Pollapönk

Hailing from Reykjavik, Iceland, Pollapönk ("Kiddie Punk") are a punk-influenced collective creating music for both children and their parents. The group got together when Heiðar Örn Kristjánsson and Haraldur Freyr Gíslason, both of the band Botnleðja, were training to be teachers, releasing their self-titled debut in 2006 as a graduation project. The duo was soon joined by Arnar Gíslason and Guðni Finnsson, both having performed in the bands Dr. Spock and Ensími, and released their second record, Meira Pollapönk ("More Pollapönk"), in 2010 and Aðeins Meira Pollapönkin ("A Bit More") in 2011. YouTube videos for their tracks "Leyniskápurinn" ("The Secret Cupboard") and "Þór og Jón eru hjón" ("Þór and Jón Are Married") received tens of thousands of views, but although the band were popular in their homeland, it wasn't until 2014, when they entered the Eurovision Song Contest and seen by an international audience. With the help of musician John Grant, their track "Enga Fordóma" was rewritten and translated into English as "No Prejudice" and performed at the grand finale of the Eurovision Song Contest, where the band finished in 15th place of 26 finalists. ~ James Pearce