2016 is the year, that marks the 30 year anniversary for Iceland’s debut at the Eurovision Song Contest, and with this, the island with about over 300.000 inhabitants celebrated this with a spectacular show.
To show how much the Icelandic people care for the song contest, they opened the show with a spectacular opening of previous Icelandic entries from the past, which were also sung by the original performers as well, opening with Maria Ólafsdóttir who last represented the country in Vienna.
6 artist competed in the final of Söngvakeppnin 2016, which decides, who get to represent the country later this year in Stockholm.
Originally, the songs were performed in Icelandic during the 2 semi-finals, but for the final, the performers were allowed to sing in the version, that they wish to sing at Eurovision.
- Greta Salóme Stefánsdóttir – “Hear Them Calling”
- Erna Hrönn Ólafsdóttir & Hjörtur Traustason – “I Promised You Then”
- Karlotta Sigurðardóttir – “Eye Of The Storm”
- Þórdís Birna Borgarsdóttir & Guðmundur Snorri Sigurðarson – “Ready To Break Free”
- Elísabet Ormslev – “Á ný”
- Alda Dís Arnardóttir – “Now”
Following the tradition of the Icelandic final, then once again the winner would be decided by 2 rounds of voting. The first round being a 50-50 voting of regional juries and televote, who decided the 2 super-finalists, who then would get to perform once again.
While awaiting the results of the first round of voting in the Icelandic final, the show also gave us some guest performces from a former Eurovision winner. Sandra Kim from Belgium who won in 1986, the year Iceland made their debut, performing her winning song “J’aime La Vie”, and the super-finalists from last year, being Maria and Friðrik Dór who performed together.
After a long break, the 2 perfomers being selected to the super-final were…
- Alda Dís Arnardóttir – “Now”
- Greta Salóme Stefánsdóttir – “Hear Them Calling”
In the second round of voting, the decision on who to represent Iceland, was solely given to the televoters.
After another small break, another previous Eurovision winner came out to perform for the Icelandic celebration. Loreen from Sweden joined the party and performed her winning song “Euphoria” for the public.
When finally time to reveal the winner, the 2 super-finalists gathered on stage awaiting the annoucement. Here Greta Salóme was announced as the winner, and will therefor once again represent Iceland at the Eurovision Song Contest, and also join the list of artists who return to the competition after already having participated before.
Iceland will compete in the second half of the first semi-final, on the 10th of May.
