We’re happy to kick off our interviews ahead of the first semi-final of Söngvakeppnin with Kristin Sesselja!
Kristin is described as a hyper-talented musical poet who uses her songs and lyrics to tell stories we can all relate to, stories of heartbreak and love. In her short career she has already gained steady success, even being nominated for Newcomer of the Year in 2021, and is working on a second EP album. And now she’s ready to add the Icelandic national final to her resume!
Hello and welcome to ESCUnited Kristin, thanks for taking some time out of your day to interview with us here on the site. How are you doing today?
I’m doing good! It’s been a busy day of interviews and filming which is really fun.
What motivated you to submit a song for the Icelandic national final this year? Has making it into the selection and possibly going to Eurovision been a long term goal of yours, or is this more of a recent interest?
I’ve always been a Eurovision fan and I’ve wanted to submit a song for the national final for many years. This year I have been really focused on making a lot of music so that’s why this year was the year I chose to do it.
How might you describe your music to someone who’s never heard your songs before? Are there any artists who influence or inspire you musically?
I would categorize it as personal pop bangers (hahaha). Usually about heartbreak, love or friendships. I am a HUGE Taylor Swift fan but other than that I love Regina Spektor, Julia Michaels, Maisie Peters and Lily Allen to name a few.
If you had the opportunity to collaborate with any former Eurovision artist of your choice to create a new single, who would you want to work with and why?
I think me and S10 could make a cool song together, I think we have similar vibes. I also think Loreen is ICONIC and would love to work with her.
Your song for Söngvakeppnin is titled “Terrified”, so I have to ask – are you afraid of anything?
I am really afraid of heights!
I also poked into your songwriting team and noticed a name that I recognized, Tiril Beisland who participated in Melodi Grand Prix this year in Norway. How did this team of songwriters come together for your entry and what was the songwriting process like?
Me and Tiril met at a songwriting camp in May in Oslo last year and instantly vibed. We were able to connect very quickly and be very vulnerable with each other. I had been wanting to write more with Tiril so I suggested we’d team up with Vetle, an amazing producer and we had both worked with before to write a Eurovision song. We went into the studio in September and started working on the melodies.
While Vetle started some production, me and Tiril started talking about what we wanted the song to be about and started working on the lyrics. Later I changed a part of the chorus and wrote a different melody and lyrics for the second half of the chorus. When we wrote it Tiril told us she had been selected to compete in the Norwegian National Finals so it felt very exciting!
There are also two versions of your song, one in Icelandic and one in English. Do you know which version you’d like to perform in the Söngvakeppnin final or even at Eurovision if selected?
I would probably perform it in english. The song means so much to me, especially the lyrics and I would love for as many people as possible to understand it and feel seen when they listen to the song.
If you were only given 10 words to describe your staging plans for the live show to our readers, what words would you use?
(Ten words is a lot!! I don’t want to spoil it!) But vulnerable, icy, personal and rockstar are some sneak peaks. 😉
Regardless of the outcome at Söngvakeppnin, are there any new releases or projects that our readers should be aware of from you? Also where can they best find you and your music?
Yes! I just released a song called “I’m Still Me” which I’m really proud of. It’s from an EP I’ve been writing for the last year and a half and I’m so excited to share it. My music is out on all streaming platforms as Kristin Sesselja!
In closing, do you have a final message you’d like to share with the readers of ESCUnited?
Thank you for listening to my song, it means the world to me <3
Kristin Sesselja is set to compete in the second semi-final of Söngvakeppnin on February February 25th at 20:45 PM CET. Two entries will advance to the final on March 4th, where Iceland will select their 2023 Eurovision entrant.
Are #YOU team Kristin Sesselja for Iceland? Let us know on social media @ESCUnited, on our discord, or on our forum page!
