Iceland: RÚV introduces changes in the voting format of Söngvakeppnin 2019
The Icelandic national broadcaster, RÚV has announced the introduction of a jury in both semi final rounds which alongside with the public voting will determine the qualifiers to the national final of Söngvakeppnin 2019.
RÚV has issued some changes in the voting format of Söngvakeppnin 2019, in order to secure that the best act will be selected for Eurovision 2019 , an act that will bring Iceland back in the grand final of the contest, which it hasn’t seen since 2014.
THE SEMI FINALS
A total of 10 acts will compete in this year’s edition of Söngvakeppnin, 5 in each semi final round. In both semi finals a jury alongiside with the public will determine which two acts will qualify in the final . The national final will have maximum 5 contestants, with the national broadcaster reserving the right to add one contestant apart the 4 qualifiers.
THE FINAL
For the final RÚV decided to make the jury that will contribute to the result even bigger. The final will consist of two rounds of voting. During the first round a 10 member international jury of experts will determine alongside with the public vote which two acts will proceed to a second Superfinal round.
In the Superfinal round the two finalists will keep their points from the first round of votes and while the public will cast once more its votes. The winner of the combined votes will represent the country in Tel Aviv.
Additionally, RÚV confirmed that apart from last year’s representative, Ari Ólafsson, another Eurovision star will perform as guest star during the national final. The broadcaster has already announced that it will be revealing the national final contestants on January 26.
ICELAND IN EUROVISION
Iceland had been participating in the Eurovision Song Contest since 1986 and is the only country for the Scandinavic ones not to have won the contest, despite finishing twice 2nd (1999, 2009). This year Iceland will try and select the act that will bring an end to the 4 conecutive failures to qualify to the grand final.
Last year the country was represented by Ari Ólafsson and the song Our Choice which ended in the last place of the 1st semi final in Lisbon.
