The ninth semi final of the Icelandic selection for the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest took place tonight. Three acts performed one song each and the winner was chosen by televoting: Hafdís Huld Þrastardóttir is the composer who will take part in the national final on 16th February with the song Núna veit ég performed by Birgitta Haukdal & Magni Áseirsson. Magni Áseirsson might be especially happy about the qualification since it is his birthday today!

It was the third and last turn of three of the composers who have been commissioned by RÚV to write songs for the Icelandic selection. The complete line-up was as follows:

1. Dr. Spock (composer: Dr. Gunni) – Hvar ert þú?
2. Ragnheiður Gröndal (composer: Magnús Þór Sigmundsson) – Skot í myrkri
3. Birgitta Haukdal & Magni Áseirsson (composer: Hafdís Huld Þrastardóttir) – Núna veit ég

Birgitta Haukdal represented Iceland in the 2003 Eurovision Song Contest and finished 8th, Iceland's fourthbest result so far,with the song Open your heart she has co-written. She has also taken part in the 2001 Icelandic national final where she finished 7th with Eyjólfur Kristjánsson and the song Aftur heim and in 2006 with the song Mynd af þér finishing 4th.

Dr. Gunni's took part in the second semi final with the song Ísinn but neither qualified nor got a wildcard. The same happened to him in the fifth semi final with his contribution Drepum tímann. Magnús Þór Sigmundsson won the third semi final with Lullaby to peace and got a wild card for his entry Johnny in the fifth semi final. Hafdís Huld Þrastardóttir performed her first two entries Boys and perfume in the first semi final and Á gleymdum stað in the seventh semi final herself only getting a wildcard for her first song.

In 2005, 2006 and 2007, Iceland did not manage to reach the final of the Eurovision Song Contest although the country was sometimes quite close finishing 16th, 13th and again 13th in the semi final respectively. Iceland will havetake part in one of the semi finalsin Belgrade.