Sigurjón's Friends

Sigurjón's Friends
Origin	Iceland
Genres	Pop
Years active	2011 (2011)–present
Members
Gunnar Ólason Vignir Snær Vigfússon Pálmi Sigurhjartarson Matthías Matthíasson Hreimur Örn Heimisson Benedikt Brynleifsson

Sigurjón's Friends are an Icelandic tribute band. The band formed in early 2011 when the Icelandic singer Sigurjón Brink died days before he was to perform his entry "Aftur heim" in the Icelandic national final for the Eurovision Song Contest 2011. The band members were all friends of Sigurjón Brink, and decided to form the band and perform his entry together as a tribute. In the end they won the national final and will represent the country in the song contest in Germany.

Gunnar Ólason from the band represented Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2001 as part of the band Two Tricky.

Eurovision Song Contest 2011

On 12 February 2011, the group won the Icelandic national selection; Söngvakeppni Sjónvarpsins 2011 with the song "Aftur heim". The original artist was meant to be Sigurjón Brink himself, however on 17 January 2011 before he was set to compete in the third semi-final, Sigurjón unexpectedly died, due to natural causes, at his home in Garðabær.^[1] Sigurjón's family decided, on reflection that they would like for the song to remain in the competition, and that it should be performed by Sigurjón's friends a tribute band consisting of Sigurjón's real life musician friends the band formed after his death.^[2]

The group made it past the first semi-final into the final, where the group won the right to represent Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011, to be held in Düsseldorf, Germany in May 2011. It placed 20th in the finals.

References

1. ^ Bakker, Sietse. "Icelandic selection contestant Sigurjón Brink (36) died". European Broadcasting Union. http://www.eurovision.tv/page/news?id=23973&_t=icelandic_selection_contestant_sigurjn_brink_36_died. Retrieved 18 January 2011. 
2. ^ Escudero, Victor M. "Sigurjón's Friends will pay him homage in Düsseldorf". European Broadcasting Union. http://www.eurovision.tv/page/news?id=25543&_t=sigurjons_friends_will_pay_him_homage_in_duesseldorf. Retrieved 12 February 2011. 

Preceded by Hera Björk with "Je ne sais quoi"

Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011

Succeeded by TBA