Iceland was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 with the song "This Is My Life", written by Örlygur Smári, Paul Oscar, and Peter Fenner, and performed by the duo Euroband. The Icelandic participating broadcaster, (RÚV), selected its entry through . The selection consisted of eleven heats, a Second Chance round, four semi-finals and a final, held between 6 October 2007 and 23 February 2008. Eight songs ultimately competed in the final, where "This Is My Life" performed by Eurobandið emerged as the winner exclusively through public televoting. The duo was renamed as Euroband for the Eurovision Song Contest. Songwriter Paul Oscar represented with the song "" where he placed twentieth in the competition.
Iceland was drawn to compete in the second semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest which took place on 22 May 2008. Performing as the opening entry for the show in position 12, "This Is My Life" was announced among the 10 qualifying entries of the second semi-final and therefore qualified to compete in the final on 24 May. This marked the first time that Iceland qualified to the final of the Eurovision Song Contest from a semi-final since the introduction of semi-finals in 2004. It was later revealed that the Iceland placed eighth out of the 19 participating countries in the semi-final with 68 points. In the final, Iceland performed in position 11 and placed fourteenth out of the 25 participating countries, scoring 64 points.
Background
Prior to the 2008 contest, (RÚV) had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest representing Iceland twenty 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 , it has, to this point, yet to qualify to the final. In , its song "Valentine Lost" performed by Eiríkur Hauksson 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 2008 contest on 10 July 2007. Since 2006, RÚV has used a national final to select its entry, a method that continued for its 2008 participation.
Before Eurovision
was the national final format developed by RÚV in order to select its entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2008. The seventeen shows in the competition were broadcast on RÚV during the television programme , hosted by Ragnhildur Steinunn Jónsdóttir and Gísli Einarsson. The first sixteen shows were held at the RÚV studios in Reykjavík and the final took place at the Vetrargarðinum in Kópavogur.
Format Thirty-three songs in total competed in , where the winner was determined after fifteen shows: eleven heats, a Second Chance round, four semi-finals and a final. Three songs competed in each heat between 6 October and 15 December 2007. The winning song from each heat qualified to the semi-finals, and a wildcard act was selected out of the two remaining non-qualifying acts. RÚV selected three of the eleven wildcards to compete in the Second Chance round on 12 January 2008, and the winning song qualified to the semi-finals. Three songs competed in each semi-final on 19 January 2008, 26 January 2008, 2 February 2008 and 9 February 2008, and the top two songs qualified to the final which took place on 23 February 2008. The results of all shows, including the wildcard selection, were determined by 100% public televoting. The televoting for the wildcard selection in each heat took place via radio on Rás 2 for a week, with the results being announced during the Rás 2 radio programme .
Competing entries On 10 July 2007, RÚV opened the submission period for interested songwriters to submit their entries until the deadline on 3 September 2007. Songwriters were required to be Icelandic, possess Icelandic citizenship or have permanent residency in Iceland by 1 October 2007, and had the right to submit up to three entries. At the close of the submission deadline, 146 entries were received. A selection committee was formed in order to select the top six entries, while additional twenty-seven entries came from nine composers invited by RÚV to each create three entries for the competition. The invited composers were:
Andrea Gylfadóttir Barði Jóhannsson Guðmundur Jónsson Gunnar L. Hjálmarsson (Dr. Gunni) Hafdís Huld Þrastardóttir Magnús Eiríksson Magnús Þór Sigmundsson Margret Kristin Sigurðardóttir Svala Björgvinsdóttir
Among the competing artists were previous Icelandic Eurovision entrants Pálmi Gunnarsson, who represented as part of ICY, Einar Ágúst Víðisson, who represented as part of August and Telma, and Birgitta Haukdal, who represented .
Artist Song Songwriter(s)Selection Ali Mobli, Harold Burr, Hildur Guðný Þórhallsdóttir, Sigurður Þór Óskarsson and Soffía Karlsdóttir "Friður á þessari jörð" Barði JóhanssonInvited by RÚV Andrea Gylfadóttir "Flower of Fire" Andrea Gylfadóttir "Vocalise" Áslaug Helga Hálfdánardóttir "Lífsins leið" Áslaug Helga HálfdánardóttirOpen submission Baggalútur "Hvað var það sem þú sást í honum?" Magnús EiríkssonInvited by RÚV Birgitta Haukdal and Magni Ásgeirsson "Núna veit ég" Hafdís Huld Þrastardóttir Bjartur Guðjónsson "The Girl in the Golden Dress" Andrea Gylfadóttir Böðvar Rafn Reynisson and Tinna Marína Jónsdóttir "Á ballið á" Barði Jóhansson Davíð Þorsteinn Olgeirsson "In Your Dreams" Davíð Þorsteinn OlgeirssonOpen submission Dr. Spock "Hvar ertu nú?" Gunnar L. HjálmarssonInvited by RÚV Edgar Smári Atlason "If I Fall In Love Again" Svala Björgvinsdóttir Einar Ágúst Víðisson and Sigurjón Brink "Straumurinn" Guðmundur Jónsson Eurobandið "Fullkomið líf" Örlygur SmáriOpen submission Fabúla "Bigger Shoes" Margret Kristin SigurðardóttirInvited by RÚV Fabúla and Martin Høybye "Game Over" Margret Kristin Sigurðardóttir Hafdís Huld Þrastardóttir "Á gleymdum stað" Hafdís Huld ÞrastardóttirInvited by RÚV "Boys and Perfume" Haffi Haff "The Wiggle Wiggle Song" Svala Björgvinsdóttir Hara "I Wanna Manicure" Hallgrímur Óskarsson, Gerard James BorgOpen submission Hrund Ósk Árnadóttir "Í rússíbana" Magnús EiríkssonInvited by RÚV Ína Valgerður Pétursdóttir, Seth Sharp and Berglind Ósk Guðgeirsdóttir "Lullaby to Peace" Magnús Þór Sigmundsson Menn ársins "If You Were Here" Þorarinn FreyssonOpen submission Merzedes Club "Ho, Ho, Ho, We Say Hey, Hey, Hey" Barði JóhanssonInvited by RÚV Páll Rósinkranz and Gospelkór Reykjavíkur "Gef mér von" Guðmundur Jónsson Pálmi Gunnarsson and Hrund Ósk Árnadóttir "Leigubílar" Magnús Eiríksson Ragnheiður Eiríksdóttir "Ísinn" Gunnar L. Hjálmarsson Ragnheiður Gröndal "Don't Wake Me Up" Margret Kristin Sigurðardóttir "Skot í myrkri" Magnús Þór Sigmundsson Seth Sharp "I Won't Be Home Tonight" Svala Björgvinsdóttir "Johnny" Magnús Þór Sigmundsson Sigríður Thorlacius and Karl Sigurðsson "Drepum tímann" Gunnar L. Hjálmarsson Þóra Gísladóttir "Að eilífu" Guðmundur Jónsson "The Picture" Hjörleifur IngasonOpen submission
Shows
Heats The eleven heats took place between 6 October 2007 and 12 January 2008 where three acts presented their entries in each heat. The winning entry voted upon solely by public televoting qualified directly to the semi-finals, while one of the two remaining acts was awarded a wildcard following a separate televote. + Heat 1 – 6 October 2007 Artist Song Result 1 Hafdís Huld Þrastardóttir "Boys and Perfume"Wildcard 2 Fabúla and Martin Høybye "Game Over" 3 Páll Rósinkranz and Gospelkór Reykjavíkur "Gef mér von" Advanced
+ Heat 2 – 13 October 2007 Artist Song Result 1 Ragnheiður Eiríksdóttir "Ísinn" 2 Edgar Smári Atlason "If I Fall In Love Again" Wildcard 3 Pálmi Gunnarsson and Hrund Ósk Árnadóttir "Leigubílar" Advanced
+ Heat 3 – 20 October 2007 Artist Song Result 1 Ína Valgerður Pétursdóttir, Seth Sharp and Berglind Ósk Guðgeirsdóttir "Lullaby to Peace" Advanced 2 Andrea Gylfadóttir "Vocalise" 3 Böðvar Rafn Reynisson and Tinna Marína Jónsdóttir "Á ballið á" Wildcard
+ Heat 4 – 27 October 2007 Artist Song Result 1 Davíð Þorsteinn Olgeirsson "In Your Dreams" Advanced 2 Áslaug Helga Hálfdánardóttir "Lífsins leið" Wildcard 3 Þóra Gísladóttir "The Picture"
+ Heat 5 – 3 November 2007 Artist Song Result 1 Sigríður Thorlacius and Karl Sigurðsson "Drepum tímann" 2 Seth Sharp "Johnny" Wildcard 3 Merzedes Club "Ho, Ho, Ho, We Say Hey, Hey, Hey" Advanced
+ Heat 6 – 10 November 2007 Artist Song Result 1 Fabúla "Bigger Shoes"Wildcard 2 Baggalútur "Hvað var það sem þú sást í honum?" Advanced 3 Seth Sharp "I Won't Be Home Tonight"
+ Heat 7 – 17 November 2007 Artist Song Result 1 Einar Ágúst Víðisson and Sigurjón Brink "Straumurinn" Wildcard 2 Hafdís Huld Þrastardóttir "Á gleymdum stað" 3 Bjartur Guðjónsson "The Girl in the Golden Dress" Advanced
+ Heat 8 – 24 November 2007 Artist Song Result 1 Menn ársins "If You Were Here" 2 Eurobandið "Fullkomið líf" Advanced 3 Hara "I Wanna Manicure" Wildcard
+ Heat 9 – 1 December 2007 Artist Song Result 1 Dr. Spock "Hvar ertu nú?"Wildcard 2 Ragnheiður Gröndal "Skot í myrkri" 3 Birgitta Haukdal and Magni Ásgeirsson "Núna veit ég" Advanced
+ Heat 10 – 8 December 2007 Artist Song Result 1 Andrea Gylfadóttir "Flower of Fire" Wildcard 2 Þóra Gísladóttir "Að eilífu" 3 Ragnheiður Gröndal "Don't Wake Me Up" Advanced
+ Heat 11 – 15 December 2007 Artist Song Result 1 Ali Mobli, Harold Burr, Hildur Guðný Þórhallsdóttir, Sigurður Þór Óskarsson and Soffía Karlsdóttir "Friður á þessari jörð" 2 Hrund Ósk Árnadóttir "Í rússíbana" Wildcard 3 Haffi Haff "The Wiggle Wiggle Song" Advanced
Second Chance Three of the eleven wildcards were selected to compete in the Second Chance round, which were announced on 6 January 2008. The three acts presented their entries in the Second Chance round on 12 January 2008 where "Hvar ertu nú?" performed by Dr. Spock was voted upon solely by public televoting to proceed to the semi-finals. + First Round – 6 January 2008 Artist Song Result Andrea Gylfadóttir "Flower of Fire" Áslaug Helga Hálfdánardóttir "Lífsins leið" Böðvar Rafn Reynisson and Tinna Marína Jónsdóttir "Á ballið á" Dr. Spock "Hvar ertu nú?" Advanced Einar Ágúst Víðisson and Sigurjón Brink "Straumurinn" Fabúla "Bigger Shoes" Advanced Hafdís Huld Þrastardóttir "Boys and Perfume" Advanced Hara "I Wanna Manicure" Hrund Ósk Árnadóttir "Í rússíbana" Pálmi Gunnarsson and Hrund Ósk Árnadóttir "Leigubílar" Seth Sharp "Johnny" + Second Round – 12 January 2008 Artist Song Result 1 Hafdís Huld Þrastardóttir "Boys and Perfume" 2 Fabúla "Bigger Shoes" 3 Dr. Spock "Hvar ertu nú?" Advanced
Semi-finals The four semi-finals took place on 19 January, 26 January, 2 February and 9 February 2008. In each semi-final three acts presented their entries, and the top two entries voted upon solely by public televoting proceeded to the final. Birgitta Haukdal, who was scheduled to perform her song with Magni Ásgeirsson in the first semi-final, did not appear during the show as she was on holiday. + Semi-Final 1 – 19 January 2008 Artist Song Result 1 Magni Ásgeirsson "Núna veit ég" Advanced 2 Ína Valgerður Pétursdóttir, Seth Sharp and Berglind Ósk Guðgeirsdóttir "Lullaby to Peace" 3 Páll Rósinkranz and Gospelkór Reykjavíkur "Gef mér von" Advanced + Semi-Final 2 – 26 January 2008 Artist Song Result 1 Davíð Þorsteinn Olgeirsson "In Your Dreams" Advanced 2 Bjartur Guðjónsson "The Girl in the Golden Dress" 3 Baggalútur "Hvað var það sem þú sást í honum?" Advanced
+ Semi-Final 3 – 2 February 2008 Artist Song Result 1 Pálmi Gunnarsson and Hrund Ósk Árnadóttir "Leigubílar" 2 Eurobandið "Fullkomið líf" Advanced 3 Dr. Spock "Hvar ertu nú?" Advanced
+ Semi-Final 4 – 9 February 2008 Artist Song Result 1 Haffi Haff "The Wiggle Wiggle Song" 2 Ragnheiður Gröndal "Don't Wake Me Up" Advanced 3 Merzedes Club "Ho, Ho, Ho, We Say Hey, Hey, Hey" Advanced
Final