Iceland: The Top Ten
We are into the thick of Eurovision summer and desperately trying to find ways to bide our time as we continue crossing our fingers and hoping for a solution that will allow Rotterdam to get its chance to host Eurovision next May. Fortunately, I am working on several new pieces of content on this and other Eurovision platforms that will keep things tiding over during this most unusual of summers.
Normally this is the time when I make a new top ten ranking for the winning Eurovision nation. I have already done rankings for Israel and the Netherlands plus a special edition for France after their World Cup victory in 2018. Today, we'll be looking at the nation who were for many people, the unofficial winner of this year's Eurovision Song Contest. We will never know if Dadi Freyr would have won in Rotterdam but we can take this opportunity to provide a retrospective on Iceland's great history at Eurovision.
10. 'Tell Me!' by August & Telma (2000)
We start in Stockholm in the Globen with August & Telma. There's not ridiculous amounts to say about this song except that its beautiful simplicity and electric guitars were a breath of fresh air in a contest when everything just felt bigger and bolder (whether it was Charmed's hair, Roger Pontare's outfit or just the massive screen right next to the stage). This was a Eurovision for the modern times and August & Telma did what a lot of Icelandic entries would go on to do, sing about love, do it with class and style, don't do anything too ridiculous on stage.
9. 'Is it True?' by Yohanna (2009)
Speaking about classy, stylish, inoffensive love songs (albeit at the back end of relationships as opposed to the early part), who can forget the second of Iceland's two Eurovision silver medal results? Watching this performance back, I'm not sure any of the performers actually move from where they are initially stood on stage (in stark contrast to the contest victor Mr. Rybak). Nevertheless, you have to give respect to Yohanna who beat out a number of songs that were tipped very highly for success in Moscow to claim the honour of the best song at the 2009 contest that wasn't 'Fairytale'. She also sings every note of the song with immense passion far beyond her years (she was all of 18 when she performed).
8. 'Unbroken' by María Ólafsdóttir (2015)
I acknowledge when I write these articles that most people who read them will disagree with me. No amount of vocal disagreement however will make me stop loving this song as much as I do. As much as poor vocals kept this song from qualifying for the final in Vienna and as much as many may think that the song would have done better had it been kept in Icelandic, for me it gets the perfect blend of an eerie, whispy pop song about moving step-by-step towards overcoming adversity with soaring vocals to boot. Did I mention kudos for performing bare-foot? I am definitely cheating you by putting the music video on this list rather than the live performance but in terms of experiencing the magic of the song, you have to listen to the studio version.
7. 'Nei eda já' by Heart 2 Heart (1992)
Finally our first song to make this list that was performed in Icelandic. It's a simple song, 'No or Yes' sung by two sisters that explores uncertainty in a relationship paired with the hope and belief that it will all work out in the end. This was paired on the night with simple staging, yellow and red blazers that were fantastic for visual storytelling and superb vocals, not to mention a cheeky little key change near the end. Yes, Eurovision has changed since the '90s and yes, Iceland have taken advantage of the removal of the national language to sing in English in all but two years since 1999 but this little ditty always makes me smile.
6. 'Open Your Heart' by Birgitta (2003)
When a song opens Eurovision and absolutely nails it, it always gains a special place in my heart. Birgitta opening the show in the Skonto Hall in Riga was absolutely no exception. Sure, the staging of this is very early noughties but she smiles pretty much throughout the entirety of this energetic, dramatic but unusually upbeat ballad. It tugs your heart strings in all the right places and makes you want to give in and give over to love. This performance more than deserved the joint eight place that it earned at the time, but the fact that the song it was tied with was Beth's Spanish Eurovision classic 'Dime' demonstrates the extent to which Iceland punched above their weight in Riga.
5. 'Nætur' by Sigga (1994)
We are into the top 5 now and we start with one of the most dramatic stories in Icelandic Eurovision history (and wow does Iceland have a lot of them). Sigga is credited for singing this song on stage in Dublin and in so doing, participating at Eurovision for the third time (although first as a solo artist). However it was initially Sigga's sister (and bandmate from their partipation as Heart 2 Heart in 1992) Sigrun who was supposed to sing this song before Icelandic TV bosses came in and changed the arrangement and singer of the song to give them a better chance of victory in Dublin. As it happened, Iceland finished 12th, causing what must have been a fair amount of family drama behind the scenes. Nevertheless, this is a lovely Icelandic ballad about the power of the night to bring people together and is a very pleasant listen.
4. 'Never Forget' by Greta Salóme & Jónsi (2012)
It would have been remiss of us to have made this list without the inclusion of Greta Salóme or Jónsi so let's put them both on it at a suitably high position. Iceland may have had to travel the furthest distance of any competing nation for Eurovision in Baku but once they arrived, they well and truly brought their A game and delivered stunning performances of this track in both the semis and the final. What's not to love? Aside from the song being a confident dark and moody pop song, the vocals are superb, the icy aesthetics are great and Greta Salóme plays some violin on stage for good measure. Iceland may have finished 20th but they most definitely deserved higher and this performance has proved that by aging well and standing the test of time.
3. 'Ég á líf' by Eythor Ingi Gunnlaugsson (2013)
If you asked me to choose an Icelandic Eurovision entry as the mold for the type of song I'd like Iceland to send more often, I would definitively select this gem from Malmo. Everything about this song is so simple but it combines together so magnificently. It's a man singing on stage with some small animations in the background. Towards the end, some backing singers and lights turn up as he is singing his heart out. The song is about being alive and even though most listeners don't understand the lyrics, it still feels like a breath of pure, fresh air both to listen to and to watch on stage. Again, a song that deserved better than its 17th place finish.
2. 'This is My Life' by Euroband (2008)
So ok, I admitted that 'Ég á líf' is the type of Icelandic Eurovision entry that I would like to see more of in the same way that dinner is the filling, satisfying thing that gets you through the day that makes you happy. Sometimes however, I just want something that well and truly represents the musical theatricality of a delicious sugary dessert. Cue Euroband and cue their magnificent banger of an entry from Belgrade. Whilst I don't think this was ever going to win the competition, there isn't a single element of this performance that I don't love. The black and pink outfits? Amazing! The part where he looks exactly like Neil Patrick Harris? Amazing! The part where she only appears after the first chorus and seems to come out of nowhere? Amazing! This will never be a song that has any sort of deep emotional significance to me, but every time it comes on, I sing every lyric of the chorus and start bouncing around whatever room I'm in. This is pure, unadulterated joy and it's so addictive that it should be classified as dangerous.
1. 'No Prejudice' by Pollapönk (2014)
I can hear the gasps of people reading this in shock. No Stjórnin? No Selma? No Hatari? No, my top spot goes to Pollapönk and a song that resonates just as well today as it did when it was performed in Copenhagen. It's colourful, it's energetic, it's happy but most importantly, it doesn't try to reinvent the book on anything and like many Icelandic entries in this top 10, keeps things very accessible and very simple. Sure, this may just be another take on the Love, Love, Peace, Peace tropes commonly found at Eurovision but Pollapönk achieve it with a performance that looks, feels and sounds incredibly unique and different, not to mention with upbeat positivity and eye-catching costumes. Whilst we don't entirely know if Eurovision will well and truly return on May 18th 2021 in Rotterdam, we can be certain that the buzz created by the Icelandic act both this and last year demonstrates one thing clearly, it's a question of when not if Iceland finally win Eurovision and bring the contest back to Reykjavik.
And now your turn. Who are your top 10 Icelandic entries? Do you think Iceland are on the cusp of Eurovision victory? Are you slightly nervous about what the upcoming Eurovision movie is going to do to the reputation of the contest and of Iceland around the world? Please comment below and don't forget to subscribe so you can be kept up to date on all upcoming content as and when it is released (including a new post soon on my experiences at this year's Dansk Melodi Grand Prix that was but wasn't).
I am delighted to also share that I will be teaming up with OnEurope (https://oneurope.co.uk/) over the coming weeks as we put together the European Championships of Eurovision, using a tournament format to find out who is the best Eurovision nation of all time. Follow their website to ensure you don't miss a single vote as we go from the qualifying rounds all the way to the head-to-head final and our eventual champion. I have also written a post for ESC Insight about being a BAME Eurovision fan in the current political climate which you can read here - (https://escinsight.com/2020/07/03/eurovision-2020-contest-racial-watershed/). Please have a look at it when you get a moment, stay safe and we'll check in again soon!
Normally this is the time when I make a new top ten ranking for the winning Eurovision nation. I have already done rankings for Israel and the Netherlands plus a special edition for France after their World Cup victory in 2018. Today, we'll be looking at the nation who were for many people, the unofficial winner of this year's Eurovision Song Contest. We will never know if Dadi Freyr would have won in Rotterdam but we can take this opportunity to provide a retrospective on Iceland's great history at Eurovision.
10. 'Tell Me!' by August & Telma (2000)
We start in Stockholm in the Globen with August & Telma. There's not ridiculous amounts to say about this song except that its beautiful simplicity and electric guitars were a breath of fresh air in a contest when everything just felt bigger and bolder (whether it was Charmed's hair, Roger Pontare's outfit or just the massive screen right next to the stage). This was a Eurovision for the modern times and August & Telma did what a lot of Icelandic entries would go on to do, sing about love, do it with class and style, don't do anything too ridiculous on stage.
9. 'Is it True?' by Yohanna (2009)
Speaking about classy, stylish, inoffensive love songs (albeit at the back end of relationships as opposed to the early part), who can forget the second of Iceland's two Eurovision silver medal results? Watching this performance back, I'm not sure any of the performers actually move from where they are initially stood on stage (in stark contrast to the contest victor Mr. Rybak). Nevertheless, you have to give respect to Yohanna who beat out a number of songs that were tipped very highly for success in Moscow to claim the honour of the best song at the 2009 contest that wasn't 'Fairytale'. She also sings every note of the song with immense passion far beyond her years (she was all of 18 when she performed).
8. 'Unbroken' by María Ólafsdóttir (2015)
I acknowledge when I write these articles that most people who read them will disagree with me. No amount of vocal disagreement however will make me stop loving this song as much as I do. As much as poor vocals kept this song from qualifying for the final in Vienna and as much as many may think that the song would have done better had it been kept in Icelandic, for me it gets the perfect blend of an eerie, whispy pop song about moving step-by-step towards overcoming adversity with soaring vocals to boot. Did I mention kudos for performing bare-foot? I am definitely cheating you by putting the music video on this list rather than the live performance but in terms of experiencing the magic of the song, you have to listen to the studio version.
7. 'Nei eda já' by Heart 2 Heart (1992)
Finally our first song to make this list that was performed in Icelandic. It's a simple song, 'No or Yes' sung by two sisters that explores uncertainty in a relationship paired with the hope and belief that it will all work out in the end. This was paired on the night with simple staging, yellow and red blazers that were fantastic for visual storytelling and superb vocals, not to mention a cheeky little key change near the end. Yes, Eurovision has changed since the '90s and yes, Iceland have taken advantage of the removal of the national language to sing in English in all but two years since 1999 but this little ditty always makes me smile.
6. 'Open Your Heart' by Birgitta (2003)
When a song opens Eurovision and absolutely nails it, it always gains a special place in my heart. Birgitta opening the show in the Skonto Hall in Riga was absolutely no exception. Sure, the staging of this is very early noughties but she smiles pretty much throughout the entirety of this energetic, dramatic but unusually upbeat ballad. It tugs your heart strings in all the right places and makes you want to give in and give over to love. This performance more than deserved the joint eight place that it earned at the time, but the fact that the song it was tied with was Beth's Spanish Eurovision classic 'Dime' demonstrates the extent to which Iceland punched above their weight in Riga.
5. 'Nætur' by Sigga (1994)
We are into the top 5 now and we start with one of the most dramatic stories in Icelandic Eurovision history (and wow does Iceland have a lot of them). Sigga is credited for singing this song on stage in Dublin and in so doing, participating at Eurovision for the third time (although first as a solo artist). However it was initially Sigga's sister (and bandmate from their partipation as Heart 2 Heart in 1992) Sigrun who was supposed to sing this song before Icelandic TV bosses came in and changed the arrangement and singer of the song to give them a better chance of victory in Dublin. As it happened, Iceland finished 12th, causing what must have been a fair amount of family drama behind the scenes. Nevertheless, this is a lovely Icelandic ballad about the power of the night to bring people together and is a very pleasant listen.
4. 'Never Forget' by Greta Salóme & Jónsi (2012)
It would have been remiss of us to have made this list without the inclusion of Greta Salóme or Jónsi so let's put them both on it at a suitably high position. Iceland may have had to travel the furthest distance of any competing nation for Eurovision in Baku but once they arrived, they well and truly brought their A game and delivered stunning performances of this track in both the semis and the final. What's not to love? Aside from the song being a confident dark and moody pop song, the vocals are superb, the icy aesthetics are great and Greta Salóme plays some violin on stage for good measure. Iceland may have finished 20th but they most definitely deserved higher and this performance has proved that by aging well and standing the test of time.
3. 'Ég á líf' by Eythor Ingi Gunnlaugsson (2013)
If you asked me to choose an Icelandic Eurovision entry as the mold for the type of song I'd like Iceland to send more often, I would definitively select this gem from Malmo. Everything about this song is so simple but it combines together so magnificently. It's a man singing on stage with some small animations in the background. Towards the end, some backing singers and lights turn up as he is singing his heart out. The song is about being alive and even though most listeners don't understand the lyrics, it still feels like a breath of pure, fresh air both to listen to and to watch on stage. Again, a song that deserved better than its 17th place finish.
2. 'This is My Life' by Euroband (2008)
So ok, I admitted that 'Ég á líf' is the type of Icelandic Eurovision entry that I would like to see more of in the same way that dinner is the filling, satisfying thing that gets you through the day that makes you happy. Sometimes however, I just want something that well and truly represents the musical theatricality of a delicious sugary dessert. Cue Euroband and cue their magnificent banger of an entry from Belgrade. Whilst I don't think this was ever going to win the competition, there isn't a single element of this performance that I don't love. The black and pink outfits? Amazing! The part where he looks exactly like Neil Patrick Harris? Amazing! The part where she only appears after the first chorus and seems to come out of nowhere? Amazing! This will never be a song that has any sort of deep emotional significance to me, but every time it comes on, I sing every lyric of the chorus and start bouncing around whatever room I'm in. This is pure, unadulterated joy and it's so addictive that it should be classified as dangerous.
1. 'No Prejudice' by Pollapönk (2014)
I can hear the gasps of people reading this in shock. No Stjórnin? No Selma? No Hatari? No, my top spot goes to Pollapönk and a song that resonates just as well today as it did when it was performed in Copenhagen. It's colourful, it's energetic, it's happy but most importantly, it doesn't try to reinvent the book on anything and like many Icelandic entries in this top 10, keeps things very accessible and very simple. Sure, this may just be another take on the Love, Love, Peace, Peace tropes commonly found at Eurovision but Pollapönk achieve it with a performance that looks, feels and sounds incredibly unique and different, not to mention with upbeat positivity and eye-catching costumes. Whilst we don't entirely know if Eurovision will well and truly return on May 18th 2021 in Rotterdam, we can be certain that the buzz created by the Icelandic act both this and last year demonstrates one thing clearly, it's a question of when not if Iceland finally win Eurovision and bring the contest back to Reykjavik.
I am delighted to also share that I will be teaming up with OnEurope (https://oneurope.co.uk/) over the coming weeks as we put together the European Championships of Eurovision, using a tournament format to find out who is the best Eurovision nation of all time. Follow their website to ensure you don't miss a single vote as we go from the qualifying rounds all the way to the head-to-head final and our eventual champion. I have also written a post for ESC Insight about being a BAME Eurovision fan in the current political climate which you can read here - (https://escinsight.com/2020/07/03/eurovision-2020-contest-racial-watershed/). Please have a look at it when you get a moment, stay safe and we'll check in again soon!
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