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Iceland: More than 500 musicians demand withdrawal of Iceland from Eurovision!

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A number of musicians showed up outside the radio house to present the petition to broadcaster Stefan Eiríksson. Confetti was shot over the broadcaster during the handing over of the list, as can be seen in a video footage taken by protesters that gave mbl.is permission to publish.

Pálmi Gunn­ars­son, Páll Óskar, Gréta Salóme, Bríet, Friðrik Dór, Svala Björg­vins­dótt­ir and Daní­el Ágúst Haraldsson are among more than 500 on a petition of musicians demanding that Iceland withdraw from Eurovision Song Contest, because Israel is participating in the contest.

Israel participates

Playwright Sal­vör Gull­brá Þór­ar­ins­dótt­ir told mbl.is:

“Musicians are encouraging RÚV to take a stand by withdrawing from Eurovision if Israel participates.”

Salvör also points out that Reykja­vík­ur­dæt­ur signed the list, as well as members of the band Celebs. The European Broadcasting Union has now announced that Israel will take part in this year’s contest. Salvör adds citing the results of a survey conducted by Prósent before Christmas:

“There’s really no other option for RÚV than to take a stand with Palestine. Because there is a strong will among the people to do so.”

According to the findings of this poll, about 60% of the population strongly or rather agree that Iceland should withdraw from the contest.

There have been calls to ban Israel from Eurovision 2024. In Finland, 1300 artists signed a petition asking for Israel to be removed. The British representative Olly Alexander has also shared in public his opinion against Israel. Also just recently Montaigne signed an open letter to the EBU asking the ban of Israel from the contest and Ben Dolic joined her by doing the same.

Source: mbl.is
Photo: Þórdís Reynis

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Iceland: The Association of Composers and Lyricists calls on RÚV to abstain from Eurovision 2024 because of Israel!

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The Association of Composers and Lyricists of Iceland opposes the country’s participation in Eurovision 2024 unless Israel is disqualified.

Last night, through its official Facebook account, the Association of Composers and Lyricists of Iceland, F.T.T. (Félag tónskálda og textahöfunda) announced that they have sent a request to the radio director and RÚV board stating the following:

The board of FTT tonight sent this request to the radio director and board of RUV:

Reykjavik 11 December 2023

The board of FTT, an association of composers and lyricists, calls on RÚV not to participate in Eurovision in 2024 unless Israel is denied participation in the competition on the same grounds as Russia in the last competition. We all have a duty to take a stand against war and the killing of civilians and innocent children. We always have the choice not to put our name to such things, whether we are individuals or state institutions. We owe it to the nations that act with military force to not share with them in an event that is always characterized by joy and optimism.

The board of FTT:

Bragi Valdimar Skúlason, chairman
Védís Hervör Árnadóttir, vice-chairman
Sóley Stefánsdóttir
Ragnhei ður Grondal
Andri Olafsson
Hallur Ingólfsson
Hildur Kristín Stefánsdóttir

It is not the first time that Iceland has expressed discomfort in issues concerning Israel, recalling that in 2019 there was opposition to hosting the competition in Jerusalem, but also the representatives of the country themselves that year took a political position during the announcement of the results on the night of the final. Any response from the country’s public broadcaster is awaited with interest.

Do you believe that the aforementioned request will have an impact on Iceland’s participation? Let us know your thought in the comments below.

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Daði Freyr: Iceland is winning Eurovision 2024!

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With a post on X (formerly Twitter), Iceland‘s representative at Eurovision 2020 and 2021, Daði Freyr, created excitement for the participation of the Land of Ice and Fire in the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest.

He was quick to clarify, in response to comments, that he does not intend to return to Eurovision 2024 himself.

As we have informed you in a previous article, Iceland’s broadcaster RÚV will once again select its entry through Söngvakeppnin, with the grand final taking place on 2 March 2024.

RÚV received 118 entries for Söngvakeppnin 2024. The final list of participants will be announced on 27 January in Lögin i Söngvakeppninni.

Daði’s words imply that within the entries submitted to RÚV there is a very good song or even a well-known artist with great ambitions for the island nation, which, although it has been participating in the competition since 1986, has not yet won the first place.

Daði Freyr may not have been able to compete at Eurovision 2020 with his viral hit Think About Things, but he returned the following year with 10 Years and won 4th place, scoring 378 points!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSMhu-PrLME&t=6s

Do you think Iceland can win Eurovsion 2024? Write us in the comments!

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Iceland: Söngvakeppnin 2024 Final on March 2!

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Iceland has already confirmed its participation in Eurovision 2024 and will select its representative on 2 March with the grand final of Söngvakeppnin 2024.

RÚV, Iceland’s national broadcaster, has announced the timetable of the national final. The competition will consist of three shows: the first semi-final on 17 February, the second semi-final on 24 February and the final on 2 March. The winner of the competition will receive the golden ticket to represent the Land of Fire and Ice at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 in Malmö, Sweden.

Each semi-final will consist of five entries competing live. The two songs from each show with the most votes from the TV audience will qualify for the grand final. The show’s producers also have the option of adding a fifth finalist as a wildcard from the other contestants. The show will again be presented by Ragnhildur Steinunn Jónsdóttir, Sigurður Þorri Gunnarsson and Unnsteinn Manuel Stefánsson.

RÚV received 118 entries for Söngvakeppnin 2024. The final list of participants will be announced on 27 January in RÚV’s Lögin i Söngvakeppninni.

Artistic direction for Söngvakeppnin 2024 will be provided by Högni Egilsson, Selma Björnsdóttir, Samúel Bjarki Pétursson and Gunnar Páll Ólafsson. Selma is the well-known Eurostar, former Eurovision representative of Iceland, taking second place in 1999 in Jerusalem with the song “All Out of Luck“, but failing to qualify in 2005 in Kiev with the song “If I Had Your Love“.

Diljá represented Iceland in this year’s competition with the song “Power“, finishing 11th in the second semi-final with 44 points, failing to advance to the final.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzlTcA0OC5s

Source: ruv.is

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Iceland: Participation at Eurovision 2024 confirmed!

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Iceland is going to be present at Eurovision 2024 in Sweden.

The national broadcaster of Iceland, RÚV, confirmed the participation of the nordic island nation in the next Eurovision Song Contest 2024 in Sweden, as the submission process for the Söngvakeppnin 2024 commences on the 15th of  June. This is the first time that the songs submission window opens so early.

The confirmation of participation came alongside with the reveal of the viewing figures of the Contest. An average 60% of the viewers watched the Grand Final with a peak of 73%.

The Manager of Söngvakeppnin, Rúnar Freyr Gíslason, commented:

“We are incredibly happy and proud of Diljá and the Icelandic scene. She is a young singer who is taking her first steps in the business and it is quite clear that she has a future ahead of her,”

“Our preliminary competition here at home, the Söngvakeppnin , has grown and prospered every year and Eurovision is getting bigger and bigger. Music streaming has increased tremendously and serious authors and singers all over Europe are starting to look at participating in the competition as a preferred option to let the world hear their music,”

Diljá represented Iceland in 2023 Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Power” and finished 11th in the Second Semi-Final with 44 points, and thus did not advanced to the Grand Final.

Source: Eurovoix

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Iceland: Daði Freyr against the pre-recorded vocals!

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Iceland’s Eurovision 2021 representative, Daði Freyr, is quite active on social media.

This time through his personal Twitter account he posted about the use of pre-recorded vocals. Specifically, he is in favor of reinstating the previous regulation, where their use was not prescribed.

Daði Freyr together with his band Daði og Gagnamagnið represented Iceland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 finishing in 4th place of the scoreboard with 378 points.

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Eurovision 2023: The Grand Final allocation for the Second Semi Final qualifiers!

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The first semi-final has just finished, with the first ten finalists being:

Before the press conference that is currently taking place these ten countries chose the half in which they will appear in the Grand Final on Saturday.

This is the half each qualifier drew, from semi final 2:

🇦🇱 Albania will perform in the FIRST HALF of the Grand Final

🇨🇾 Cyprus will perform in the FIRST HALF of the Grand Final

🇪🇪 Estonia will perform in the FIRST HALF of the Grand Final

🇧🇪 Belgium will perform in the SECOND HALF of the Grand Final

🇦🇹 Austria will perform in the FIRST HALF of the Grand Final

🇱🇹 Lithuania will perform in the SECOND HALF of the Grand Final

🇵🇱 Poland will perform in the FIRST HALF of the Grand Final

🇦🇺 Australia will perform in the SECOND HALF of the Grand Final

🇦🇲 Armenia will perform in the SECOND HALF of the Grand Final

🇸🇮 Slovenia will perform in the SECOND HALF of the Grand Final

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Iceland: Technical issues for Diljá last night!

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Diljá, the Icelandic representative faced some technical issues last night during the rehearsal.

As the delegation of Iceland reported, the issue had to do with turntable which did not completely work during the Jury Show of the Second Semi-Final last night. Nevertheless, the Icelandic delegation is certain that there won’t be any problem during the live show tonight.

Siggi Gunnars, the Head of Music of the national broadcaster RÚV, answered at an interview in the show Morgunútvarpið of channel Rás 2, that:

“Diljá did extremely well with her powerful and powerful stage presence and impeccable singing. I repeat what has been said by myself and others, nobody is worried about Diljá. She is full of energy and everything is top notch with her on stage. Everyone just thinks it’s going to be crazy.”

Iceland competes tonight in the Second Semi-Final from spot number 7, hoping to win one of the ten tickets that lead to the final on Saturday 13th of May.

https://youtu.be/BhlJXcCv7gw

Below you can watch the reaction video of the Eurovision Fun team to the Icelandic entry.

Source: eurovoix

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Eurovision 2023: Watch the exclusive rehearsal footage from the remaining Semi Final 2 acts’ second rehearsals!

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The preparations on Liverpool for the 67th Eurovision Song Contest are on fire and it’s now a wrap for the 6th day of the technical rehearsals. After their first technical rehearsals, the representatives of the 11 remaining acts participating in the 2nd Semifinal on May 11, took the stage of the M&S Bank Arena for their second rehearsals.

About the first 5 countries from SemiFinal 2 that had their second rehearsals yesterday:

Eurovision 2023: Watch the exclusive rehearsal footage from today’s second rehearsals!

The second rehearsals gave the opportunity to the delegations to fix any mistakes spotted on the first rehearsals and help the artists feel more safe and familiar with the Eurovision big stage.

Because accredited journalists are not allowed to watch both the first and second rehearsals this year, we have very little information about what this year’s artists have prepared for the Eurovision stage. EBU has just uploaded through the official Eurovision channel in YouTube a recap of today’s rehearsals. More specifically, we will have the chance to watch exclusive TV footage of today’s rehearsals.

The countries that had their second rehearsals today were the following:

  1. Cyprus
  2. Iceland
  3. Greece
  4. Poland
  5. Slovenia
  6. Georgia
  7. San Marino
  8. Austria
  9. Albania
  10. Lithuania
  11. Australia

You can watch the recap of today’s rehearsals below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9AP5DSA9tc

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Eurovision 2023: The Third Day’s rehearsal schedule!

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The big moment for all Eurofans has arrived. The wait has come to an end, as we are now in the most important days before the live shows. Rehearsals officially begun yesterday for the 67th Eurovision Song Contest to be held in Liverpool, United Kingdom.

The rehearsals are divided into two phases; the first phase will last three days, from Sunday 30/04 until Tuesday 02/05 and will include the first rehearsals of all the countries taking part in the two semi-finals of the competition. The second phase will last from Wednesday 03/05 until Saturday 06/05 and includes the second rehearsals of the countries of the two semi-finals as well as the rehearsals of the countries competing directly in the Final, namely the Big 5 and last year’s winner Ukraine.

Last year’s changes in the way rehearsals are covered continue this year, as the Press Center opens on Monday after the first and second rehearsals, which means that the information we will have for the first week of the competition will come exclusively from the material to be provided by the EBU to the accredited journalists.

Program

The last eleven countries from the second semi-final will make their first appearance on stage at the M&S Bank Arena. These countries are:

  • Estonia 11.30 – 12.00
  • Iceland 12.10 – 12.40
  • Greece 12.50 – 13.20
  • Poland 13.30 – 14.00
  • Slovenia 15.10 – 15.40
  • Georgia 15.50 – 16.20
  • San Marino 16.30 – 17.00
  • Austria 17.10 – 17.40
  • Albania 17.50 – 18.20
  • Lithuania 18.30 – 19.00
  • Australia 19.10 – 19.40

For everything new regarding these rehearsals, you will instantly be informed by Eurovisionfun!

From Monday 8/5, the press center opens normally for accredited journalists, who will have the opportunity to watch the general rehearsals before the live shows as was the case in previous years.

Eurovisionfun will of course be there to inform you about everything that happens at the M&S Bank Arena!

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