Eurovision 2015: Iceland

Can you believe that the population of Anchorage is about the same as Iceland?

On the American television show "The Price is Right", there is a little tune played when a contestant loses.

Go ahead an play the clip.    Now you know exactly how I feel with the winning song from the Icelandic national final--Söngvakeppnin 2015.

Söngvakeppnin 2015 ended on Valentine's Day this year, with seven songs competing for the chance to go to Vienna.  And like most years, the Icelandic national final has some cracking little songs, which is amazing considering the country has a population roughly the size of the Municipality of Anchorage.

Unsurprisingly, I enjoyed a number of competitors, like this little love song by a 16-year-old young lady.

Elín Sif Halldórsdóttir   "Dance Slow"

And this R&B number:

Friðrik Dór   "Once Again"

But instead of something new and unique, Iceland has chosen this, the song I ranked second to last in the final.

María Ólafsdóttir   "Unbroken"

Um, Iceland.  Didn't Denmark send this song two years ago?

Emmilie de Forest   "Only Teardrops"

It's not a one to one match, but "Unbroken" does feel like a pastiche of a winning Eurovision song.  It's slick, polished, and performed competently.  I just doesn't feel particularly fresh or original, something I crave with my Eurovision songs.

However, this song is built to make it to the left side of the column of the night of the Eurovision final and I don't expect it to do anything less.  It doesn't mean I have to enjoy it.