Iceland will select their entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 on March 5 as Söngvakeppnin returns as the nation’s selection process.
The first semi-final of Söngvakeppnin is set to be held on 19 February with the final to take place on March 5. The contest will follow the same format as in previous years with two semi-finals and a final. A total of 160 songs were sent to RÚV, the acts competing in the selection will be revealed in January.
Each semi-final will feature five songs, with two being chosen from each show by the public to go into the final. One song will also be saved by a jury and compete in the final. The Grand Final will see all five songs perform in the first round with 50% jury and 50% televote determining the two super finalists. In the Superfinal, the two acts will perform again with the winner chosen by televoting.
Last year RÚV internally selected the 2020 winner of Söngvakeppnin Daði og Gagnamagnið that was due to represent Iceland at Eurovision before the contest was cancelled. In 2021 the group’s song “10 years” was picked internally to represent Iceland at Eurovision. A member of Daði og Gagnamagnið tested positive for COVID-19 just days before the first live show and so a recoded copy of the 2nd rehearsal was used for both the live shows. The group finished 4th in the Grand Final.
Image Source: Andres Putting | Source: MBL.is
Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest
Iceland debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1986 and, aside from 2 years of relegation in 1998 and 2002, has participated every year since. The contest is incredibly popular in Iceland, regularly being one of the most watched programmes of the year. Iceland has yet to win the contest but has finished in 2nd on two occasions. In 1999, Selma missed out on victory in Jerusalem by 17 points, and in 2009 Yohanna became the most successful Icelandic entrant ever finishing 2nd in the final with the song “Is it True?”. She scored 218 points, yet still finished 169 points behind the runaway winner Norway.
