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Lyrists in Iceland
Iceland: Eirikur Hauksson goes for Eurovision again
In a special interview with Eirikur, who still spends his time working in both Iceland and Norway, he explained to esctoday.com that the changes to the Eurovision Song Contest will make a positive impact and redress the balance of the competition. He also says that he was unlucky to enter in the hardest year in the history of the competition to qualify for the final:
You told us you'd never do this again! What changed?
"I'm a big liar. If that would go all the way, it would be great fun as a composer. I didn't intend to get involved but I was asked to find the lyrics and I agreed."
What kind of a song is it?
"It's a pop song, quite romantic and happy it's more commercial. Very different to Valentine Lost"
Do you think the change in voting will make a difference to the results at the Eurovision Song Contest?
"Yes, definitely, even though I always hoped it was still a song contest and the best song will win, but it's a matter of taste."
Would you have done better in 2007 with the jury system?
"It's impossible to say, but I think I had bad luck performing in the most difficult year in history to qualify, with only 10 songs qualifying out of 28. I shared my destiny with 18 other nations, so I've stopped crying now."
Would you change your mind and try again as a performer?
"I'd be in the same situation as I was in 2007, I had no intention of participating but then along came a song and you think, how can you present this to 100 million, so it would be tempting if I get the right song.
What have you been doing since 2007?
"I'm still working alot with Ken Hensley. We've been travelling alot. I've been doing a lot of solo performances, and participating in Eurovision has benefitted me a lot. Anyone talking negatively about participating at Eurovision is wrong, you dont have to win to receive support for your career. Here in Norway, you can see people opening their eyes to the possibilities Eurovision brings."
Do you think rock music is growing in Norway?
"When you look at the composers for Norway this year, there are some serious established artists and composers sending in songs, it's really positive."
It's clear that you still think the Eurovision Song Contest is something special, would you go to Moscow as a fan if not as the lyricist for Iceland?
"Who knows? I know it's a lot of fun and I love being involved with it, so we'll see".
Eirikur was part of the band Icy that participated in Iceland's debut at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1986. He was part of the group Just4Fun that represented Norway in 1991 before representing Iceland as a solo artist in 2007. esctoday.com would like to thank him for this interview.
Eirikur's promotion video for Valentine lost
Just4Fun performing Mrs. Thompson for Norway in 1991
Icy perform Gledibankinn at the 1986 Eurovision Song Contest
Related polls
- Hungary: Vote for your favourite act in the second semifinal of A Dal
- Norway: Vote for your favourite song in the third semifinal of Melodi Grand Prix
- Sweden: Vote for your favourite act in the first semifinal of Melodifestivalen
- Malta: Vote for your favourite act in the semifinal of Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2012
- Hungary: Vote for your favourite act in the first semifinal of A Dal
- Norway: Vote for your favourite song in semifinal 2
- Iceland: Vote for your favourite act in the third semifinal of Söngvakeppni Sjónvarpsins
- Bulgaria: Vote for your favourite act in the Bulgarian national final 2012
- Latvia: Vote for your favourite act in the final of Eirodziesma 2012
- Belarus: Vote for your favourite act in the final of EuroFest 2012
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Still listen to Valentine Lost every now and then...superb song, it's a shame it didn't qualify that year but I have hopes that Eirikur will return to the stage at some point in the future. Until then he'll do as a composer only 
Nice to see that Eirikus has gotten over the disappointment and moved on. 
I really liked Valentine lost in Icelandic (don´t remember the title in Icelandic right now) and had set my mind on voting for it, but the performance was not very good so I didn´t and I also didn´t fancy the English version that much.
Anyway, good luck to Eirikur and of course to Iceland!
I adore Valentine lost !!! 
Valentine lost is a nice song, I thought it would go to the finals till I watched the live performance. It was flat, dead on the water, it made the music sound endless, but on the other hand it was really hard to get 10 out 28 and some songs got their qualification due to other reasons than their real appeal, at least to me. I hope Iceland can find a good song and cause a good impression in 2009.
Him and Andorra not qualifying in 2007 are some of the biggest injustices in ESC ever... 
Two truly great songs. Glad he's got over his disappointment though.
The biggest injustice of the night was him not making it to the final. That and ofcoarse that idiotic old system when 10 undeserving songs were auto-qualified because of a song from the previous year (how stupid that is ran for four years, jeeees !)
Undir regnbogann (Under the rainbow)
Doesn't that sound a little bit too dated? Almost reminds me of the Wizard of Oz!
And what will happen with the prewiev shows this year, now that Thomas has quit his job at YLE? I hope SVT will hire him for the shows as, for me, HE is the real ESC-guru!!
I agree with Keith, the preview shows are not the same without Eirikur
GLEDIBANKINN IS THE BEST ENTRY OF ICELAND IN ALL THE TIMES
hmmmm eric is bad i hope
I liked Valentine Lost much more than This is my life (which I didn't like anyway 
). I wish it had gone through to the final and I hope he can write such a good song again.
@let there be hope:
Well, as he's not singing but writing the lyrics, you won't have to see him.
Indeed, Iceland was robbed in 2007. "Valentine Lost" was a favourite of mine aswell.
If you were staying there too it was interesting to see the cross section at breakfast: Erikur, DJ Bobo, Dnash, Johnny Logan, the Israelis, Marty Whelan, Larry Gogan, Philip Kirkorov, and the Belarussians! The only one I saw doing a 'don't you know who I am?' was Logan!
@ ramon
why did not u tell him to send a better entry?? instead of blaming east?? lol
@Ramon Ramon
I met him in the same hotel in Helsinki told him I voted for him at breakfast 
lol
Quite a funny story. Erikur was staying in our hotel in Helsinki and when he saw us leaving for the final on the Saturday and found out we were from Western Europe he shouted 'fight the eastern mafia!' Nice to see he's got over his disappointment.
i dont wanna seee him again.....moree young talentss pleasee!!!!
i loved Valentine lost, not only was it so hard to get through in 2007, i think he had to perform 5th out of 28, i'm so glad they changed the rules, so the best songs go through to the final, this was one of my favourites in 2007, i hope we see something from him again soon, and i love the way he sticks up for Eurovision!
It was a very good ballad
erikur was robbed in 2007 , it was a great ballad
I agree: ABSOLUTELY HIM AGAIN!! Both him and his song in 2007 was fabulous, one of my biggest favs.
And Gledibankinn in 1986 was and is still a big favourite.
Good luck Eirikur!!
Yes yes yes yes Eirikur is gr8 , lets wait to listen the song!
He has become addicted, but still: YAY
YES, YES, YES, EIRIKUR AGAIN, PLEASE!!!
ABSOLUTELY HIM AGAIN
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