Söngvakeppnin 2017; songs, singers, songwriters and semi finals

Last Friday RÚV announced the names of the 12 acts for Söngvakeppnin 2017, and they also posted the songs, both in Icelandic and English on their website. 
The songs, singers and songwriters were presented during a special TV-show, in which Ragnhildur Steinunn Jónsdóttir, one of the hosts Söngvakeppnin hosts, chatted with all the participants, and snippets of the songs were played. Right after the show ended, all the songs were posted online, allowing fans all over the world to listen to them.

A few days ahead of the announcement, RÚV also posted this photo in their facebook page, starting a veritable flood of speculation among fans. To whom do the various parts of this face belong?!?!? Now we know!

Many newcomers in Söngvakeppnin 2017

In Iceland, just like in most other countries, we have seen a lot of returning names over the years, both singers and songwriters. While this is mainly very popular among the fans, it is also good to see some new blood in the  contest, and in this year’s edition of Söngvakeppnin Sjónvarpsins there are quite a few new names, both among singers and songwriters.
Eight of the 15 participants have never previously taken part in the contest, in any capacity. One of the singers have taken part as songwriter once before, and six of the singers have competed once earlier. As for the songwriters, less than half have taken part in in Söngvakeppnin previously.

The most successful, in terms of Eurovision, among the songwriters is Sveinn Rúnar Sigurðsson, who has won Söngvakeppnin twice in the past, in 2004 and 2007.

A very national national pre-selection

Among all the national pre-selections across Europe, Söngvakeppnin is by far the “most national”. All the songs have to be performed in Icelandic in the semifinals, then in the final the songs will be performed in their Eurovision version, meaning in the language they will be performed in on the stage in Kyiv in May.
Also, at least 2/3 of the songwriters have to be Icelandic. In this year’s contest, ten out of the 12 semifinalists are written by Icelanders, while only two of them have a mix of Icelandic and foreign songwriters.

The semifinals

Today, Icelandic newspaper Morgunblaðið revealed which acts will compete in which semifinal. It’s not known whether the entries are listed in the correct running order or in random order.

Semifinal 1:

Nótt
Singer; Aron Hannes
Songwriters; Sveinn Rún­ar Sig­urðsson, Ágúst Ib­sen and StopWait­Go
Bamm­baramm
Singer; Hildur
Songwriter; Hild­ur Krist­ín Stef­áns­dótt­ir
Mér við hlið
Singer; Rún­ar Eff
Songwriter; Rún­ar Eff
Heim til þín
Singers; Júlí Heiðar and Þór­dís Birna
Songwriters; Júlí Heiðar Hall­dórs­son og Guðmund­ur Snorri Sig­urðar­son
Skugga­mynd
Singer; Erna Mist
Songwriters; Guðbjörg Magnús­dótt­ir and Erna Mist
Til mín
Singers; Arn­ar Jóns­son og Rakel Páls­dótt­ir
Songwriter; Hólm­fríður Ósk Samú­els­dótt­ir

Semifinal 2

Þú hef­ur dá­leitt mig
Singer; Aron Brink
Songwriters; Þór­unn Erna Clausen, Michael James Down, Aron Brink and William Tayl­or
Hvað með það?
Singer; Daði Freyr Pét­urs­son
Songwriter; Daði Freyr Pét­urs­son
Ég veit það
Singer; Svala Björgvins
Songwriters; Ein­ar Eg­ils­son, Svala Björg­vins­dótt­ir, Lester Mendez, Lily Elise and Stefán Hilm­ars­son

A lot of people have already picked Svala as the one to beat. She is a huge star in Iceland, and also has an international career. Icelandic fans have wanted her to take part in Söngvakeppnin for years.
Þú og ég
Singers; Páll Rós­inkr­anz og Krist­ina Bær­endsen
Songwriter; Mark Brink
Ástfang­in
Singer; Linda Hartmanns
Songwriters; Linda Hart­manns og Erla Bolla­dótt­ir
Treystu á mig
Singer; Sólveig Ásgeirsdóttir
Songwriters; Iðunn Ásgeirs­dótt­ir and Ragn­heiður Bjarna­dótt­ir
Three songs from each semifinal will go through to the final, which takes place on the 11th of March. The RÚV jury has the option of choosing a wildcard, but they are not obliged to do so.
You can listen to all the 12 semifinalists, both the Icelandic and English versions, on the RÚV website.