(This post is in collaboration with ESCDaily)
After the success of Hatari at Eurovision 2019, Iceland will pick their next Eurovision act this Saturday. In the final of Söngvakeppnin 2020 we will see five diverse acts to battle for the ticket to Rotterdam.
Daði was the runner-up in 2017 and really wants to go three years later, but he has strong competition from a blind opera-singer, a metal rock band and two pop songs. Check out our thoughts on the five hopefuls for Iceland in 2020 in this preview:
Daði og Gagnamagnið – Gagnamagnið
As stated above, Daði was the runner-up in 2017. That year Svala, already an established name in Iceland, took the glory. But she failed to qualify for the grand final in Kiev with her song ‘Paper’.
Just like in 2017, Daði has an acts with a backdrop filled with animated figures, that match the total package on stage. ‘Gagnamagnið’ is a a retro 80’s song with a slick dance routine and the use of fake music instruments. If Iceland wants to go for some good-old-fashioned fun at ESC 2020, then this is the way to go.
Íva – Oculis Videre
Íva is a Dutch-Icelandic singer with a genetic eye disorder. As we have heard in the past, blind singers have developed their other senses strongly. For Íva, it results in strong vocal quality, as her live performance is almost the same as her studio recording.
Being a student at Codarts in Rotterdam, Íva would perform on ‘home soil’. Of course this is no argument to pick her for Eurovision 2020. The song which will definitely be unique in the field of 41 participating songs.
Dimma – Almyrkvi
We said it: The final of Söngvakeppnin is a diverse one. The metal group Dimma gives us something completely different. The qualifier from the first semi final performs a rock song with vibes from the 80’s and early 90’s.
At Eurovision we have heard a similar song by Finland in 2008. The group Teräsbetoni even reached the final back then, something not everyone expected. It proves there is a market at Eurovision for Scandinavian metal.
Isold og Helga – Klukkan tifar
When we say diverse, a ‘standard’ pop duet should not be absent at the Icelandic final. Isold and Helga deliver a sweet pop duet. The camera registration is different to the other acts, as we see a split screen registration of both singers.
Klukkan tifar’ has strong vocals but the composition is somewhat cliché. Though this is something that tends to do well at the Icelandic preselection, it is also a genre that the island does not fare well with at Eurovision.
Nína – Ekkó
The fifth finalist is Nina. She qualified for the final based on a wildcard by the jury, after initially not qualifying from the second semi final. It is a Europop song, sung by a very pretty blonde solo singer.
The lyrics of ‘Ekkó’ are quite sad, but the performance is uplifting. Nina sells the song, but she is not the favourite to win the grand final of Söngvakeppnin 2020. Why? Never in the history of Söngvakeppnin, the wildcard winner for the final was also the actual winner of the preselection.
Your thoughts on Iceland at Eurovision 2020
Let us know what you think. Which of these five acts is your favourite to win Söngvakeppnin 2020 and represent Iceland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2020!