Iceland: Svala wins Söngvakeppnin 2017

Iceland has selected Svala to represent them at the 62nd Eurovision Song Contest in Kyiv. They will sing “Paper” when they take to the stage in May.

Following three weeks of Söngvakeppnin, Iceland has selected the song “Paper”, performed by Svala. She beat six other artists to become Iceland’s 30th Eurovision entrant. These 7 acts were narrowed down to a two-act Goldfinal by a 50/50 split between televotes and a jury. Following performances from The Vamps, Eurovision 2009 winner Alexander Rybak, and Eurovision 2015 winner Måns Zelmerlöw, the Goldfinal results were then decided by a 100% televote.

The full results of both rounds were as follows:

1. Aron Hannes - “Tonight” - 32,156 - 3rd

2. Arnar Jónsson & Rakel Pálsdóttir - “Again” - 22,911 - 5th

3. Aron Brink - “Hypnotised” - 25,316 - 4th

4. Hildur Kristin Sefánsdóttir - “Bammbaramm” - 14,008 -7th

5. Rúnar Eff Rúnarsson - “Make Your Way Back Home” - 19,195 - 6th

6. Svala Björgvinsdóttir - “Paper” - 70,017 - 1st - Goldfinal

7. Daði Freyr Pétursson - “Is This Love?” - 47,414 2nd - Goldfinal

Goldfinal results:

1. Svala Björgvinsdóttir - “Paper”

2. Daði Freyr Pétursson - “Is This Love?”

And so, with the most votes in the Goldfinal, Svala won the right to take “Paper” to Kyiv in May. They will compete in the first semi-final of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest on 9th May, and will hope to take Iceland back to the Eurovision final after two years of failing to qualify.

Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest

Iceland debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1986 and has participated annually 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 2nd twice in the contest. In 1999, Selma missed out on victory in Jerusalem by 17 points. In 2009, Yohanna became the most successful Icelandic entrant ever finishing 2nd in the final with the song “Is it True?”, scoring 218 points; this however was still 169 points behind the winners Norway.