World Song Contest

 THE WINNER

Country: Iceland
Artist(s): Ragnheiður Gröndal
Song: Bella

Ragnheiður Gröndal, also known as Ragga, is an Icelandic singer born in 1984. Gröndal has been active on the Icelandic music scene since the year 2000. She graduated from FIH music school in Reykjavik in 2005 and 2006-2007 she attended the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York. Ragga has recorded five solo albums; Ragnheiður Gröndal (2003) a collection of favorite jazz standards, Vetrarljóð (Winter Poems, 2004) featuring traditional and original Icelandic songs about winter and christmas, After the Rain (2005) with original music, Þjóðlög (Folk Songs, 2006) an experiment with traditional Icelandic folk music, and her latest release is Bella and Her Black Coffee (2008), including original music. Ragga has performed all around Iceland as well as in Scandinavia, England, America, Canada, Scotland, Germany, Turkey and Bulgaria. Among perfomances are: Copenhagen Jazz Festival 2005, Icelandic Symphony Orchestra 2006, T.Rex memorial concert with Tony Visconti in Central Park NYC 2007, concerts at The Stone and Cornelia Street Café NYC 2007-2008. Ragga has also taken part in collaborations with the klezmer ensemble Schpilkas, pop group Ske and Iceland's leading jazz artist Tómas R. Einarsson. Ragga has received three nominations at the Icelandic Music Awards.

Official website: http://www.rgrondal.com/bio.htm
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/rgrondal

64 countries took part in the 47th edition of the World Song Contest, among them new comer Kazakhstan and Nigeria which made a come back. But both countries were stuck in the semi finals.

It seemed China's victory in the previous edition had an impact on fellow Asian countries, as both Japan and South Korea, not only easily qualified for the final, but reached the top 4. The Philippines also did better than usual by qualifying for the final, and eventually reaching the 13th position. Only China failed to do it again with a 32nd position, while Vietnam and Indonesia didn't qualified.

Another part of the world was also promised to a great result: Scandinavia. Despite Finland didn't qualify and Denmark was saved by the jury, Iceland, Norway and Sweden all reached the top 10. Iceland took an early lead over Norway, and kept the head of the competition till the last votes to secure a second victory in WSC with the song "Bella", performed by Ragnheiður Gröndal, which was the favorite among the six female singers with dark hair who took the first six positions of this edition.

Gallery of Participants

Maria Mena

Lena Park

Akiko Shikata

Yoko Sound