Eurovision USA: your state-by-state guide to the American Song Contest
It’s given the world Abba, Celine Dion, the Finnish heavy metal band Lordi, a made-for-Netflix tribute musical, and inspiration for untold generations of fashion school runway shows. But with Eurovision Song Contest finally coming to America, it’s fair to ask whether its reception in the US will mirror such transatlantic successes as The Office, Rosalía and pizza, or suffer the ignominious fates of Piers Morgan, Robbie Williams and the modern welfare state.
The American Song Contest (we’re as confused as you about why it’s not called Amerivision) promises to be “the biggest live music event America has ever seen”, according to NBC, which begins airing the show on 21 March. It will substitute the US’s 50-odd states, districts and territories for Europe’s 50odd countries and, we imagine, open up new frontiers for ways Americans can resent each other.
In the old-country version, each participating nation sends an artist to perform an original song, in an event televised before hundreds of millions.
Viewers in each country then weigh in as a bloc to determine a winner. But as any Eurovision fan knows, it’s not just about the music – it’s about politics and geography, with Scandinavian nations typically voting for each other and everyone voting against the UK. (After Russia invaded Ukraine last month, Eurovision initially argued that the contest was a “non-political cultural event” before bowing to public pressure and banning Russia from the 2022 contest.)
While the precise rules for ASC have yet to be announced, the show is sure to foster new alliances and rivalries. Will everyone hate California because it already rules the entertainment industry? Will the supposedly nice people of the midwest band together or stab each other in the back? Could a kitschy earworm save America from civil war – or be the last straw? Will Americans just ignore politics and vote for the best song?
Here’s our guide to the musical traditions and regional rivalries that we can look forward to:
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ALABAMA
Represented by: Ni/Co (pop duo). Musical heroes: Wilson Pickett, Martha Reeves, Emmylou Harris, Nat King Cole, Hank Williams Sr, the guy who comes from Alabama with a banjo on his knee.
Potential alliances: With its wideranging musical history, Alabama could go in many directions. Ni/Co sings pop, but the state might tie itself to Tennessee, where Nashville is the home of country music; it could also look to Michigan, in honor of Detroit and Motown. Given local politics – not to mention geography – Tennessee seems more likely.
Sworn enemies: Florida, thanks to a passionate football rivalry between the University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide and the University of Florida’s Gators.
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ALASKA
Represented by: Jewel (folk/pop). Musical heroes: Hobo Jim, the state’s official balladeer; Jewel.
Known for: Alaska Native folk music; Jewel’s trademark blend of confessional ballads, catchy pop beats and sudden shifts into frog voice; Sarah Palin rapping Baby Got Back.
Potential alliances: Hawaii, in a show of non-contiguous solidarity.
Sworn enemies: Hawaii, in a show of non-contiguous rivalry.
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AMERICAN SAMOA
Represented by: Tenelle (pop/ reggae).
Musical heroes: Tenelle, Napoleon Tuiteleleapaga.
Potential alliances: Though people from American Samoa are US nationals, they can’t vote in US elections. They