Iceland 2016: listen to the Söngvakeppnin songs
Vasil Dimitrov (Bulgaria)
REYKJAVIK, ICELAND – RÚV has launched the twelve songs that will compete in the Icelandic song contest Söngvakeppnin 2016 and you can listen to all of them here: http://www.ruv.is/songvakeppnin/login. This year marks the 30th anniversary of Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest and will Söngvakeppnin 2016 therefore be extra special this year. Among other things we will have both Sandra Kim and Loreen performing at the Finals as well as Paul Oscar performing an anniversary song which he has specially composed for the occasion.
One of the contestants is Pálmi Gunnarsson who was a member of Icy trio who performed the song Gleðibankinn when Iceland participated in Eurovision for the first time in 1986. Greta Salóme and Karl Olgeirsson both come back with two new songs each. The contest will start with two heats, the first on February 6th and the second on February 13th, with six songs competing each night. The semi-finals will take place at Haskolabio venue. The Final will be held at Laugardalsholl Arena on February 20th. The songs are as follows in alphabetical order:
1. Augnablik
Song: Alma Guðmundsdóttir and James Wong
Lyrics: Alma Guðmundsdóttir, James Wong and Alda Dís Arnardóttir
Performer: Alda Dís Arnardóttir
This is Alda Dís Arnardóttir‘s first time in Söngvakeppnin. She won the talent show Ísland got talent in 2015.
2. Á ný
Song & Lyrics: Greta Salóme Stefánsdóttir
Performer: Elísabet Ormslev
Greta Salóme composed the song Never Forget and performed it with Jónsi in ESC 2012 in Azerbaijan. This is the first time Elísabet Ormslev takes part in Söngvakeppnin.
3. Ég sé þig
Song & Lyrics: Sigríður Eir Zophoniasardóttir og Jóhanna Vala Höskuldsdóttir
Performer: The band Eva (Sigríður Eir Zophoniasardóttir and Jóhanna Vala Höskuldsdóttir)
The band Eva is participating in Söngvakeppnin for the first time.
4. Ég leiði þig heim
Song & Lyrics: Þórir Úlfarsson
Performer: Pálmi Gunnarsson
Pálmi Gunnarsson was a member of Icy trio in ESC 1986 in Norway.
5. Fátækur námsmaður
Song & Lyrics: Ingólfur Þórarinsson
Performer: Ingólfur Þórarinsson
Ingólfur Þórarinsson has had the the runner up song Undir regnbogann in Söngvakeppnin 2009. He also participated in 2010.
6. Hugur minn er
Song & lyrics: Þórunn Erna Clausen
Performers: Hjörtur Traustason and Erna Hrönn Ólafsdóttir
Hjörtur Traustason was the winner in the Icelandic version of Voice 2015. Þórunn Erna Clausen wrote the lyrics for the song Coming Home which Sjonni‘s Friends performed in ESC 2011 in Germany.
7. Kreisí
Song: Karl Olgeirsson
Lyrics: Karl Olgeirsson and Sigríður Eyrún Friðriksdóttir
Performer: Sigga Eyrún
This is the second song from Karl Olgeirsson in this years contest. Sigga Eyrún performed the runner up song written by Karl Olgeirsson in Söngvakeppnin in 2014.
8. Óstöðvandi
Song: Kristinn Sigurpáll Sturluson, Ylva Persson and Linda Persson
Lyrics: Karlotta Sigurðardóttir
Performer: Karlotta Sigurðardóttir
This is the first time that Karlotta Sigurðardóttir performs in Söngvakeppnin.
9. Ótöluð orð
Song & Lyrics: Erna Mist og Magnús Thorlacius
Performers: Erna Mist og Magnús Thorlacius
This is the first time Erna Mist and Magnús Thorlacius participate in Söngvakeppnin.
10. Óvær
Song & Lyrics: Karl Olgeirsson
Performer: Helgi Valur Ásgeirsson
This is Helgi Valur‘s first time in Söngvakeppnin.
11. Raddirnar
Song & Lyrics: Greta Salóme Stefánsdóttir
Performer: Greta Salóme
This is the second song from Greta Salóme in this years contest. She was the composer of Never Forget in ESC 2012 in Azerbaijan.
12. Spring yfir heiminn
song: Júlí Heiðar Halldórsson
Lyrics: Júlí Heiðar Halldórsson og Guðmundur Snorri Sigurðarson
Performers: Þórdís Birna Borgarsdóttir and Guðmundur Snorri Sigurðarson
The songwriters and the performers are participating in Söngvakeppnin for the first time.