By Lisa Respers France, CNN
(CNN) One of the world’s most popular singing competitions is headed to the United States.
The team behind the Eurovision Song Contest has announced «The American Song Contest,» scheduled to take place during the 2021 holiday season.
«The American version of the Eurovision Song Contest will, as it is currently conceived, position the artists head to head against other states’ representatives in a series of 5-10 televised Qualifier Competitions, leading to Semi-Finals and the ultimate primetime Grand Final,» according to a news release on the Eurovision site.
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition that pits singers from participating countries against each other. To be eligible, contestants must be from a member country of the European Broadcasting Union.
It has help launch the careers of artists including previous winners Celine Dion and ABBA.
«The Eurovision Song Contest’s unique legacy dates back 65 years and its worldwide popularity is still rising,» Martin Österdahl, executive supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest, said in a statement.
«It’s time for America to experience this spectacle, through its sister competition, the American Song Contest,» he said. «Love of music is universal and celebration of music in different genres and styles can transcend boundaries and unite people. We are excited to have found the right partners to offer another series that our fans across the globe can fall in love with and to share this unique competition with the American people.»
Leading up to the American competition will be the formation of The American Song Contest Academy, a group of US-based music professionals representing all genres and backgrounds.
They will create juries of artists and music industry notables who, along with regional audiences, will select top talent from all 50 states to compete. State representatives can be solo artists, duos or bands with up to six members.
Eurovision is so popular worldwide that there have been viewing parties held across the glove. And Netflix in June released the comedic film, «Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga,» starring Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams as a pair of pop singers chasing their dream to compete in the contest.
