Selma Björnsdóttir, better known as Selma, is an Icelandic singer who represented Iceland at the Eurovision Song Contest 1999 in Jerusalem and the Eurovision Song Contest 2005 in Kyiv.
Though she started out as a dancer, she gave up and switched to theater. Selma, however, enrolled in the Icelandic School of Business in 1990, and didn't participate in musicals until her senior year. Selma played the role 'Solla Stirða' in the Icelandic stage play Áfram Latibær, which would later become the basis of the character Stephanie of the TV series LazyTown. Her performance in Grease, however, showed her talents as a singer.
She made her first contest appearance at the Eurovision Song Contest 1999 in Jerusalem with the song All Out of Luck, which positioned her as the favorite to win the contest. While she took an early lead in the voting, Charlotte Jensen would take a growing lead, leaving Selma in second place with 146 points. Nevertheless, this would mark Iceland's best placing to date. That same year, she released her debut album, I Am, which placed 1 on the Icelandic charts and eventually went platinum.
With her later success, she represented Iceland again, with the song If I Had Your Love for the Eurovision Song Contest 2005 in Kyiv. Despite being one of the favorites to qualify, Selma was less successful, only placing 16th in the semifinal with 52 points.
She is one of only several artists that have participated in the contest in both the 20th and 21st century.
| Eurovision Song Contest 1999 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Participants | |||
 Aistė Smilgevičiūtė •  Vanessa Chinitor •  Lydia •  Doris Dragović •  Precious •  Darja Švajger •  Tuğba Önal & Grup Mistik •  Stig Van Eijk •  Trine Jepsen & Michael Teschl •  Nayah •  Marlayne •  Mietek Szcześniak •  Selma Björnsdóttir •  Marlain Angelidou •  Charlotte Nilsson •  Rui Bandeira •  The Mullans •  Bobbie Singer •  Eden •  Times Three •  Sürpriz •  Dino Merlin & Béatrice Poulot •  Evelin Samuel & Camille
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| Songs | |||
| Strazdas • Like the Wind • No quiero escuchar • Marija Magdalena • Say It Again • For a Thousand Years • Dön Artık • Living My Life Without You • This time I mean it • Je Veux Donner Ma Voix • One Good Reason • Przytul mnie mocno • All Out of Luck • Tha 'ne erotas • Take Me To Your Heaven • Como tudo começou • When You Need Me • Reflection • Happy Birthday (Yom Huledet) • Believe 'n Peace • Reise nach Jerusalem • Putnici • Diamond of Night
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