The American television news show 60 Minutes recently published a segment on Iceland’s Eurovision craze. A crew and an anchor from this biggest news show in the world came to Iceland last March to observe „Söngvakeppnin“, the country’s preliminary competition before the main Eurovision Song Contest in Europe.
„Eurovision is a travelling circus with a huge tent and you just have to see it to believe it,“ the news anchor explains to American viewers. In the segment there is a part of an interview with Rúnar Freyr Gíslason, the manager of Söngvakeppnin, who says that Eurovision does indeed make Icelanders feel like they are a part of Europe.
Among those interviewed on the show is Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, the president of Iceland. The show features Jóhannesson breaking out in song at one point. A part of the show can be watched below.
In the interview, president Jóhannesson is asked to explain what Eurovision means to Icelanders. „We are a small nation,“ Jóhannesson says and explains that Icelanders want to feel that they are able to compete with bigger nations on the national stage.
Dave Goodman, Communications Lead for the Eurovision Song Contest, claims that the „secret behind the competition is to connect with the audience. For example a song like the Icelandic one this year could do well because it has this connection.“
“I think that the secret of Eurovision is creating a connection,” Eurovision’s Dave Goodman says on the song contest. “A song like Iceland’s can do well because it connects.” https://t.co/ss3kRM8R4S pic.twitter.com/wDx3mnsQAh
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) May 1, 2022
President Jóhannesson is asked what percentage of Icelanders watch the competition.
„In 2019 98,4 % of the population were watching and the other 1,6 percent were probably asleep after a difficult day at work or something.“ In the show it is mentioned that Jóhannesson is a historian and as such remembers some acts in the Eurovision Song Contest quite well. „I can easily remember some of the past winners. Sandra Kim in ’86, Brotherhood of Man, „Save Your Kisses for Me“ in ’76 if I remember it correctly.“
Jon Wertheim, 60 Minutes journalist and anchor then asks president Jóhannesson whether he is willing to sing for him. Jóhannesson laughs.
„I sing in the bath, I sing in the shower. Am I now supposed to sing on 60 Minutes?“ the president asks, before breaking into song, performing Save All Your Kisses for Me.
This article was originally published in Icelandic by Salome Friðgeirsdóttir.