Eurovision is heading to the US following the announcement of spin-off The American Song Contest.
Following the same format as its European inspiration, The American Song Content will give the popular annual music competition a US makeover, with each of the 50 states performing an original song during a televised live event.
Solo singers and groups of up to six members are able to enter the competition, which is expected to take place late in 2021, Varietyreports.
As with the Eurovision Song Contest, a series of televised qualifier competitions and semi-finals will air before the “primetime grand finale”.
First airing in 1956, Eurovision sees countries from across Europe compete with original songs in a wide range of musical styles. The grand finale attracts an audience of over 200 million worldwide.
Points are given out based on public votes and choices from a panel of experts based in each country, with the winning nation expected to host next year’s competition.
In 2015, Australia became the first non-European country to enter the competition in celebration of the 60th Song Contest.
The 2020 show, which would have been held in Rotterdam following the Netherlands’ win, was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
American viewers are currently able to watch past years of the Eurovision Song Contest on Netflix, as well as the 2020 musical comedy Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, but the finale does not stream live in the US.
