In November 1999 Haukdal replaced the then lead vocalist of the pop group Írafár. They released their first single "Hvar er ég?" ("Where am I?") in the summer of 2000, followed by two more singles in 2001. The band signed a recording contract with Iceland’s biggest record company, Skífan in 2002, releasing their first album "Allt sem ég sé" ("All I see") in early November. It is Iceland’s fastest selling pop album of the last 25 years, reaching platinum - which is not common in Iceland.
As of 2003[update], Haukdal is one of the most popular female pop vocalists in Iceland. She has been voted Pop Star of the Year and Performer of the Year. In 2003 she won the national final for the Eurovision Song Contest 2003 with her song "Segðu mér allt". At the contest she sang it in English ("Open your heart") and came in 9th.
She competed in the Icelandic pre-qualifying for the Eurovision Song Contest 2006, with the song "Mynd Af Þér" or "Picture of you" and, in a duo with Magni Ásgeirsson, reached the finals of the Icelandic qualifying for Eurovision Song Contest 2008 with the song, "Núna veit ég" but didn't win.
Eurovision Song Contest 2003 - Riga
Entry for Iceland
Performer: Birgitta
Song title: Open Your Heart
Song writer(s): Sveinbjörn I. Baldvinsson, Birgitta Haukdal
Song composer(s): Hallgrímur Óskarsson
Sang in Position: 1
Final Position: 8
Total Points: 81
In 2003, another country entered the song contest: for the first time, the Ukraine participated and sent one of their biggest stars: Olexandr Ponomariov. In total, 26 countries took part in the Eurovision Song Contest in the Latvian capital of Riga which would mark a new Eurovision record.
The famous Russian duo, t.A.T.u., decided to enter the contest and kept both the organisation and the press busy during the rehearsal week by not caring about rehearsal schedules and boycotting press conferences. Eventually, the alleged lesbian duo finished third after Turkey and Belgium.
Turkey won the contest for the first time after an exciting voting. The winner was not obvious before the last country, Slovenia, had delivered their votes which would give the victory to Sertab Erener, one of the biggest stars in Turkey. Sertab had studied at Turkish conservatoriums and had previously released lots of award-winning albums and had recorded duets with the likes of Ricky Martin and José Carreras. Her song Every Way That I Can was a combination of oriental melodies and pop and was specially re-mixed for the Eurovision Song Contest to make it more appealing to televoters.
The United Kingdom entry Cry Baby performed by the duo Jemini came in at a disappointing last place, scoring no points at all. The group claimed that there had been severe problems with the monitor speakers and that this was the reason why they performed so badly. It was the first time ever that an entry from the United Kingdom got the dreaded nil points.
The Belgian song Sanomi by Urban Trad was one of the most interesting songs in recent Eurovision Song Contest history as it was sung in a made-up language. No-one had expected them to score that well though ending up in surprising second place.
Open Your Heart
Birgitta Haukdal Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can see the light that you're hiding.
Like a shadow in the sky,
Of an eagle's wing when it's gliding.
Don't be afraid; I'm not gonna run away,
Don't let it wait, until it's too late,
For what you have to say.
Open your heart,
Show me the pain,
It's all part of who you are.
Tell me your dreams,
Your hopes and your fears,
Just open your beating heart to me.
Everything you share with me,
Turns a little darkness into light.
And that is how we're meant to be,
Truth will keep the light shining brighter.
Open your heart,
Show me the pain,
It's all part of who you are.
Tell me your dreams,
Your hopes and your fears,
Just open your heart to me.
Reach out, I'm right by your side,
Exactly where I want to be.
The sum, of you and me, is we.
Open your heart,
Show me the pain, show me who you are.
Tell me your dreams,
Your hopes and your fears,
Just open your heart to me.
Open your heart,
Show me the pain,
It's all part of who you are.
Tell me your dreams,
Your hopes and your fears.
Let go and just show me who you are,
Hey your heart.
Let go and just show me who you are.
Birgitta Haukdal's "Open Your Heart" is a plea for vulnerability and honesty in a relationship. The lyrics suggest that the singer is noticing the emotional turmoil of their partner, and encourages them to open up and share their fears and hopes. The symbolic image of an eagle's shadow in the sky highlights the idea that even when someone tries to hide their pain, it is still visible to those who are close to them. The singer reassures their partner that they will not run away and that it is better to open up before it's too late.
The chorus of "Open Your Heart" emphasizes the importance of communication and sharing in a relationship. The singer asks their partner to show them everything, including the pain, dreams, hopes, and fears. They reassure their partner that sharing these things will bring them closer together and bring light to the darkness. The bridge echoes this sentiment by saying that the sum of the singer and their partner is "we", implying that they are stronger together.
Line by Line Meaning
Every time you close your eyes,
Whenever you shut out the world and retreat into yourself, I can see that you are holding back something important.
I can see the light that you're hiding.
Despite your attempts to conceal it, there is a flicker of something bright and positive within you that I can sense.
Like a shadow in the sky,
This concealed light is like a subtle, mysterious presence that swirls around within you.
Of an eagle's wing when it's gliding.
This presence is as powerful and majestic as an eagle's powerful, graceful wings in flight.
Don't be afraid; I'm not gonna run away,
I want you to know that I care and am committed to our relationship, and that nothing you reveal to me will drive me away.
Don't let it wait, until it's too late,
It's important to open up and share your true thoughts and feelings while there is still time to act on them and grow closer as a result.
For what you have to say.
The things that you may have been bottling up within yourself are important and deserve to be shared.
Open your heart,
Be willing to be vulnerable and honest with me.
Show me the pain,
Tell me about the hurts and struggles that you've been keeping to yourself.
It's all part of who you are.
Your experiences, both good and bad, are an essential part of what makes you unique and lovable.
Tell me your dreams,
Share your goals and aspirations with me.
Your hopes and your fears,
Talk to me about both the things that you are excited about and those that make you anxious.
Just open your beating heart to me.
Be unguarded and sincere in expressing your deepest emotions and truest self to me.
Everything you share with me,
Each time that I learn something more about you from your words and actions,
Turns a little darkness into light.
It sheds a bit of light on the parts of yourself that you may have been hiding in the shadows, making it easier for me to support and appreciate you.
And that is how we're meant to be,
Sharing and opening up to one another like this is what will enable us to grow and thrive together.
Truth will keep the light shining brighter.
Being honest and open with one another will allow us to expand and grow together, fostering strength and positivity.
Reach out, I'm right by your side,
Whenever you feel ready to share, know that I am here and eager to listen and support you.
Exactly where I want to be.
I am fully invested in our relationship and am eager to help and encourage you along the way.
The sum, of you and me, is we.
Together, we can accomplish and experience so much more than either of us could alone.
Show me the pain, show me who you are.
Don't hold back - share with me the parts of yourself that you may feel uncomfortable or self-conscious about.
Let go and just show me who you are,
Allow yourself to be your truest self around me and trust that I will accept and celebrate you for who you are.
Hey your heart.
This beautiful, beating heart of yours is the source of so much of the goodness and light that you bring into the world.
Let go and just show me who you are.
Fully let down your guard and be open with me. I'm here to support and encourage you - no matter what.
Contributed by Charlie G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@croxfordpj
Twenty years later and I still think this is the best opening entry ever. A regular listen even in 2023. Thankyou Birgitta
@timberlake18
cyprus 2021 was good too
@prowelsh56
Def should have won this year...most powerful of the songs...well sung indeed....bring Birgitta back to Eurovision. xxxxx
@brigitteduchatelle826
Merci birgitta bisous atous et toutes la france et iceland bisous you tube merci
@marcels.4654
Ich schaue den ESC seid 2000 jährlich.Dieses Lied gehört in meine Persönlichen Top 5 derer die nicht gewonnen haben.
@emin9504
This song is my runner up. Sure my winner is Turkey. It's very underrated song.
Love from Turkey.
@GreyGuerillaNetwork
My favorite from 2003, both in terms of its studio version and its live performance! I'd like to see Birgitta represent Iceland again.
@AmaanStorm
I loved her live performance of this at yesterday's Songvakeppnin (2022). Absolutely beautiful piano arrangement of the song which lends beautifully to turning the song in to a heartfelt ballad.
Always one of my all time favourite Eurovision songs 🇬🇧
@schtaan2
HOW couldn't this win?? UNBELIVABE!!
@gaetanorossin7454
Great song and 2003 Eurovision was the best ever