Welcome to March, the month of changes, blustery winds, and the hope of spring for us in the North.
It's the time when spring starts its "march" towards the northeast United States. It's the time of strong winds and the "March goes in like a lion, and out like a lamb" rhyme that the weather in New York State laughs at.
And it's a time for music - March 21 to May 9, 2022, specifically.
Finally, the United States is getting its version of the Eurovision Song Contest that has captivated so much of Europe since 1956. It's called the American Song Contest and it will be broadcast starting March 21. Its final will slightly overlap with Eurovision, which is held each May.
Contestants will come from all 50 U.S. States, the District of Columbia (where our Capitol is), and five territories (Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and American Samoa).
If you are not familiar with the Eurovision Song Contest, here's some of its music. And here's a little history.
All songs in the American Song Contest must be original.
Sadly, I had not heard of Eurovision until last year, and there are many Americans who have never heard of it, either. I watched most of the finals on Peacock.
One of the co-hosts of the American Song Contest, Kelly Clarkson, was an early winner of American Idol, and recently gave the interview above.
Clarkson and her band previously covered a song called Arcade, which won the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest.
I first found out about the American Song Contest last year, researching one of my 2021 posts about the Eurovision Song Contest. At that time I wondered if it could help our country reunite. We are so divided along political lines and along what I would call pandemic related lines. Now, another year has passed and we need something to unite us more than ever.
Can anything unite us? Can a music contest?
Will you watch?
...include me in the group who hasn't heard of Eurovision.
ReplyDeleteMany people in our country haven't. But now you have!
DeleteIt sounds like a fun contest
ReplyDeleteHoping it will be.
DeleteI hadn't heard of it, but I've been seeing all they hype for the American version. Should be fun!
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping it will be fun. I do wish it success.
DeleteI love the Eurovision song contest! I especially love watching the past contests to see the introduction of such new groups as ABBA! SO fun!
ReplyDeleteYes, it's a bit sad that some songs Americans love originated with Eurovision and yet so few Americans are even aware it exists! Also at least one interval act (Riverdance). I'm hoping our song contest will be educational.
DeleteI've only been aware of Eurovision for maybe five years. I hope our homegrown version catches on, but I won't be watching. (Music doesn't captivate me, hence why I skip the Monday music posts and such.)
ReplyDeleteConsidering I blog about music weekly, I don't listen to the music only reality shows (The Voice, American Idol, Masked Singer, etc.) although I do watch America's Got Talent.
DeleteI probably won't watch it live, but I will definitely follow it on YouTube, provided they put the performances there. It'll be interesting to see if this sustains people's interest or if it'll just be one or two years followed by "enh" and the thing dies off. I'd like it to do well. Do I think it will heal the divisions that have appeared in this country? Probably not, but then those divisions have been appearing most of my adult life.
ReplyDeleteJohn, I share some of your concerns. I may DVR some of it. Not sure yet. I hadn't thought of You Tube.
DeleteNever heard of it. But I like the ideal of it.
ReplyDeleteIt is a good idea.
DeleteThis sounds like a fun contest!
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping it will be.
DeleteNever heard that America was copying Eurovision. Interesting.
ReplyDeleteInteresting, yes. Successful? We'll see.
DeleteWhen I was living in Europe, we watched the Eurovision contest every year. It was a huge deal! Interesting that the U.S. will be hosting its own version. I love singing contests, so will probably watch. Whether it can unite your country or not remains to be seen, but surely, everybody is on the same page about Putin's invasion of Ukraine?
ReplyDeleteDebbie, sadly, not in the United States. There has been so much disinformtaion (no doubt spread by Russia) and some, including even some in our Congress, believe Putin is a liberator!
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