The second of three semi finals of Söngvakeppni Sjónvarpsins 2010, the Icelandic national selection to determine the country's representative in Oslo, is about to begin. Five acts will compete for two spots in the national final, to be held on February 6th, 2010.

How to watch?

A webcast will be provided here. If the link does not work, copy

• http://dagskra.ruv.is/sjonvarpid/streymi/beint/

to your Windows Media Player after pressing Ctrl.+U first.

The participants.

1. Menn Ársins – Gefst ekki upp
   (Haraldur Vignir Sveinbjörnsson/Sváfnir Sigurðarson)
2. Hvanndalsbræður – Gleði og glens
   (Rögnvaldur Rögnvaldsson)
3. Sigrún Vala Baldursdóttir – I believe in angels
   (Halldór Guðjónsson/Ronald Kerst)
4. Jógvan Hansen – One more day
   (Óskar Páll Sveinsson, Bubbi Morthens)
5. Edgar Smári Atlason – Now and forever
   (Albert Guðmann Jónsson/Albert Guðmann Jónsson, Katrín Halldórsdóttir)

Your opinion

• You can vote for your favourite song in our poll here.

LIVE

The show has just started!

Tonight's hosts Eva María Jónsdóttir and Ragnhildur Steinunn Jónsdóttir welcome the audience and explain the procedure of tonight's show.

1. Menn Ársins – Gefst ekki upp

Current esctoday.com poll result: 5th (6.9%)

Gefst ekki upp, performed by Menn Ársins is a quiet ballad. Even though it is sung in Icelandic, it might have to struggle to stand out tonight, due to the fact that the competition is dominated by ballads.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA_-GWGfyPs

2. Hvanndalsbræður – Gleði og glens

Current esctoday.com poll result: 3rd (22.2%)

Gleði og glens is definitely the most outstanding song of tonight, due to its unique, country- influenced style. The Icelandic language compliments this style and Hvanndalsbræður are comfortable performing it. This might well qualify, like Matthias Matthiasson did in the first semi final with a song utterly different from the rest of the participatns.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztT8XJG49mQ

3. Sigrún Vala Baldursdóttir – I believe in angels

Current esctoday.com poll result: 4th (19.4%)

Sigrún Vala Baldursdóttir is the only female competitor in this heat. She is performing the mid-tempo ballad I Believe In Angels. The lyrics are very cheesy, which might not appeal to some people. Sigrún is performing alone on stage, which adds to the fragile, innocent atmosphere her song reflects.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghbPlPs3r6I

4. Jógvan Hansen – One more day

Current esctoday.com poll result: 2nd (23.6%)

Jógvan Hansen already participated at last year's Icelandic national selection with I think the world of you. This time, he is trying his luck with One more day, a melancholic song co-written by Óskar Páll Sveinsson , the man behind Is it true, which Yohanna scored 2nd place for Iceland at the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest with. Jógvan also has a connection with another former Eurovision participant: Last year, he released an album with 2008 Icelandic representative Friðrik Ómar, interpreting classics from Iceland and Faroe Islands, where Hansen comes from. He seems to have some vocal problems at some parts but definitely is a contender for one of the two spots in the final.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jkek77Mscz0

5. Edgar Smári Atlason – Now and forever

Current esctoday.com poll result: 1st (27.8%)

Albert G. Jónsson, who wrote last year's finalist Lygin ein, an electronic dance song performed by his wife Kaja Halldórsdóttir, is back at the Icelandic national selection. This time, however, in a slightly different style: His song Now and forever, performed by Edgar Smári Atlason, is a catchy pop song starting as a ballad, emerging as well- arranged mid- tempo song about the state of being hopelessly devoted to a certain person. Edgar is no stranger to the Icelandic national selection either, having performed on various previous occasions, most recently The kiss we never kissed at last year's national final. A serious contender for the final.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOeHxqMwGEs

Our poll is closed now. You can find the updated results above.

The results are in.

Jógvan Hansen to the final! Hvanndalsbræðurt to the final!