Second Semi-Final -reactions after perfomance

The representatives of nineteen countries have presented their songs tonight in the Second Semi-Final of the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest.

Watch the reactions after perfomance below:

The ten qualifiers of the second semifinal

The following countries have qualified for the Final of the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest (in order of announcement):



Ukraine
Croatia
Albania
Iceland
Georgia
Denmark
Sweden
Latvia
Turkey
Portugal

Iceland rehearsal and press conference

Icelandic Euroband were the first to enter the stage at the Belgrade Arena singing their song This Is My Life.

The duet made up by Regína Ósk and Friðrik Ómar already wore their outfits for the Semi-Final.

Regína and Friðrik gave a powerful performance, and it seems like the choreography is more or less perfect.



Press conference

At the press conference after the rehearsal, the Icelandic delegation were very satisfied with everything in Belgrade, and they thought today's rehearsal went very well. A journalist from the accredited press asked why Euroband changed the original lyrics in Icelandic to English, and Regína replied that the English version was better for the up-tempo, techno song.

source:eurovision.tv

Icelandic TV Plans Early Start for 2008 Eurovision

doteurovision.com reports:

Icelandic TV looks set to be the first to kick off the search for its 2008 Eurovision Song Contest entry.After several disappointing results, state broadcaster RUV plans to begin airing a series of TV shows aimed at picking a song for Belgrade as early as 29 September.

Although the Eurovision rule book usually insists that songs must have been released after 1 October to take part in the following year's contest, the EBU often will grant special permission to broadcasters where they wish to bend the rule slightly.

Iceland's biggest circulation daily, Frettabladid revealed this weekend that thirty songs will be in the running to represent the country next year.

From late September onwards RUV will preview three potential entries each week with one song going through to a national final to take place either later this year or early in January 2008.

Nine writers have been contacted and asked to submit three songs each to the competition, alongside this, there will be a special wildcard show featuring songs submitted to a public competition.

Songwriters linked with the contest include Gudmundur Jonsson úr Sálinni, Dr. Gunni, Barði í Bang Gang, Magnús Þór Sigmundsson, Magnús Eiríksson, Hafdís Huld Þrastardóttir, Svala Björgvinsdóttir, Fabúla and Andrea Gylfadóttir.

Silvia Night back in Eurovision road?

esctoday.com reports:

Silvia Night was one of the surprise performers at last night's SchlagerPride event in Stockholm, Sweden. A live performance of her 2006 Eurovision Song Contest song was one of the highlights of the show and will fuel rumours that the Icelandic 'megastar' is looking at a return to the competition in Belgrade.

In February, she told esctoday.com: "Last year was such a big hit and everybody loved me, so I want to keep the good memories. I've moved onto bigger things. Eurovision is for slow people... I entertained them last year but I've moved on".

read more...

Iceland back in 2008 - with changes!

esctoday.com reports:

Iceland is the latest of the disenchanted Western Eurovision Song Contest entrants to confirm that they will be participating in Serbia.

After the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest semi final, doubt about Iceland's future participation were deepened with a public outcry and with the Icelandic Head of Delegation telling esctoday.com that he could not rule out Iceland withdrawing from the competition. (Read the full interview here)

Both the rules and the selection process in Iceland will be changing in 2008. To be eligable to enter the competiton, singers and songwriters must be confirmed as having Icelandic residence by 1st October 2007.

Entries must be submitted to RUV by 3rd September. This means that artists could take up residency in Iceland in order to participate should they wish to do so.

Whilst the rules state that RUV would 'prefer' songs to be in Icelandic, the opportunity to submit songs in other languages now exists. Previously, songs had to be submitted and performed in icelandic and the winning entry was translated into English for the Eurovision Song Contest.

Read CHANGES TO THE COMPETITION

Again the same story; Silvia Night for 2008 Icelandic selection

The controversial Silvia Night is rumoured to be re-entering the national selection in Iceland in 2008 for the eurovision in Belgrade.

The rumour started on Youtube and has been spreading, Silvia night is planning a eurovision song contest comeback. Silvia Night participated in eurovision song contest 2006 but didn't make it to the final to many peoples surprise.

She ended up at number 13th in the semifinal.

Last year


This year



sources:oikotimes.com;youtube.com