She won Söngvakeppnin in Iceland last Saturday with “Scared of Heights” after a close final. And now it is confirmed, that Hera Björk will participate in Eurovision in Malmö after Icelandic broadcaster RÚV’s initial decision of letting the Söngvakeppnin winner decide themselves whether to compete in Eurovision or not.
Today RÚV confirmed that the former 2010 Eurovision alum will travel to Malmö and compete, thus completing the lineup after Monday’s participation deadline.
Iceland will compete in the second half of semifinal 1 on Tuesday 7 May.
Hera Björk will be the second returning artist in this year’s Eurovision together with Natalia Barbu from Moldova. Her entry “Je ne sais quoi” got 19. place in Eurovision 2010 in Oslo and she has since been to Eurovision as a backing singer and vocal coach for Iceland’s entries in both 2015 and 2016. Now she is back as the main artist on stage for the volcano island.
Are you looking forward to Hera’s return to the Eurovision stage? Can she bring Iceland into the grand final? Let us know in the comments below.
Hera was signing on the petition against Israel’s participation…Let’s not forget that!
Let’s not forget that Hera is also a human being with her Right of Free Speech.
You might not agree with it and thats your Freedom.
In the middle we meet isnt it??
Scared of Heights.
“Pumpkin” Fizz…. seems for the first time I do agree with this comment 🙂
(besides the Scared of Heights… With such a generic song Hera should be “Scared of Lows” (as in the odds for this entry)
hahaha, we just made a lovely pumkin soupe today for that matter.
Noo She is such an icoon, very 90’s song and classic.
I hope she outshines some of her less experienced younger sisters in the pack??
Spain wouldnt work, but alas i m happy with the Icelandic entry.
I forget to mention: “nice one”at your comment.
You made me smile!!
Thank you.
I think the beat is too fast. but her voice is great.
Good music won, what people chose not politics and Iceland you’re cringe for dragging so long and adding pressure to Hera. Disgusting.
Heh, I knew Iceland didn’t have the guts to do it
Yeah, but it would have been pointless anyway.
what was the point of the entire circus with “oh noes we might totally not participate for realsies” then?
i am happy for her she has a good voice the song is meh but i am happy for so glad they did not choose the palestinian
“the Palestinian” lol. I think he has a name
Yes, Palestinian
Z!on!sts never manage to hide their rac!st mindset
You need a RESET dear….
seems your BRAINS Software is outdated or NON existant…
It’s no longer binary functioning with “1” and “0” – it shows only “0” “0” “0”….:-)
Well pumpkin ist yours just 6″6″6″……………….:-)
Find someting positive to focus on, mate. Don’t be a robot
Yes, WE know his name,
but the RUV only sees him as ‘The poor Palestinian’ and used him as a political tool.
“The Palestinian” – he has a name you know, so much for not making the contest about politics.
That’s how he was promoted by RUV.
Did an employee at the Israeli broadcaster KAN openly brag about starting a campaign against Bashar who was competing to representing another country? Surely KAN should suffer sanctions from the EBU for such manipulative behaviour. We know they wont ban Israel for the slaughter of 38 thousand citizens.
This is irrelevant. Do you really think that one KAN employee can change the mind of a whole nation?
It won’t change an entire nation but what need is there to make such harmful comments?
It wasn’t only him, he motivated his network communities to join him.
So?…… What’s your point? … This is why the word NETWORK exists (the same way you are operating YOUR lunatics network here) 🙂
Uh…..Israel is blaming an entire aid organisation of 14000 employees just because of a possible involvement of 13 members in the October attacks…and managed to manipulate most of the western governments to stop providing financial aid to this organisation – SO YES the power those Israelis have over the west is incredible!!!! And there are no proofs of anything…. and Bashars song was way less politically loaded than what Israels song is, so he has more right to participate than Edan for sure!
THIS!!!!
What exactly are you SMOKING?…. (seems illegal by quite GOOD material 🙂 )
You sure know what “TIP OF THE ICEBERG” means, right bro? 🙂
The poor people involved have far more important issues than a song contest, but it’s still sad that we already know our week in May is going to be completely overshadowed by their conflict, just as it was in 2023 and 2022.
The song contest wouldn’t be overshadowed by it if people finally stopped politicizing something that’s just a bunch of artists singing meaningless pop songs. Like … what is the point of heckling the Israeli delegation anyway? Would it help just a single individual in Palestine or anywhere else?
Let’s hope she waves the Palestinian flag in Malmö and reminds us all how tainted and despicable EBU’s contest is this year!
Absolutely i hope the fans do that too
They’re not really fans if they wave the Palestinian flag and wish various participants poor results.
Don’t be a jerk. There’s no way Hera would support Palestine, not to mention that the EBU has never supported genocidal actions. Furthermore, anti-fans are despicable, one of which being you.
“Palestine” does not equal H a m a s
Yes, they support genoc!dal actions in letting !srael participate lol
I’m not even going to respond to that „genoc!de“ bs. But going by your logic, the whole world supported WW2 and the H0l0caust because they let the n4zis host the 1936 Olympics.
I would strongly aggree. The aggression towards Jewish Germans (and not only them) was already deadly in 1936. But so many people in Germany and abroad closed their eyes and doors.
We are in 2024…. There is today treatment for Delusion Outbusrts (get some help) 🙂
As expected, they all know how to threat but at the end of the day, they do so because they benefit from the support they get.
As for Hera, I’m super happy for her.
She’s been trying to come back for some time now and when she finally won the national final, the broadcaster did everything to find a way to not send her.
I’m happy she’s coming back and that RUV hasn’t ruined it for her.
Hatred is always louder, but not stronger than love.
How ironic that a zionist talks about love winning over hate when he’s supporting politics that have killed over 13,000 children so far.
Because the Islamist Palestinians have never killed any children have they, they just rape and marry kids instead
Your comment shows how educated you are and what your moral values are
That’s illegal! Can these children wait until after they graduate from college to find a future spouse? I’m 24 and I never planned on being in a domestic relationship. I was, however, a bridesmaid at my cousin’s wedding last month.
You said it right, Palestinian Islamists, the bad thing is that the murders of civilians in addition to Palestinian Islamists comes from a supposedly democratic country whose citizens agree with the extermination of children, women and civilians in addition to Islamists.
Do you have a way of fighting Hmas without hurting any civilian?
Everyone would be grateful to hear it
I think the example should be taken from countries that suffered from terrorism for decades, such as England and Spain. They managed to put an end to the terrorism that killed civilians weekly without having to wipe out an entire region.
Please, elaborate.
Convince us how the situations are similar in any way as well.
No, England is NOT an example. Google the Legacy Bill that Westminster passed recently. They murdered innocent Irish civilians and refuse to be held accountable.
England has been suppressing Irish people for ages… and let them die in not just one famine
Wanna talk about the people I know who died because of Hmas?
We will get rid of Hmas and the sooner they surrender, the more people they will save. It’s up to them.
Golda Meir: “Peace will come when the Arabs start to love their children more than they hate us. We can forgive [them] for killing our children. We cannot forgive them from forcing us to kill their children. We will only have peace with [them] when they love their children more than they hate us.“
Cause Israel just love Children, right? How many thousands have Israel killed in the last several months?
War is always a bad idea, but there was a ceasefire before the Oct 7. What’s happening is a tragedy, as every war is, but terrorism needs to be eradicated. It’s a war against Hms, but unfortunately, as always innocent people pay the price. On both sides.
Wrong, there wasn’t a ceasefire before October 7. 200 Palestinians got k!lled by !srael between January and August 2023.
Oh dear. A social unrest is not an equivalent to a full scale war.
There has been constant aggression against Palestinian civilians since more and more European Jews settled in Palestine (the country that is called Israel today)
:))))))
You’re missing the point. The Palestinian civilians shouldn’t call on Israel to stop. They should call on H4mas to stop and surrender. It’s their terror that prevented Palestine from becoming a thriving country for decades now.
Just let him enjoy his obscurity. People like him don’t care about the palestinians, but they are using them to motivate their hate towards Israel. It’s an old narative…
Hera was signing on the petition against Israel’s participation
I’m happy decency and good sense have prevailed. Boycotting is an empty gesture that will change nothing. That said I’m finding it hard to get fired up about this contest. Usually I find two or three songs that I love one or two I find pretty dreadful and most pleasant songs I can listen to while out walking my dogs or busy around the house. To me, and this just an opinion, there are four songs I find very good but not outstanding. Three I really don’t want to listen to but the majority just not very interesting and I… Read more »
Looking at the betting odds, we really don’t see a clear favourite so far.
Even Croatia, leading right now, are not even at 20%.
Which should counter the nonsense conspiracy theorists are putting about about Sweden rigging it all. But no they hot a theory and they’ll make up facts to fit it.
I won’t be doing it, but boycotting can achieve something, in small but important ways. The contest has soft power. Would I be as fond of Israeli culture and have at least some ingrained bias if I hadn’t witnessed Dana International’s iconic victory back when I was an impressionable young child?
Who knows.
P.S. This could apply to any country, of course.
I betcha she will, she won fair and square. I don’t think her qualification chances are DOA either, she has charisma, she has a voice, and she can attract a good slice of the public.
Do as Malta normally does (ironically not this year) and choose another song for her! The music is a complete NQ and she is a very competent and charismatic artist. Apart from the music composer’s statements about wanting representation from the competing artist…
It’s too late to change the song. The deadline has already passed.
“Loop” NQ in your dreams
People were saying the same thing last year about Gustaph. A strong vocal and good camera contact counts for a lot when opposing songs can’t live up to the promise of their videos.
Really happy for Hera! She wanted to go and she will go!
This song would have scored poorly even in 1994.
I FEEL IT COMING!
Grab a tissue!
You are naughty Andrew
Oh, shameful, Andrew. :0
only 2 returnees this year and I think none will qualify
Both returnees will qualify if you move to Area 51. 😉
i suspect you are already there
This entry is just a waste of money, There were at least two better songs in the Söngvakeppnin Final.
Please move to Area 51,
With that logic, 36 songs this year are a waste of money.
…I understand that the singer wanted to participate, …but this does feel kind of disrespectful to the songwriter that had a problem with it.
It’s not disrespectful, the songwriter literally didn’t want to be associated with the song anymore ever since the voting scandal arose. That was a bizarre move.
What voting scandal? Oh goodness… There was no scandal. The rules were clear. Two songs qualified to the superfinal and they brought their votes from the first round. It’s just that everybody else (from the other songs) voted for Hera and not Bashar. Simple as that. No conspiracies or drama.
You clearly didn’t read her interview. There were racist campaigns against Bashar winning. Even RUV reported about it yesterday.
We don’t care here. Eurovision without drama is like sex without a partner. I thought you knew this.
Songwriter should’ve thought about it before he agreed to participate. At the end he’s just an employee, he sold a product and now the customer is using it as they wish.
Well, interesting that a employee at KAN (The Israeli State Broadcoasting Company) initiated a campaign in Iceland in order to vote out Bashar. He later boasted of his alleged successful effort. https://www.mannlif.is/frettir/innlent/starfsmadur-israelska-rikisutvarpsins-stod-fyrir-herferd-gegn-bashar-i-songvakeppninni/
For real? Noooo way.
Gee, that will help the image of Jews in Iceland *eyeroll*
Why is this comment that’s simply stating facts voted down?
What facts? You are just manipulated again… Wake up!
Welcome to the lives of Israelis as we always get downvoted for stating facts.
What’s the difference from people asking not to vote or even listen to the Israeli song when the performance would take place?
What a com spin !!
Amazing what Islamic lunatics are ready to do – just to ALWAYS play the victim card and be the perpetual patsy… (so sad… but it’s failing once again).
Seems just a fake DRAMA – sorry guys, so much not convinced!
You’ve LITERALLY explained the Jewish tactic of manipulation to try and appear the victims when youre the perpetrators. Sadly for you, the masses are seeing this, and this is the year you’re all feeling it and you clearly don’t like it. You’re all moaning about a war and about the losses to your country, yet you’re happily dancing about the comments section on a Eurovision blog and wanting to be a part of an entertainment show. Talk about skewing your priorities! Anyone with normal behaviour would want to heal and take time out to focus on more important things. But… Read more »
Facts.
Funny, no one had a problem with Ukraine participating during a war. Everyone said how amazing it is that they’re still doing Eurovision despite the war. No one talked abour priorities. We can do both, let alone the fact Eurovision is a part of the healing process. We need to learn how to move on. You’re not from here, so I’ll explain the general feeling in our country right now – depression. People are sad and depressed and it’s been this way for 5 months now. So yea, we also would like to have some escapism and enjoy music. Neither… Read more »
Ukraine weren’t the ones trying to wipe out an entire population. Ukraine were actually victims. THATS the difference.
No dear… What the masses are aka “seeing” – is just a sad result of your rotten and failing Education System… Not knowing historical facts (basic) and yet confusing/braiwashing the youngees to not even know what a WOMAN is!! (what an insult to womenhood). It’s really not a pride to be UN-educated and spit nonsense – as you do…. Now – you convinced me that even YOU deserves a better version of yourself. Go and find a support group (this may help)
You dont even know what you’re talking about half the time. Its just complete and utter noise.
But seeing you here dancing in the comments section with your pointless diatribe when your country is supposed to be a victim and on its knees really doesn’t help sell the victim image you’re wanting to sell.
Bingo! Not only un-educated (with historical factts) – also not very smart to follow and understand concepts… I’m saddened 4 u
Israel ARE victims. Not the only victims, or the worst hit, but still victims. Nothing can justify the inhumane acts of Oct 7. That was evil.
Let me get this straight. Israels interference with Palestine and the ethnic cleansing hasn’t mattered for decades, but the attack on OCT 7th has so much more value to you? The fact that your blood thirsty leaders are hell bent on eradicating thousands and thousands of innocent civilians, including thousands of children doesn’t really matter because they’re ‘defending themselves’. The fact Israel have been, and are, complicit in trying to tear apart Syria AND the Lebanon AT THE SAME TIME as trying to turn Palestine to dust, doesn’t factor with you. Nobody else has an issue with one another…..but Israel… Read more »
WOW dear – You got the EXCELLENT MARK – on the most fault of basic and essential facts!!!.
I’m rushing to call for YOUR – “MOST MISGUIDED PERSON 2024” MEDAL (Congrats darling, ha ha ha)
Again, just white noise. Come back when you make an actual point. You might need to sit down when you do as it’ll be a shock to your system.
I promise to come back to your “Slow-Witted” academy – and wave a “Hello” to you.
Hope that at least – the greeting gesture you’ll understand (cause the rest – I lost hope on you!)….
Continue schooling darling and sign us when you finally graduate.
PS – Due to the symptoms – Check your Tinnitus (may require some medical assistance)
Hasta la Vista 🙂
I didnt realise they’d let 9 year olds in this comments section! When you grow up, you might actually make a point. I’ll wait till then. I know it’ll be a long wait of 50 years or so, but im sure it’ll be worth it in the end.
Go get your bot friends to PLEASW down vote my comments. I find it hilarious that you actually go those those lengths by wasting your time LOL. Amazingly funny.
Let us see if you succeed “to get” the following concept:
THE ONLY PERSON THAT THINKS HE IS NOT DRUNK…. – IS THE DRUNK HIMSELF 🙂 🙂 🙂
This is an especial for you darling… (reflect hard)
Even if it is true, no one can tell the impact it had on voters.
I’m pretty sure Icelanders are independent thinkers and just voted for Hera.
Her song was more similar to the others in contrast to Bashar’s and I guess people preferred hers over his.
This is a lovely, unassuming little ditty.
It’s so disheartening that it is going to be completely ignored in the contest.
Unfortunately this is a sure NQ.
Maybe, but I just find it so depressing that very few people will actually comment on the song.
Exactly. They are using this space to make offensive statements instead of talking about the songs.
A few years ago they were Covid specialists, now they are foreign affaires specialists. And, on top of everyting, we have Martin O (Zero) changing abruptly everything just because he can. What a carry on! Thank God we have William’s constant joy and expertise. Without him, Esc will be a gathering of angry men pointing fingers at each other.
Not if Hera takes Malmö by storm and you move to Area 51.
Not if your parents assign you a domestic partner.
Lol.
They so wanted to send Bashar but probably waited for israel Eden Golan’s song coming out yesterday.
When they saw the wonderful outstanding song, choreography, voice, emotions, creativity, they thought: we cant send this mediocre Pal. guy.
Good luck Hera.
LOL, like a balloon that the air has slowly got out of it. Good for Hera.
The fact that Israel is participating this year gives it away that they’ll participate
Not surprised. Broadcasters are scared of being called the anti-semi despite not being them but simply not justifying any side to free murdering. At least decent human beings won’t tolerate it and will booo at.
Booeing is great. Very elegant, valuable and reasonable response. Keep on this way.
Iceland has made the right choice, amongst a few evils. Withdraw or ‘internally select’ Bashar could have been seen by some people as kinda a ***k move. Especially for the people who’s a fan of Hera and genuinely voted for her to win and it might have tainted RUV and the future of the Songvakeppin (which established act would go after sideline a what?…three-time winner?)
And also, it gives Bashar a cleaner path to return to the selection in another year.
After one of the main songwriters, Ásdís, pulled out, I hoped they will withdraw. There was an interview with her about the racism Bashar faced before, during and after his participation. It’s vile and ugly. He’s a lovely guy and doesn’t deserve this. Without the racist antivotes, he might have made it (he only needed 3,000 votes more). And there’s an article in Icelandic newspaper about some Israeli guy from KAN radio calling on people to vote against Bashar.
Still, I’m happy for Hera.
That’s how low the Israeli’s will go. Seriously boils my blood when it comes to sly manipulation, and their leaders are very very good at it.
Absolutely
I don’t think that Kan guy has the power to change those 3000 votes to Hera lmao
Btw, Iceland is still sending a part of Palestine to the contest. One of the songwriters, Ferras Alqaisi, is Palestinian-American.
Is that the reason why Iceland is so low in the odds/bookmakers…:)
Ferras? That’s a curious name
Should we also count every Jew that’s being sent as part of the other delegations? Do we get a medal for this?
You should give it a try
I don’t do it because it’s silly. There are Palestinians and Jews everywhere, doing all sorts of things. I don’t try to make a deal of something trivial and try to sell it as some grand gesture when it’s not.
Luxembourg is sending an Israeli to represent them, is it a grand gesture towards Israelis? Probably not, it’s just a good singer that happens to be Israeli that they chose to send, like many countries did before.
I just thought it was an ironic twist after what the Icelandic broadcaster tried to pull, nothing more.
Oo, so cute.
Thank you Hera and RÚV. 🙂
Evil. And tne song is terrible as well. NQ!
It’s the other way around. You’re evil, and Iceland’s NQ is only, I repeat, only, your dream, which will never be a reality because you’re treating so many recording artists like crap. Entertainment industry members don’t like anti-fans, and recording artists don’t like being wished a short-lived career, failure on the charts, elimination in music contest semi-finals, or all of the above.
I am happy for Hera but with regret, this is one of the certain NQs from 1st semi, alongside Moldova and most likely Ireland.
Bambie curses you.
Agree with Iceland & Moldova NQ but Ireland has a chance of making the final
Bambie will make it for sure.
Iceland NQ: Not even close to being on Hera Björk’s to-do list!
Ireland NQ: Unlikely
Moldova NQ: 50/50
Love her! Enough with the hatred towards Israel. Goodluck Iceland.
Killing tens of thousands of innocent people is nothing to condemn then?
Stop harassing the EBU!
Finally! Good luck Hera, well deserved victory!
Good luck to Hera! You’ve got a banger of a song. Hope you get to choose to bring the team with you to Malmo to make your 2nd ESC experience an even better one.
She won and she deserve It. Congrats Hera! See you in Mälmo!
We just dodged a bullet here. Thank you Iceland for not causing havoc in the Eurovision world.
The havoc is already there.
People should vote for her as a reward for kicking politics out of the contest <3
That would be just kicking politics back INTO the contest… so no.
I hope she manages to qualify though, she deserves it and I don’t think semi 1 has so many great songs, so qualifying is justified. But realistically, if she makes the final, it’s probably bound to be bottom 5.
I disagree, I think Iceland is doomed to fail no matter what. What are your ideal qualifiers?
Could Iceland not find a way to rig the results in their favor?
Anyway, thanks for giving us a place in the final. Sincerely, Slovenia
Andrew Tate is evil.
What about Tate McRae?
A lesser evil.
Andrew, from which part of Slovenia are you? 🙂
The same one as Melania Trump
Pity they didn’t stand up eventually!
They DID – to music (not politics)
Happy ending! At last, no more drama. All this has left me with a bittersweet taste for Iceland at Eurovision, although I love the country (in and out of ESC) and even have friends there. 🙂
You have friends?
If I am not mistaken, she was also a backing vocalist for Johanna’s 2009 masterpiece “Is It True”.
Funny, or maybe not, that Iceland’s two second places were in Israel and Russia.
In May 1999, Netanyahu was Prime Minister of Israel. In May 2009, Putin was Prime Minister of Russia. Sad.
Basically nothing has changed.
Well at least Putin has dropped the pretence of being “Prime Minister”, and is just a regular oil’ dictator now.
Yohanna, the ”Ilse DeLange of Iceland” what she was called by our dutch commentators that year, what i can remember so well
Both of them were wonderful.
Yohanna had so much more magic around her than Ilse DeLange will ever have…but I really like both of them.
She was also a backing vocalist for Euroband in 2008 with the euro-banger “This Is My Life”.
She was also back on stage as a backing singer for the disaster that was “Unbroken” by Maria Olafs.
I love Hera. She’s a true legend.
Never thought Iceland would become a problematic ESC country… politics lost this time, but were so unnecessary in the first place.
Bashar has ties to Iceland, due to being best mates with the members of Hatari, they also composed both his icelandic and english version of his entry, so i reckon it were Hatari who came up with this publicity stunt
And Hatari have ties to RUV. Full circle.
Good you confirm it’s a stunt (def not talent :-))
And FYI, Bashar has more ties to Israel (where he practice his g4yness).
At his community he would be already b3he@ded
Politics won, since Israel is still in the contest.
Are you drunk?? Get sober baby…
End of story. Thanks.
GREAT NEWS! Hera won the NF and she deserves to go. Any other outcome would be shameful. RUV desperately needs new Eurovision management team.
There was no NF.
There was. Not automatically forcing the winner to compete in Eurovision doesn’t make it not a NF. Why would they be sending Scared of Heights to Eurovision is this wasn’t a NF?
*if this wasn’t
there was though? and tbh in that superfinal, anyone would’ve won over the mediocre western parody song from Bashar
No, they made it a contest in its own right, separate.
Sure and San remo in not a NF as well *rolling my eyes*
It’s not. You can unroll your eyes now.
Easy NQ anyways….doesn’t matter.
It doesn’t matter if a European country participates in Eurovision or not? How kind.
Easy NQ doesn’t happen if you move to Area 51. I’m actually quite glad to see Hera Björk return to the Eurovision Song Contest after 14 long years, which to me, feels like the other day. I remember a 10-year-old me watching Hera’s performances in Oslo on ESC’s YouTube channel, and boy did it pay off! And now I’m 24, and I’ll continue to defend the “Je ne sais quoi” hitmaker now that her Malmö era is about to begin.
Hooray. She, and the song oozes positivity. Will be a nice addition to the lineup.
Hera is great!
I would wish her to bring the best result for iceland ever but thats hardly gonna happen with this song
Anyway, good luck to her.
She was also backing singer for Yohanna in 2009.
also backing singer for Maria Olafs in 2015, on stage
2008 also
She also participated in Dansk Melodi Grand Prix in 2009 and came 2nd with “Some day”
Now I feel bad for letting my imagination run free. Good news.
What about the unhappy songwriter? The song is their property, surely. Forced into entering a contest against their will, or duly compensated?
She knew that when she entered, though. If not, it’s her own fault for not reading the contract. She consulted lawyers who clearly found that RUV can do what they want with song.
*the song
RÚV wrote, she doesn’t want to stand in the way of Hera. Some RÚV bloke also called that a ‘noble act’, which, I think, is a bit of a stretch.
Hm… so she abandons all her principles just for one person? The sheer power of Hera.
I guess you simply don’t want to be responsible for turning the dream of a person you like into a nightmare.
But anyway … surely there must have been contracts in place which made the songwriter’s statements nothing but an empty gesture all along.
It’s what she deserves.
Happy end. Should never have been a debate in the first place, but better late than never. RUV managed to pull themselves out of the hole they dug for themselves in the last minute. Their provocative game was a new low for a broadcaster which is why Hera deserves all the more support for saving the contest from this dumpster fire.
Not according to the song writer that pulled out …
She can’t pull out, RUV owns the song. All she accomplished was rejecting a free holiday to Malmö. Nobody will notice.
Why is the artist allowed to decline representing Iceland, then, but not the songwriter? It makes no sense, really. Although songwriters generally are treated like irrelevant third class passengers.