjork on the Eurovision stage. So it’d be nice to have her turn too (although many others have made numerous attempts as well). I think I have overexpectations with this song as I did yesterday with Birgitta. Erna performs this well and this just works for the Eurovision stage and with its Baltic influences, could yield many votes. However, I guess I was hoping for more. Still, I’ll be shocked if this doesn’t make it to the finals.
The hosts are interviewing Selma (ESC 1999 and 2005) and Regina from Euroband (ESC 2008) and I’m switching over to the Denmark show to see who made it to the Superfinal. My man Brinck sadly did not 🙁 Just enough time to watch all three perform!
And now the results!
First selected is Jogvan Hansen & Stefanía Svavarsdóttir. Another male/female duet for the final!
Next up is Unnur Eggertsdóttir. You gotta be kidding me. Where’s Erna!?
Last is Haraldur Reynisson. I was 2/3 but sadly, no Erna.
Wildcard announcement. It’s Magni!
So the final is set with the following acts:
1. Svavar Knútur Kristinsson & Hreindís Ylva Garðarsdóttir Hólm: Lífið Snýst
2. Eyþór Ingi Gunnlaugsson: Ég á Líf
3. Birgitta Haukdal: Meðal Andanna
4. Jogvan Hansen & Stefanía Svavarsdóttir: Til Þín
5. Unnur Eggertsdóttir: Ég Syng!
6. Haraldur Reynisson: Vinátta
7. Magni Asgeirsson: Ekki Lita Undan
What are your thoughts of tonight’s show? Who’s going to represent Iceland in Malmo in May?
Roy van der Merwe
January 27, 2013 at 04:41
Zack, so you thought semi final 2 was stronger. No Yohanna or Erna. Could it be that Birgitta gets the ticket to Malmo? While you are caught in snow, we are having a HEATWAVE