Electric dreams from Iceland: Diljá’s got the p-p-p-power

The Icelandic singer is new to the pop scene, but she smashed her way through Iceland’s national selection competition, Söngvakeppnin. She stepped up against 9 other acts across the semi-finals, with Power getting her to the Super Final - which she won. With the Söngvakeppnin crown firmly on Diljá’s head, could she take home Iceland’s first ever Eurovision win?

As a shock to no-one, Diljá’s first rehearsal on Tuesday 2 May came with some serious energy. She burst onto the stage wearing electric silver and gave a super-charged performance all on her own. Power is all about self-empowerment, and her confident first rehearsal was fizzing with that vibe; not to mention the divine shades of purple and green that were emanating from the video wall and bathing her in a regal light.

Despite Diljá’s contagious energy, the official Eurovision Live Blog managed to sit still long enough to document what was happening at the rehearsal. It noted: "She moves really well, covering the whole stage with high kicks and gymnastic moves - it's a really compelling combination of vocal and physical strength, that feels like nothing else at Eurovision this year."

Coming from Europe’s most westerly island (unless we’re counting Greenland. It’s complicated), Diljá has a lot of love for island life. So much so that she’s completely obsessed with the British TV dating show, Love Island, and follows all the contestants across all social media platforms.

Diljá’s top tunes include several from sultry singer Lana Del Rey, who always casts a serious mood. She’s also a fan of Billie Eilish’s Wish You Were Gay and Beyoncé’s Hold Up - and Say No To This from the musical Hamilton makes a well-deserved appearance.

“I’ve always been a ball of energy and I try to use it for good!” Diljá told the Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast. But with her passion for Crossfit, gymnastics, and physiotherapy, how has she made room for music? “Singing has always been my priority above everything else,” she explained. When she tore a ligament, she felt like it was the universe’s way of telling her to focus more on music.

There’s more from Diljá on Episode 9 of the Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast.

You can learn more about Diljá from Iceland right here.