Iceland: Diljá wins Söngvakeppnin 2023 – to Eurovision with "Power"

Tonight the final of the Icelandic national selection Söngvakeppnin 2023 was broadcast live from Söngvakeppnishöllinni in Gufunes.

After two rounds of voting where both a seven-member international jury panel and the Icelandic public decided the outcome, the result was clear: Diljá won the ticket to the Eurovision Song Contest in May and will represent the country on the big stage with the song "Power."

Power was written by Diljá Pétursdóttir and Pálmi Ragnar Ásgeirsson

Diljá

Diljá started appearing on stage at the age of 12 when she took part in Iceland Got Talent in 2015.

The entry, Power, was written by Pálmi Ragnar Ásgeirsson and Diljá herself. Pálmi was also one of the writers of the Icelandic Eurovision entry in 2015, "Unbroken."

Söngvakeppnin 2023

Söngvakeppnin is Iceland's national selection process for Eurovision. It consisted of three shows: two semi-finals, and one final. The winner of the final will represent the country at Eurovision this May in Liverpool.

The three shows took place on these dates:

• Semi-final 1: 18 February 2023
• Semi-final 2: 25 February 2023
• Final: 4 March 2023

In the semi-finals, all songs had to be performed in Icelandic. In the final, the artists performed their songs in the language they intend to perform the song in should they be selected for Eurovision.

All shows were hosted by Unnsteinn Manuel Stefánsson, Ragnhildur Steinunn Jónsdóttir, and Sigurður Þorri Gunnarsson.

Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest

Iceland's debut in the Eurovision Song Contest was back in 1986, and they've participated 34 times since.

Their best results are two second-place finishes with Yohanna in 2009, and Selma in 1999.

Since the introduction of the Semi-finals in 2004, Iceland has qualified for the Grand Final 11 out of 18 times.

Iceland is the only Northern European country that has yet to win the Eurovision Song Contest.