They were separated for half a Eurovision week in their Rotterdam hotel rooms. Due to a positive COVID test in their delegation, they were not allowed to perform live during the semi-finals and finals of the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest. Shame, because how many great movies would Da Frei Freyr and his Gagnamagni make if that was their way to go? Just look at all the things he did in the Netherlands in a short time. So a tribute: five reasons why Iceland’s 2021 entry is much bigger than just a Eurovision entry.
1. The song is real
Let’s start with the song. we don’t really mean unplugged Or something – Daði makes electronic music and is really good at it. No, really we mean what Dashi’s music has to say. Many of their songs epitomize the everyday joy of being together. In think about thingsIn that famous 2020 entry, the midwife sang about the allure of watching her newborn baby. and 10 years He wrote for his wife – by the way, who is standing next to him on the stage.
10 years It simply says: Every normal day with you is more beautiful than the last, I want to spend many more normal days with you. Doesn’t it go a lot deeper than your average ‘love you so, never let you go’?
2. They’re Real
Eurovision glitter, fireworks, makeup. But how refreshing is it to see someone with glasses on stage? their sweaters, their deliberately silly dances (or crappy Silence at the beginning and end of almost every Dashi movie) – Everything in Dashi and Gaganmagnik has a pleasant mix of soft humor and total restraint. You can use your huge Eurovision attention to show off your presence and your talent, or… You are trying to help your dad get 10,000 followers on twitter. So that. (Tip: Follow the guy, because he needs something else)
And of course: a dance. Many countries are doing something friendly to TikTok, but Dai is next level. Watch the tutorial for yourself and conclude that you can do it with your family tonight.
And also check out the documentary that the Icelandic broadcaster made about the group. It explains where Icelandic musicians come from, how they live, what they find important and how they approach their run-up to Eurovision. They seem to have thought everything through, so don’t be surprised if somewhere in your timeline you get a special call to vote for Iceland in your country – always with the babysitter who randomly sang words in voiceover. repeats.
3. They Can Do Anything
Let’s be honest: If Daisy and Gaganmagnik had to perform from her hotel room during the final because of the quarantine, she probably would have done it so brilliantly that she won the Eurovision Song Contest.
But other than that, Icelanders have their own technicians, producers, PR staff, choreographers, et cetera. in the documentary, but also in their the construction ofVideos We see that pretty much everything you see during the performance is homemade. Those cool tools? The maid and her giant were busy in a workshop on a few rainy days with jigsaws, sanders, wood glue and paint. Those monster and super robot costumes in their music videos? Yes, homemade, check it out! (veil tip: full-face helmet and papier-mâché)
And that wasn’t enough, because Grandma’s sister, who is also on stage, thought it would be cool if they all had a special dashi ring with superpowers to defeat demons. Well, she is taking goldsmith training, she can practice well. Nikki Tutorials had already announced in their LookLab conversation with Icelanders that they wanted such a ring, too.
4. They go out into the world
From her hotel room, where she is in COVID quarantine, Dasi casually announces that she is going on a world tour. It’s going to happen in 2022: the United Kingdom, then the United States, Scandinavia, a whole load of European countries – they’ve got it booked up everywhere. And yes, he is also coming to the Netherlands.
Because Daði Freyr is already so big. At least not because of the many, usually great covers she’s created in recent years. Hold? OK: Duncan Lawrence, Billie Eilish, Cher, Eleni Forreira, the Netflix Eurovision movie — they all had the babysitter treatment. And surely many more will follow.
Also it is time for his own music, and so Da Dusi’s EP appeared on Eurovision week. It contains, in addition to their Eurovision entries, three other songs and a great remix. 10 years By Canadian electrofunk duo Chromo.
It is clear: Dashi is already at the festival. “Can everyone stop asking how sad we are?” He tweets from the bubble bath in his hotel room. ‘that would be nice!’ Then share the link for their latest feature: the augmented reality-App ‘Dai Goes to Rotterdam’, with which you can sing Dai wherever you want: ‘In your living room, on your kitchen table, over your head, or wherever you want me.’
5. They’re a Game
Dai og Gagnamagnið are unique in many ways, but this is definitely a first: they are the very first Eurovision games! In short: in the video clip of 10 years Iceland has been ravaged by a giant monster, only Dai and his band members can defeat the monster with their funky dances. Fighting has been turned into a game. Free to download for your Android phone and iPhone.
Conclusion
Icelanders can’t participate live in Eurovision because of that stupid virus and so watching them go up in smoke is a unique experience in their lives, certainly terrifying. But in fact it was already clear that Dai Freyr and his band didn’t need those three minutes at all at that level. They can do anything, and at the same time they could sit at the table with you or me over a cup of tea. Because that’s exactly what these absolutely normal all-rounders tell us: Anyone can be a superhero.
