Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2003
Encyclopedia
Iceland was represented by Birgitta Haukdal
, with the song '"Open Your Heart", at the 2003 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 24 May in Riga
, Latvia
. "Open Your Heart" was chosen as the Icelandic entry at the national final Söngvakeppni Sjónvarpsins
on 15 February. Iceland returned to Eurovision following an enforced one-year absence due to relegation after a last-place finish in 2001
.
and held at the Háskólabió in Reykjavik
, hosted by Logie Bergmann Eiðsson and Gísli Marteinn Baldursson. 15 songs took part with the winner being chosen by televoting. Haukdal's winning song was performed in Icelandic as "Segðu mér allt". Only the top 3 placements and votes were announced, but later unconfirmed reports suggested that Ragnheiður Eiríksdóttir had finished fourth and Ingunn Gylfadóttir last.
. At the close of voting "Open Your Heart" had received 81 points (including maximum 12s from Malta
and Norway
), placing Iceland joint 8th (with Spain
) of the 26 entries. The 12 points from the Icelandic televote were awarded to Norway.
Haukdal's top 10 finish meant that Iceland was given one of the automatic qualifying slots for the 2004 final.
Birgitta Haukdal
Birgitta Haukdal Brynjarsdóttir , also known by her mononym Birgitta, is an Icelandic singer. She rose to domestic media prominence as the lead singer of pop band Írafár...
, with the song '"Open Your Heart", at the 2003 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 24 May in Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
. "Open Your Heart" was chosen as the Icelandic entry at the national final Söngvakeppni Sjónvarpsins
Söngvakeppni Sjónvarpsins
Söngvakeppni Sjónvarpsins is an annual music competition organised by Icelandic public broadcaster Ríkisútvarpið . It determines the country's representative for the Eurovision Song Contest.-Format:...
on 15 February. Iceland returned to Eurovision following an enforced one-year absence due to relegation after a last-place finish in 2001
Eurovision Song Contest 2001
The Eurovision Song Contest 2001 was the 46th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 12 May 2001 in the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was the first time in 36 years that Denmark hosted the Eurovision Song Contest, thanks to the Olsen Brothers' win the previous year in Stockholm...
.
Final
The national final was organised by broadcaster RÚVRÚV
Ríkisútvarpið is Iceland's national public-service broadcasting organization.Operating from studios in the country's capital, Reykjavík, as well as regional centres around the country, the service broadcasts a variety of general programming to a wide audience across the whole country via radio...
and held at the Háskólabió in Reykjavik
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
, hosted by Logie Bergmann Eiðsson and Gísli Marteinn Baldursson. 15 songs took part with the winner being chosen by televoting. Haukdal's winning song was performed in Icelandic as "Segðu mér allt". Only the top 3 placements and votes were announced, but later unconfirmed reports suggested that Ragnheiður Eiríksdóttir had finished fourth and Ingunn Gylfadóttir last.
| Draw | Artist | Song | Votes | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Þóra Gísladóttir | "Hva sem ég ender" | - | - |
| 2 | Ragnheiður Gröndal | "Ferrari" | - | - |
| 3 | Hreimur Örn Heimisson | "Þú" | - | - |
| 4 | Ingunn Gylfadóttir | "Sögur" | - | - |
| 5 | Eivør Pálsdóttir Eivør Pálsdóttir Eivør Pálsdóttir is a Faroese singer/songwriter with a distinct voice and a wide range of interests in many kinds of music from rock, jazz, folk, pop, to European classical music. Her roots are in the Faroese ballads.... |
"Í nótt" | - | - |
| 6 | Hjördis Elín Lárusdóttir & Gúðrun Árný Karlsdóttir | "Með þer" | - | - |
| 7 | Regina Ósk Óskarsdóttir & Hjalti Jónsson | "Engu þurfum að tapa" | - | - |
| 8 | Botnleðja | "Euróvísa" | 10594 | 2 |
| 9 | Birgitta Haukdal | "Segðu mér allt" | 21964 | 1 |
| 10 | Rúnar Júlíusson | "Ást á skítugum skóm" | - | - |
| 11 | Þórey Heiðdal Vilhjálmsdóttir | "Sá þig" | 5041 | 3 |
| 12 | Hreimur Örn Heimisson | "Mig drejmdi lítinn draum" | - | - |
| 13 | Ragnheiður Eiríksdóttir | "Tangó" | - | - |
| 14 | Höskuldur Örn Lárusson | "Allt" | - | - |
| 15 | Jóhanna Vigdis Arnardóttir | "Þú og ég (er ég anda)" | - | - |
At Eurovision
On the night of the final Haukdal performed first in the running order, preceding AustriaAustria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. At the close of voting "Open Your Heart" had received 81 points (including maximum 12s from Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
and Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
), placing Iceland joint 8th (with Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
) of the 26 entries. The 12 points from the Icelandic televote were awarded to Norway.
Haukdal's top 10 finish meant that Iceland was given one of the automatic qualifying slots for the 2004 final.