Iceland ICELAND 2024 - Hera Björk - Scared of Heights

[ESC United Mod Team]

 

[Lolinna]

Given the amount of blind support for Palestine around the world, if this song gets selected it will be the winner of ESC which unfortunately, won’t be based on the song. Therefore I do not want a Palestinian to be selected not because he’s Palestinian, but because 1) the song isn’t good enough to win if it wasn’t sung by a Palestinian and 2) people are idiots.

OK, that is your opinion, definitely not mine. I absolutely love this song. I think it's rather arrogant of you to state that the song isn't good enough to win. It's always a matter of personal taste. I also loved the song of Ceasetone (Ró/Flow), but unfortunately it was not performed well live. That song was one of the two songs that I rooted for this year. I would not have voted for Bashar's song only based on his nationality.

 

[Lolinna]

BTW,, just out of interest, which of the 5 songs in the Icelandic final do you think is more worthy of representing Iceland this year?

 

[Lolinna]

I also want to add, that I absolutely love the Top 4 songs according to the odds. This is going to be wonderful to watch this year

 

[DirtyFalcon]

OK, that is your opinion, definitely not mine. I absolutely love this song. I think it's rather arrogant of you to state that the song isn't good enough to win. It's always a matter of personal taste. I also loved the song of Ceasetone (Ró/Flow), but unfortunately it was not performed well live. That song was one of the two songs that I rooted for this year. I would not have voted for Bashar's song only based on his nationality.

I agree with toddi__b on the fact that if he gets selected and accepts to go to Eurovision, he will win. I've seen so many tweets on X from my country retweeted and commented massively about him, and 99% of the comments are people saying that they will vote for him only because they want to bother Israël. I've also seen people say that they will just vote for him without even listening to his song and also say that they don't even care about the rest of the competition. People are already driven by their emotions like with Ukraine in 2022 and they will vote like crazy for him and even if he represents Iceland. What i've just described you can easily happen in every country who can vote.

Even Piqued Jacks who represented San Marino last year and ended in the very last place of all semi-finalists would win this year in that condition (i don't compare the songs and Bashar song is much better but it's more to illustrate). Do you seriously believe Bashar song, but with another random singer and without the actual context in Palestine would be a favourite to win Eurovision and be that high on the betting odds ?

The only hope for another country to win ESC i believe is if Bashar refuses to go to Eurovision. I think many fans would prefer Iceland to win and get their first win on merit. Bashar seems to be a very likeable guy. It's sad that he's used as a puppet by the broadcaster.

 

[Loindici]

agree with toddi__b on the fact that if he gets selected and accepts to go to Eurovision, he will win. I've seen so many tweets on X from my country retweeted and commented massively about him, and 99% of the comments are people saying that they will vote for him only because they want to bother Israël. I've also seen people say that they will just vote for him without even listening to his song and also say that they don't even care about the rest of the competition. People are already driven by their emotions like with Ukraine in 2022 and they will vote like crazy for him and even if he represents Iceland. What i've just described you can easily happen in every country who can vote

Although I agree, I still feel like voting for Bashar to support Palestine is a paradox.

"I wanna vote for Bashar, because I want to support a Palestinian guy." No, Martha, you're still voting for the flag in the scoreboard which is Iceland, therefore you're supporting Iceland! Whatever Iceland gains in the end has little to do with the conflict itself, and if these voters (and juries included) didn't understand this I don't know what other things would make them.

It's kinda sad to see that Bashar, a guy with big dreams, will still be a victim for both the country that he was fleeing against and the country that welcomes him.

 

[Lolinna]

Even Piqued Jacks who represented San Marino last year and ended in the very last place of all semi-finalists would win this year in that condition (i don't compare the songs and Bashar song is much better but it's more to illustrate). Do you seriously believe Bashar song, but with another random singer and without the actual context in Palestine would be a favourite to win Eurovision and be that high on the betting odds ?

The only hope for another country to win ESC i believe is if Bashar refuses to go to Eurovision. I think many fans would prefer Iceland to win and get their first win on merit. Bashar seems to be a very likeable guy. It's sad that he's used as a puppet by the broadcaster.

No, of course not. We would not have been first in the odds before even the songs were aired if not because it was announced that he was taking part in Söngvakeppnin this year..... I never said that, Bashar being Palestinian didn't have affect. I said that even though the song contest is trying to be apolitical, we, the people voting, are political in nature. I wouldn't want Iceland to win for the first time with a song, that wasn't good enough, just because a Palestinian was performing it. BUT, I absolutely love this song so I will be more than fine with it if it comes to that. I think it's a song that can live a good live outside the realm of the contest. It doesn't scream Eurovision winner when you first hear it, so if someone else than Bashar would have sung it, who would also do it justice on stage, and the storyline of the song fitted, it would not have been one of the top favorites to win the contest at this point in time. But would probably be a dark horse and also not with so much negativity around it as it does now.

Regarding Bashar being a puppet by the broadcaster, I have to laugh out loud. He decided to take part in Söngvakeppnin with his Icelandic pal Einar from Hatari, and the process started in 2022, they were going to send in a song before the deadline then (September 2022), but decided to wait another year and send it in September 2023, before the war started. What you are implying is that RUV is putting pressure on Bashar to take part in the contest if he wins Söngvakeppnin, even though he would prefer not to..... That RUV is so adamant to win the contest, that they would do anything to make that happen...... That's a made up story listed to fit your narrative. I have to believe what Bashar himself is saying, that it has been a dream of his for a very long time to take part in Eurovision, and finally his dream has come true. And even if he has mixed emotions due to Israel taking part in the contest, he sees it as platform for him and his music going forward and to also be a strong voice for the Palestinian people.

 

[LakZaNokte]

If some1 tried to represent us (my country) and waves his own, different flag…dude. The cancel would be so hard.

 

[NemesisNick]

I've made a preview video, containing my points of view about the five finalists in the Icelandic national final, Söngvakeppnin 2024, which takes place this evening (Saturday 2 March 2024).

Nemesis Nick Talks Eurovision: Söngvakeppnin 2024 Final Preview

 

[MopManMoss]

Sure PZE is going to be more interesting to watch but I love Iceland and I never fail to watch songvakeppnin, let's go wild west

 

[njdevils94]

Why did Anita have to change to the English version? It's so much weaker

 

[NemesisNick]

I'm now watching Iceland’s national final for the Eurovision Song Contest 2024, Söngvakeppnin 2024 Final, live online from the UK. Five finalist songs are taking part tonight:

Song 1: Væb – "Bíómynd"
Song 2: Hera Björk – "Scared of Heights"
Song 3: Anita – "Downfall"
Song 4: Bashar Murad – "Wild West"
Song 5: Sigga Ózk – "Into the Atmosphere"

Good luck to all five finalists, and may the best song win.

 

[MopManMoss]

Dont ask how but Celebs are going to somehow win with 1 doomsdillion points

 

[heke1988]

Why did Anita have to change to the English version? It's so much weaker

Sabotage!

 

[Laepo1]

OK, that is your opinion, definitely not mine. I absolutely love this song. I think it's rather arrogant of you to state that the song isn't good enough to win. It's always a matter of personal taste. I also loved the song of Ceasetone (Ró/Flow), but unfortunately it was not performed well live. That song was one of the two songs that I rooted for this year. I would not have voted for Bashar's song only based on his nationality.

Ró is amazing. Its on my (very small) esc playlist this year. But the performance/staging/delivery was not that good no :/

Bashar is not my favorite tonight but the amount of "hate" he's getting is quite ridiculous.

 

[BarefootBoogaloo]

SELMA!!!

 

[MopManMoss]

OH MY GOD THE REAL WINNER OF EUROVISION 1999

 

[NemesisNick]

OH MY GOD THE REAL WINNER OF EUROVISION 1999

Didn't you want Charlotte Nilsson (as she was then called) to win with "Take Me To Your Heaven" in 1999?

 

[Gwendal]

This "latin" rework of "All Out Of Luck" could have won Melodifestivalen this year

 

[MopManMoss]

Didn't you want Charlotte Nilsson (as she was then called) to win with "Take Me To Your Heaven" in 1999?

No I detest both her eurovision entries! that being said I don't like selmas 2005 entry

 

[Decayingbooks]

So that's why their song is the one with most listens on spotify, they're influencers...