Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest
The only Nordic country to have never won the Eurovision Song Contest, Iceland has been competing since 1986 with two brief breaks from the Contest in 1998 and 2002. They've come close to taking home the trophy twice, placing second with Selma in 1999 and Yohanna in 2009.
Iceland has placed in the top 10 a total of seven times, most recently in 2021 with fan favourite Daði og Gagnamagnið reaching a very respectable fourth place.
2023 Entry: Diljá - 'Power'
Diljá will compete in 7th spot in semi-final 2
My Eurovision Scoreboard ranking: 26th
Odds to win ranking: 26th
(Rankings as of 12 April 2023)
About the artist
Diljá Pétursdóttir was born in December 2001, and rose to prominence in the second season of talent show 'Ísland Got Talent' at the age of 12, before later going on to participate in the singing competition show 'Idol' in Sweden. By the age of 18 she had moved to Copenhagen to study physiotherapy, but kept one foot in the world of the performing arts by taking singing lessons.
Diljá credits Yohanna’s 2009 song, 'Is It True', for fuelling her dream to one day represent Iceland at Eurovision. Now at the age of just 21, Diljá has a number one debut single and will make her dream come true in Liverpool.
About the song
Co-written with fellow Icelandic songwriter Pálmi Ragnar Ásgeirsson, 'Power' is indeed a powerful song, and Diljá's openness about her battles with anxiety may explain the meaning behind some of its lyrics. The artist says she's wrestled with those feelings both in the classroom as well as on stage.
"I couldn’t handle taking tests. And it was the same with performing. I got so anxious. But I did it because I knew I have to be able to do something like this."
As per 'Söngvakeppnin' rules, the entry was first performed in Icelandic as 'Lifandi inni í mér' during the semi-finals, however at the Contest it will be performed in English.
How Diljá was selected for Eurovision
This year, Iceland's national final, 'Söngvakeppnin', saw ten acts compete over two semi-finals and a grand final.
Diljá managed to take home the trophy after making it through the first semi-final, reaching the grand final and then prevailing in a top-two duel against rock band Langi Seli og Skuggarnir.
Iceland will compete in semi-final 2 on May 11 (European time) in Liverpool.
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