Jóhanna Guðrún Jónsdóttir  will be going to Moscow with the song “Is It True?”. Was I right or was I right? This was definitely the most famous one of the Icelandic entries so I am not surprised at all. The song is a very nice ballad with great lyrics. Kind of sad and very fitting for Valentine’s Day.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) revealed today the final list of countries represented at the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow. EBU Members from 43 countries returned their participation forms.
New comer
Slovakia (after 10 years of absense)
Withdraw
San Marino
Semi-finals (12-14 May)
Albania (RTVSH); Andorra (RTVA); Armenia (ARMTV); Azerbaijan (Ictimai TV); Belarus (BTRC); Belgium (RTBF); Bosnia & Herzegovina (BHRT); Bulgaria (BNT); Croatia (HRT); Cyprus (CyBC); Czech Republic (CT); Denmark (DR); Estonia (ERR); Finland (YLE); FYR Macedonia (MKRTV); Georgia (GPB); Greece (ERT); Hungary (MTV); Iceland (RÚV); Ireland (RTÉ); Israel (IBA); Latvia (LTV); Lithuania (LRT); Malta …

BHRT, the national broadcaster of  Bosnia and Herzegovina have just announced their decision to send popular rock Regina to represent the country in the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest with the song Bistra voda.
After a soulful ballad in 2007, an eccentric act in 2008, Bosnia and Herzegovina, known for their diverse and daring entries in the Eurovision Song Contest, are sending rock with Regina to Moscow. The song is called Bistra voda (Clear water) and is composed by Aleksandar Covic. It will be presented on a BHRT live show on 1st …

Good evening, Europe!
Tonight, Iceland is having it’s first semifinal! Four songs will compete and only two of them will qualify for the final through televoting.
WEBCAST:
You can watch the show live here. It starts at 21:10 CET.
THE SHOW:
01. Heida Olafs – “Dagur nyr”
Heida is completely dressed in black and sings a very nice song. Her vocal performance is very convincing. This is a very good start of the show!
02. Olof Jara Skagfjord – “Hugur min fylgir ther”
She’s wearing a bright red dress and has a great voice. The song is slow …

One of the entries in the upcoming Dansk Melodi Grand Prix will be sung by Danish-Icelandic singer Hera Björk. Hera Björk is a big star in her original home country Iceland and has previously tried her luck in the Icelandic preselection, and was one of the backing singers who joined Eurobandid on stage in the 2008 Eurovision in Belgrade. Hera, living in Copenhagen, will now perform the entry “Someday” in the Danish national final 2009, to be aired on January the 31st.
The music of the song is composed by …

Disappointed with the result of the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest, three time Eurovision Song Contest Eirikur Hauksson claimed that he would never return to the competition. Today, esctoday.com can reveal that he is back in the running for 2008 as a composer and has had a change of heart about whether he would consider returning as a performer. The song is called Undir regnbogann (Under the rainbow) and the music is written by Hallgrimur Oskarsson. It will compete in Iceland’s second semi final on 17th January and will be performed …

Iceland will start their search for the song to represent the country in the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow this Saturday. There will be four heats leading to two semi-finals and the final on February 14th. Two songs from each heat will go on to the semi-finals.

The songs competing in the first heat this Saturday, the 10th January are the following (click on the artist or song to listen courtesy of RUV):

Edgar Smári – The kiss we never kissed
Heiða Ólafs – Dagur nyr
Jóhanna Guðrún Jónsdóttir – Is it true
Ólöf …

Icelandic broadcaster RUV has delayed the submission deadline for entry into Söngvakeppni 2009, the Eurovision Song Contest selection programme for one week. Artists and composers now have until October 20th to submit their entries.

The move comes after the small island nation was hit particularly badly by the global financial crisis. Two banks have collapsed and the island’s currency has been hit hard, almost bankrupting the nation. As a result, the broadcaster has had to dedicate the majority of it’s efforts on covering the crisis and it’s own position in the …

Euroband, the Icelandic Eurovision Song Contest entrants this year spoke to esctoday.com about their participation, the rehearsals and their passion for this competition. Furthermore, they sing their own version of Nina, the Icelandic entry in contest in 1991.
You can watch the interview below.
Euroband will open the second semi final of the Eurovision Song Contest tomorrow (Thursday) with their entry This is my life. Iceland has not been in the final since 2004.
[flash]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUPwyb2vLE8[/flash]

Iceland’s Eurovision Song Contest hopes for 2008 rest in possibly the safest hands in the competition this year. International superstars, national divas, reigning pop idol champions or multi-million selling artists they may not be (yet), but Fridrik Omar and Regina Osk proved to fans and journalists last night at the Icelandic party that Eurovision fans can put up a fight and go head to head with Europe’s best performers.
The first Eurovision Song Contest tribute band to participate at the competition dazzled fans with a full live set of Eurovision …