After the songs for the Icelandic Eurovision pre-selection were revealed, and amid numerous accusations surrounding the duo VÆB, who many claim copied an Israeli song, the duo now responds to the allegations and denies them: “We only listen to Icelandic pop”

VÆB, the Icelandic duo competing in Iceland’s Eurovision 2025 Söngvakeppnin, has responded to allegations that their song “Róa” plagiarizes an Israeli hit. The controversy erupted shortly after RÚV, Iceland’s national broadcaster, revealed the ten entries for “Söngvakeppnin 2025,” scheduled for February 22nd, where the winner will represent Iceland at Eurovision 2025 in Basel.




VÆB firmly rejected claims of copying the Israeli song “Wedding of the Year” by Eyal Golan and Itay Levy“We’ve never heard this song in our lives. We don’t listen to Israeli music. We only listen to Icelandic rap, Icelandic pop, and Eminem,” the duo stated in an interview. Rúnar Freyr Gíslason, the contest’s director, addressed the issue, saying, “Some say every real Eurovision song resembles another Eurovision song.” He noted that such accusations are common in Eurovision, and the only resolution is through legal action by songwriters who believe their intellectual property has been infringed. Meanwhile, Icelandic authorities are examining the case and have reportedly consulted with an Icelandic copyright firm for advice. The situation remains under review as the contest approaches. What do you think? Is there a similarity between the two? Listen to both songs:

 

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Contestants and Their Entries

Click on the song title to listen!

Familiar Names Among Participants

  • The duo VÆB participated in Iceland’s 2024 Eurovision pre-selection, reaching fourth place in the final with their song “Bíómynd“.
  • Bjarni Arason has participated in Iceland’s Eurovision pre-selection twice before: in 1988 with the song “Aftur og aftur“, placing ninth, and in 1992 with “Karen“, finishing second.

National Selection Format and Changes

The national selection format includes significant changes this year. Ten songs will advance to the semi-final stage, with each semi-final featuring five songs. Three songs from each semi-final will progress to the final, effectively eliminating the “Wildcard” previously awarded by RÚV and increasing the number of finalists from 5 to 6. Another major change is the elimination of the final duel, a signature element of previous selections. In previous years, two rounds of voting were held, with the top two songs from the first round advancing to a final duel. This year, the winner will be determined by a single round of voting, combining seven international jury points and public votes in a 50-50 split. The hosts for the national selection will be Benedikt ValssonFannar Sveinsson, and Guðrún Dís Emilsdóttir, who have previously served as RÚV’s Eurovision commentators and individually hosted the national selection in different years.

The Icelandic song contest “Söngvakeppnin” has been held since 1981, serving as Iceland’s Eurovision national selection since 1986, except for years when internal selection was used. The competition includes two semi-finals where songs must be performed in Icelandic, with the public and a jury selecting the finalists. In the final, qualifying songs can be performed in Icelandic or English, depending on the artist’s preferred language for Eurovision.

Key Dates for Iceland’s National Selection:

  • First Semi-Final: February 8, 2025
  • Second Semi-Final: February 15, 2025
  • Final: February 22, 2025




Iceland in Eurovision 2024

“Scared Of Heights” is the name of the song performed by singer Hera Björk, who was chosen to represent Iceland after winning the local national finals. Iceland did not advance to the final, finishing 15th and last in the first semi-final with only 3 points.

This is the second consecutive year that Iceland has not qualified for the final, and the fourth time overall that the country has finished last in the competition.

Source: www.icelandreview.com

Eurovision 2025: This will be Iceland’s 37th participation in Eurovision. Iceland joined the competition in 1986 and achieved its best result in Eurovision 1999 and Eurovision 2009 after finishing second twice.