Performing during the show in position 2, "Our Choice" was not announced among the top 10 entries of the first semi-final and therefore did not qualify to compete in the final.

Since the introduction of a semi-final to the format of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2004, Iceland has, to this point, failed to qualify to the final six times.

Söngvakeppnin 2018 was the national final format developed by RÚV in order to select Iceland's entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2018.

[7] On 6 September 2017, RÚV opened the submission period for interested songwriters to submit their entries until the deadline on 20 October 2017.

However, exceptions would be made for minor collaborations with foreign songwriters as long as two-thirds of the composition and half of the lyrics are by Icelandic composers/lyricists.

[8] The twelve competing artists and songs were revealed and presented by the broadcaster during the television programme Kynningarþáttur Söngvakeppninnar on 20 January 2018.

Guðmundur Þórarinsson swapped semi-finals with Þórir and Gyða due to his involvement in a football cup match for IFK Norrköping.

The top two entries advanced to a second round of voting, the superfinal, where the winner, "Our Choice" performed by Ari Ólafsson, was determined solely by televoting.

[3] Ari Ólafsson made several appearances across Europe to specifically promote "Our Choice" as the Icelandic Eurovision entry.

[19] On 14 April, Ólafsson performed during the Eurovision in Concert event which was held at the AFAS Live venue in Amsterdam, Netherlands and hosted by Edsilia Rombley and Cornald Maas.

On 29 January 2018, a special allocation draw was held which placed each country into one of the two semi-finals, as well as which half of the show they would perform in.

[24][25] The backing vocalists that joined Ari Ólafsson were: Arna Rún Ómarsdóttir, Erla Stefánsdóttir, Gunnar Leó Pálsson, Vignir Snær Vigfússon and the composer of "Our Choice" Þórunn Erna Clausen.

Each nation's jury consisted of five music industry professionals who are citizens of the country they represent, with their names published before the contest to ensure transparency.

This jury judged each entry based on: vocal capacity; the stage performance; the song's composition and originality; and the overall impression by the act.

In addition, no member of a national jury was permitted to be related in any way to any of the competing acts in such a way that they cannot vote impartially and independently.