Iceland in Eurovision 2025: The head of the Icelandic Eurovision delegation is working on reinstating jury voting in the semi-finals, claiming unfairness in the current 100% audience voting system.
Iceland, represented by VÆB with the song “Róa” at Eurovision, is taking the lead in the fight to bring back jury voting to the semi-finals. In an interview, Felix Bergsson, head of the Icelandic Eurovision delegation, confirmed that he is working on this issue. He argued that the audience-only voting system in the semi-finals is unfair and does not provide equal opportunities for all countries.
According to Bergsson, the main problem with audience voting in the semi-finals is the lack of equal opportunities for each country to reach the final. He claims that countries with large diasporas (expatriate communities) advance to the final more easily (examples include Albania, Poland, and Israel), while smaller countries (like Iceland) without significant expatriate communities miss out on opportunities even when they deserve to advance to the final.
Bergsson shared that he worked on a new code of conduct for Eurovision as a member of the European Broadcasting Union’s focus group. This code of conduct is intended to prevent unnecessary politicization at Eurovision and aims to maintain an apolitical environment.
Additionally, Bergsson mentioned ongoing discussions about changing the way finalists are announced, with a focus on the contestants rather than the hosts, and preventing awkward moments for non-qualifying contestants.
Iceland in Eurovision 2025
“Róa” is the song to be performed by Væb, representing Iceland in the first semi-final of Eurovision 2025 in Basel, Switzerland. The song was written and composed by the duo, along with Ingi Þór Garðarsson. It is the songwriters’ first Eurovision entry and is performed in Icelandic.
The song describes the stages of building a boat from simple planks, preparing for a journey with suitable equipment, and sailing to distant destinations like the Faroe Islands and Greenland. Despite challenges and dangers, the song expresses optimism and determination to continue the journey, likening themselves to brave captains. The central message of the song is about facing challenges, seeking better places, and persevering through obstacles. The recurring chorus emphasizes the feeling of freedom and continuous movement across the waves.
Currently, Iceland ranks 34th in the betting odds for Eurovision 2025.
Source: eurotrip
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.
