The band formed in early 2011 when the Icelandic singer Sjonni Brink (real name Sigurjón Brink) died just days before he was to perform his entry "Aftur heim" at Söngvakeppni Sjónvarpsins, the Icelandic national final for the Eurovision Song Contest 2011.
On 12 February 2011, the group won the Icelandic national selection; Söngvakeppni Sjónvarpsins 2011 with the song "Aftur heim".
The actual Eurovision competition was held in Düsseldorf, Germany in May 2011 where the formation Sjonni's Friends sang "Coming Home", an English version of "Aftur heim".
Sjonni's Friends performed fourteenth, finishing 4th (6th at the televoting and 3rd with the jury vote).
Matthías Matthíasson also returned in Söngvakeppnin 2020 with the song "Dreyma", but also failed to win.