Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007


Iceland was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 with the song "Valentine Lost", written by Sveinn Rúnar Sigurðsson and Peter Fenner, and performed by Eiríkur Hauksson. The Icelandic participating broadcaster, RÚV, selected its entry through Söngvakeppnin. The selection consisted of three semi-finals and a final, held on 20 January, 27 January, 3 February, and 17 February 2007, respectively. Eight songs competed in each semi-final with the top three as selected by a public televote advancing to the final. In the final, "Ég les í lófa þínum" performed by Eiríkur Hauksson emerged as the winner exclusively through public televoting. Hauksson previously represented as part of the group ICY and as part of the group Just 4 Fun, placing sixteenth and seventeenth with the songs "Gleðibankinn" and "Mrs. Thompson", respectively.
The song was later translated from Icelandic to English for the Eurovision Song Contest and was titled "Valentine Lost".
Iceland competed in the semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest which took place on 10 May 2007. Performing during the show in position 5, "Valentine Lost" was not announced among the top 10 entries of the semi-final and therefore did not qualify to compete in the final. It was later revealed that Iceland placed thirteenth out of the 28 participating countries in the semi-final with 77 points.

Background

Prior to the 2007 contest, RÚV had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest representing Iceland nineteen times since its first entry in 1986. Its best placing in the contest to this point was second, achieved with the song "All Out of Luck" performed by Selma. Since the introduction of a semi-final to the format of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2004, Iceland has, to this point, yet to qualify to the final. In, "Congratulations" performed by Silvía Night failed to qualify to the final.
As part of its duties as participating broadcaster, RÚV organises the selection of its entry in the Eurovision Song Contest and broadcasts the event in the country. The broadcaster confirmed its intentions to participate at the 2007 contest on 21 October 2006. In 2004 and 2005, RÚV opted to internally select its entry for the contest. In 2006, RÚV used a national final to select its entry, a method that continued for its 2007 participation.

Before Eurovision

Format

Twenty-four songs in total competed in Söngvakeppni Sjónvarpsins 2007 where the winner was determined after three semi-finals and a final. Eight songs competed in each semi-final on 20 January, 27 January and 3 February 2007. The top three songs from each semi-final qualified to the final which took place on 3 February 2007. The results of the semi-finals and final were determined by 100% public televoting. All songs were required to be performed in Icelandic during all portions of the competition, however, it will be up to the winning composers to decide the language that will be performed at the Eurovision Song Contest in Helsinki.

Competing entries

On 21 October 2006, RÚV opened the submission period for interested songwriters to submit their entries until the deadline on 16 November 2006. Songwriters were required to be Icelandic, possess Icelandic citizenship or have permanent residency in Iceland by 1 October 2006, and had the right to submit up to three entries. At the close of the submission deadline, 188 entries were received. A selection committee was formed in order to select the top twenty-four entries. The twenty-four competing artists and songs were revealed by the broadcaster on 15 January 2007. Among the competing artists were previous Icelandic Eurovision entrants Eiríkur Hauksson, who represented and as part of ICY and Just 4 Fun, respectively, and Jónsi, who represented. Matthías Matthíasson was initially announced as the performer of the song "Eldur", however, RÚV announced on the same day that his song would be performed by Friðrik Ómar Hjörleifsson instead.
ArtistSongSongwriter
Aðalheiður Ólafsdóttir"Enginn eins og þú"Kristján Hreinsson, Roland Hartwell
Alexander Aron Guðbjartsson"Villtir skuggar"Kristján Hreinsson, Gunnar Jóhannsson
Andri Bergmann"Bjarta brosið"Kristján Hreinsson, Torfa Ólafsson
Bergþór Smári"Þú gafst mér allt"Bergþór Smári
Bríet Sunna Valdemarsdóttir"Blómabörn"Magnús Þór Sigmundsson
Davíð Smári Harðarsson"Leiðin liggur heim"Kristján Hreinsson, Elvar Gottskálksson
Eiríkur Hauksson"Ég les í lófa þínum"Kristján Hreinsson, Sveinn Rúnar Sigurðsson
Erna Hrönn Ólafsdóttir"Örlagadís"Roland Hartwell, Kristján Hreinsson
Finnur Jóhannsson"Allt eða ekki neitt"Torfa Ólafsson, Eðvarð Lárusson, Þorkel Olgeirsson
Friðrik Ómar Hjörleifsson"Eldur"Ingibjörg Gunnarsdóttir, Grétar Örvarsson, Kristján Grétarsson
Guðrún Lísa"Eitt símtal í burtu"Roland Hartwell, Kristján Hreinsson
Hafsteinn Þórólfsson"Þú tryllir mig"Hafsteinn Þórólfsson, Hannes Pál Pálsson
Helgi Rafn Ingvarsson"Vetur"Magnús Guðmann Jónsson
Hera Björk Þórhallsdóttir"Mig dreymdi"Ingólf Steinsson, Oskar Guðnason
Hjalti Ómar Ágústsson"Fyrir þig"Torfa Ólafsson, Þorkel Olgeirsson
Hljómsveitin Von"Ég hef fengið nóg"Ellert H. Jóhansson, Gunnar I. Sigurðsson, Sigurður Björnsson, Sigurpáll Aðalsteinsson, Sorin M. Lazar, Magnús Þór Sigmundsson
Hreimur Heimisson"Draumur"Kristján Hreinsson, Sveinn Rúnar Sigurðsson
Jónsi"Segðu mér"Trausta Bjarnason, Ragnheiði Bjarnsdóttir
Matthías Matthíasson"Húsin hafa augu"Þormar Ingimarsson, Kristján Hreinsson
Ragnheiður Eiríksdóttir"Ég og heilinn minn"Ragnheiður Eiriksdóttir, Gunnar L. Herlmarsson
Richard Scobie"Dásamleg raun"Bergstein Björgúlfsson
Sigurjón Brink"Áfram"Sigurjón Brink, Bryndís Sunna Valdimarsdóttir, Jóhannes Ásbjörnsson
Snorri Snorrason"Orðin komu aldrei"Kristján Hreinsson, Óskar Guðnason
Soffía Karlsdóttir"Júnínótt"Ómar Ragnarsson

Shows

Semi-finals

The three semi-finals took place on 20 January, 27 January and 3 February 2007. In each semi-final eight acts presented their entries, and the top two entries voted upon solely by public televoting proceeded to the final.
DrawArtistSongResult
1Bríet Sunna Valdemarsdóttir"Blómabörn"Advanced
2Snorri Snorrason"Orðin komu aldrei"Eliminated
3Aðalheiður Ólafsdóttir"Enginn eins og þú"Eliminated
4Finnur Jóhannsson"Allt eða ekki neitt"Eliminated
5Sigurjón Brink"Áfram"Advanced
6Bergþór Smári"Þú gafst mér allt"Eliminated
7Hreimur Heimisson"Draumur"Eliminated
8Matthías Matthíasson"Húsin hafa augu"Advanced

DrawArtistSongResult
1Erna Hrönn Ólafsdóttir"Örlagadís"Eliminated
2Alexander Aron Guðbjartsson"Villtir skuggar"Eliminated
3Soffía Karlsdóttir"Júnínótt"Eliminated
4Davíð Smári Harðarsson"Leiðin liggur heim"Eliminated
5Andri Bergmann"Bjarta brosið"Advanced
6Helgi Rafn Ingvarsson"Vetur"Eliminated
7Ragnheiður Eiríksdóttir"Ég og heilinn minn"Advanced
8Hafsteinn Þórólfsson"Þú tryllir mig"Advanced

Final

The final took place on 17 February 2007 where the nine entries that qualified from the preceding three semi-finals competed. The winner, "Ég les í lófa þínum" performed Eiríkur Hauksson, was determined solely by televoting. In addition to the performances of the competing artists, the interval act featured guest performances by Mihai Trăistariu, who represented with the song "Tornerò".
DrawArtistSongPlace
1Friðrik Ómar Hjörleifsson"Eldur"2
2Ragnheiður Eiríksdóttir"Ég og heilinn minn"
3Andri Bergmann"Bjarta brosið"
4Eiríkur Hauksson"Ég les í lófa þínum"1
5Bríet Sunna Valdemarsdóttir"Blómabörn"
6Matthías Matthíasson"Húsin hafa augu"
7Jónsi"Segðu mér"
8Hafsteinn Þórólfsson"Þú tryllir mig"3
9Sigurjón Brink"Áfram"

Preparation

On 12 March 2007, it was announced that "Ég les í lófa þínum" would be performed in English at the Eurovision Song Contest and would be titled "Valentine Lost" with lyrics by Peter Fenner. The official music video for the song was released on 15 March 2007.