150 songs were submitted and a panel of judges chose fourteen songs for their national final. Last year's composer Óskar Páll Sveinsson had an automatic right to compete and he chose to write his entry in collaboration with Bubbi Morthens, who is probably the most successful local artist, composer, author and performer having sold more records than any other Icelandic artist. So far he has not even considered participating as a composer and this really came as a surprise to most of his fans.
The other composers are: Albert Guðmann Jónsson, Birgir Jóhann Birgisson, Bryndís Sunna Valdimarsdóttir and Daði Georgsson, Grétar Sigurbergsson, Halldór Guðjónsson, Haraldur G. Ásmundsson, Haraldur V. Sveinbjörnsson, Hera Björk Þórhallsdóttir and Örlygur Smári, Jóhannes Kári Kristinsson, Matthías Stefánsson, Rögnvaldur Rögnvaldsson, Sigurjón Brink and Steinarr Logi Nesheim.
Most of these composer are newcomers in this competition except Albert Guðmann Jónsson, Grétar Sigurbergsson, Örlygur Smári, Bryndís Sunna Valdimarsdóttir and Halldór Guðjónsson who have participated before, plus of course Óskar Páll Sveinsson.
One of the composer wrote two songs and three songs are composed as a joint work of two composers. So far no performer’s names are known as the composers have just started preparing their songs for the upcoming competition.
Hera Björk Þórhallsdóttir who sang backing vocals in 2009 year with Yohanna and came second in the Danish national selection, co-wrote one of the songs with Örlygur Smári, who composed This Is My Life which Friðrik Ómar and Regina performed in Serbia in 2008 and was the composer of Tell Me! which Einar Agust & Telma performed in Stockholm in 2000.
The three semi-finals will take place on the 9th, 16th and 23rd of January. The final will be on the 6th of February. The song that will represent Iceland at Europe's favourite TV-show in Norway will be selected by televoting.
In 2009, Iceland placed second in the Final of the Eurovision Song Contest with Yohanna's Is It True.
