Reykjavík Grapevine - 09.05.2014, Side 10

10The Reykjavík Grapevine Issue 5 — 2014
NEWS IN BRIEF
APRIL
Continued...
their applications fairly considered,
as well as possible deportation to
countries where they face impris-
onment, torture, or even death.
This month, the application of a gay
asylum seeker from Nigeria was
denied after a year and a half of
waiting. He was sent to Italy, from
where he will likely be deported
to his home country. In Nigeria,
this man may be faced with severe
punishment—such as 20 lashes and
heavy fines—simply because of his
sexual orientation.
Another asylum seeker, an Afghani
man who fled his country four years
ago when he was just 16-years-old,
went on a 10-day hunger strike in
order to pressure the Directorate of
Immigration to consider his case,
which has been pending for two
years. A public protest was held
in his support, and nearly 1,000
people signed a petition demanding
that the Directorate consider his
case. Following this, Minister of the
Interior Hanna Birna Kristjánsdóttir
reported that she would process
the application “as fast as pos-
sible.” Given that Hanna Birna is
still under investigation for her
ministry’s handling of the case of
Nigerian asylum seeker Tony Omos,
however, this statement should
inspire confidence in no one.
But it’s Iceland, after all, so let’s
close out the month with another
cat tale, and this is an especially
heart-warming one: local kitty
Örvar was reunited with his owner
Birkir after a seven-year absence.
When Birkir went to pick him up at
the shelter, Örvar was hiding in a
corner. “I called him and he came
running to me,” Birkir said. “He
climbed up on my shoulders and
wrapped himself around me like
we’d never been apart.”
Fighting The Good Fight
At Eurovision
— By Tómas Gabríel Benjamin
Culture | Eurovision
Hæ Pollapönk! Congratulations on be-
ing selected to represent Iceland in this
year's Eurovision Song Contest. Can
you tell us a bit about yourselves—why
did you decide to enter the contest?
We created Pollapönk in 2006 when
Haraldur Freyr Gíslason and I were
graduating from the University of
Iceland with bachelor degrees in edu-
cation—in fact the first Pollapönk
album was submitted as part of our
final paper.
We started the band to write
and perform ambitious music that
children and adults alike could en-
joy and sing along to. The songs are
intended to relate to different age
groups in an open and illuminating
way. We entered the contest to get
our message out to as many people as
possible.
What's the story behind the song "No
Prejudice?" Where did the idea come
from?
We wanted to try to make a song that
was not a typical Eurovision song (if
there is such a thing) with a catchy
melody. We also wanted to try to write
lyrics that had a message that would
be a contribution to the on-going hu-
man rights struggle. Eurovision is a
great platform to do just that.
In the song’s video, you wore both
colourful jogging outfits and suits.
Have you decided which you'll wear on
stage? And will you carry real instru-
ments or cardboard ones?
We will have real instruments
on stage, but we haven't decided what
we will wear yet.
Can you give us a sneak peek into what
your live performance will be like?
Will you use the rising platform? The
wind machine? Loads of explosions?
Confetti?
That's top secret ;)
This isn't the first time some of you
compete at Eurovision—what lessons
have you learned from your previous
entries?
We don’t generally like the concept of
competing in music, but this has nev-
ertheless been a great platform for us
to help make the world a better place
with a message that the world needs
to hear. The lesson we have learned is
to celebrate diversity.
What's your all-time favourite Icelandic
entry?
The first one, "Gleðibankinn" by ICY
[in 1986].
Who do you see as your toughest com-
petition this year?
All the songs are good in their own
way, but we look at this from a differ-
ent perspective. We are in this to have
fun and get the message across. It is
not about winning or losing.
How will you celebrate when you win
the competition? Like, honestly.
We'll do it ABBA style and pour
champagne over our cornflakes.
Will the band continue playing to-
gether after the song contest?
For sure, Pollapönk is here to stay.
Thank you very much, and best of
luck!
Iceland's entry to this year's Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) is Pollapönk, a four-piece band featuring mem-
bers of locally celebrated punk rock bands Botnleðja (we totally gave them a legacy award at our inaugural
music awards) and Dr. Spock, both of which competed in ESC in 2003 and 2008, respectively. Pollapönk’s
contribution to Eurovision 2014 is a message song, loudly decrying bullying and prejudice, emphasising
the importance of smiling, making friends and getting along since we’re all the same on the inside. What
a great message for a pop song, too. We reached out to frontman Heiðar Örn Kristjánsson for a quick chat
right before the group headed off to Copenhagen for the preliminaries before competing on the big stage
Saturday, May 10.
Photo provided by Pollapönk
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