Iceland 2021- Daði Freyr with ‘10 Years’
It's been a long time coming but, following a brief ‘preview’ earlier in the week, Iceland's entry is finally here:
A damming indictment of Iceland's pre song price as low as 7s is that this isn't even a bad attempt. Seriously, what did Dadi backers want and expect? This is Dadi through and through; its his style and his standard. Is it a Eurovision winning song? No. But then again ‘Think About Things’ wasn't either-it was the hype and the performance that brought it into the discussion and you can't be banking on lightening to strike twice (at least not in single figures).
It's not a Bulgaria, Switzerland or Malta (famous last words) scenario where you can come again the next year, with pretty much the same song and be up there -Iceland verges onto the novelty and novelty is only fun whilst it’s, well, novel. See how Sweden tired of Eva and Ewa this year, or Jedward's return to the competition (and prior run in X-factor).
Whilst I enjoy the song personally more, Dadi has fallen into the lesser version trap. This is certainly less instant and the performance has much less to it.
The Roop changed up their sound going darker, LittleBig/the Russian broadcaster decided ‘Uno’ couldn't be topped, Iceland have sent the same thing, but slightly worse.
Off course, the fact that the contest never went ahead reduces this factor, but the point still stands and being pretty much the ‘unofficial winner’ of last year and biggest breakout is a blessing and a curse for Dadi. There's a good reason why he originally decided he'd gotten all he needed from the contest.
Juries are more free to rank this on merit, the televote more likely to be voting off their first impression and that's where this unravels. Its fun, enjoyable, happy and a bit quirky, but nothing more.
The first half of Semi 2 isn't ideal for building momentum with all the 80s throwback and two big jury favourites in the second half but it's a certain qualifier.
Scandi support in particular will likely see this into the top 10, and despite everything I've said about this being unable to generate enough hype to win, there will still be some good will behind dadi from the jury and televote.
Whilst no LittleBig is probably the biggest plus for Iceland this year, Lithuania as mentioned are still here and look stronger on both fronts.
If this can push higher up will become clear in the run up to rehearsals and depend greatly on Iceland improving the staging considerably from the reveal video. You can never discount that hype coming- especially given the ‘surpirising’ circumstances in which ‘Think About Things’ originally broke out.
A big televote may also arrive regardless, but even then, this should justifiably be too far back with the juries to take the victory, and even a podium finish looks a very tall ask. Right now this is much more similar to something Moldova would finish 10th with than a Eurovision winner.
Personal Rating: 8/10 Competitive Rating: 7/10 Early Prediction: Semi Two 3rd-6th, 6th-10th in the Final.