Pollapönk

Originating in Reykjavik, Iceland, the punk-influenced outfit Pollapönk—whose name means “Kiddie Punk”—crafts songs for children and adults alike. Heiðar Örn Kristjánsson and Haraldur Freyr Gíslason, both formerly of Botnleðja, assembled the project while studying to become teachers and issued their self-titled debut album in 2006 to complete a graduation assignment. Arnar Gíslason and Guðni Finnsson, each previously active in Dr. Spock and Ensími, joined shortly afterward, resulting in the 2010 release of Meira Pollapönk (“More Pollapönk”) and the follow-up Aðeins Meira Pollapönkin (“A Bit More”) the next year. Clips posted to YouTube for the tracks “Leyniskápurinn” (“The Secret Cupboard”) and “Þór og Jón eru hjón” (“Þór and Jón Are Married”) accumulated tens of thousands of views, securing domestic popularity, yet international exposure came only in 2014 through their entry in the Eurovision Song Contest. Musician John Grant helped rewrite and translate “Enga Fordóma” into English as “No Prejudice,” which the group performed at the contest’s grand finale and finished fifteenth among the twenty-six finalists.