Icelandic broadcaster RÚV has confirmed that Björg Magnúsdóttir, Jón Jónsson and Ragnhildur Steinunn Jónsdóttir will host Söngvakeppnin 2022, Icelandic daily newspaper Fréttablaðið reported.
The singing competition that will decide the nation’s entry for the 66th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest is scheduled to take place on consecutive Saturdays from 26th February. RÚV pushed back the original contest dates by a week in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
In recent years, the Söngvakeppnin semi-finals have taken place at Háskólabíó and the finals in Laugardalshöll. This year will see all events held in a new location: the Söngvakeppnishöll at RVK Studios in Gufunes.
Who are the hosts?
Björg is a journalist and radio presenter with plenty of past presenting credits for RÚV shows including Söngvakeppninn. She described the song contest as “an annual source of joy” for Icelanders.
Actress, presenter and RÚV assistant director Ragnhildur Steinunn is no stranger to Söngvakeppninn either. She and Björg are emphatic about the contest’s power to uplift the Icelandic mood following two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ragnhildur Steinunn stated, of their preparations for the contest, “there are a few challenges, but we will continue unabated.”
Singer-songwriter and former professional footballer Jón, meanwhile, expressed delight at returning to the line-up four years after his Söngvakeppnin hosting debut in 2018. “It is also two long years since the competition was held and the intention is to make everything bigger and more beautiful to celebrate the return,” he told Fréttablaðið.
Ten songs out of 158
This year’s Söngvakeppnin contenders were selected by committee from a total 158 submissions. The ten competing songs will be revealed by RÚV in a showcase programme, titled “Lögin í Söngvakeppninni,” this Saturday 29th January.
Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest
Iceland made its debut on the Eurovision stage in 1986, finishing 16th with the song “Gleðibankinn” (Bank of fun) by ICY. In its 33 appearances, Iceland has finished in the top ten an impressive seven times. Iceland’s best result to date is second place, which it has achieved twice. The first time was in 1999, when Selma Björnsdóttir received 146 points for her performance of “All Out of Luck.” The second time was in 2009, with Yohanna singing “Is it True” and receiving 218 points. Iceland’s most recent representative on the Eurovision stage was Daði og Gagnamagnið with the song “10 Years,” finishing fourth with 378 points.
Are you excited for Söngvakeppnin 2022? Who would you like to see represent Iceland at the Eurovision Song Contest? Let us know in the comments below or on social media. Don’t forget to follow ‘THAT Eurovision Site’ over at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
News source: Fréttablaðið
Photo credit: Fréttablaðið
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