The American Song Contest 2022 is bringing the magic of Eurovision to the US with an epic, eight-week-long competition.
NBC is airing a US-centric version of the biggest live music competition on the planet to life. In a live TV event that’s not to be missed, representatives from every part of the United States will be singing their hearts out to try and win the title of Best Original Song.
To ensure the huge range of genres and musical styles from across America are represented, each competitor is tasked with performing a brand new track specifically written for the competition.
The competition consists of three qualifying rounds, followed by the semifinals and the ultimate Grand Final where one state or territory will walk away as the big winner.
Here’s everything we know about the American Song Contest 2022...
Who Won American Song Contest season 1?
American Song Contest has officially crowned a winner for season 1. Walking away as the victor in the season finale was AleXa, the K-pop performer from Oklahoma.
American Song Contest performances: week 8
In the season 1 finale of American Song Contest, the remaining contestants compete one last time to walk away with the grand prize and be declared the winner.
Michael Bolton (Connecticut)
Chloe Fredericks (North Dakota)
Grant Knoche (Texas)
Ni/Co (Alabama)
Jordan Smith (Kentucky)
Allen Stone (Washington)
Tenelle (American Samoa)
AleXa (Oklahoma)
Tyler Braden (Tennessee)
Riker Lynch (Colorado)
Who are the hosts of American Song Contest 2022?
NBC has revealed that the hosts of the American Song Contest 2022 are singer Kelly Clarkson and Snoop Dogg (fresh off his Super Bowl 2022 half-time show triumph).
Both have past experience in singing competitions — Snoop was a "mega mentor" and Kelly was a coach on The Voice (as well as being one of the American Idol winners), so they should have plenty of experience to share with performers.
Snoop Dogg said: "I am honored to host American Song Contest alongside my lil sis Kelly Clarkson, aka Miss Texas."
Clarkson added: "I have been a fan and love the concept of Eurovision and am thrilled to bring the musical phenomenon to America. I’m so excited to work with Snoop and can’t wait to see every state and territory represented by artists singing their own songs."
Where is the American Song Contest 2022 being held?
The American Song Contest is being broadcast live from the Universal Studios Lot in Universal City, California.
Will the original songs be released?
Yes! Atlantic Records has partnered with NBC and all the artists set to appear in the competition to release each week's batch of original songs.
The songs will be made available at midnight ET/9 pm PT after each episode airs.
Who will perform at the American Song Contest 2022?
The American Song Contest will see a DJ, band, duo or soloist from every US State, five US territories (Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and a performer from Washington, D.C., taking part.
All 56 competitors have been revealed, and it includes some big names like Michael Bolton, Jewel and Macy Gray among plenty of other exciting acts.
If you spot someone you're unfamiliar with, NBC has put together this interactive map to help you learn a little bit more about all the artists ahead of the competition.
The competitors are:
- Alabama: Ni/Co
- Alaska: Jewel
- American Samoa: Tenelle
- Arizona: Las Marias
- Arkansas: Kelsey Lamb
- California: Sweet Taboo
- Colorado: Riker Lynch
- Connecticut: Michael Bolton
- Delaware: Nitro Nitra
- Florida: Ale Zabala
- Georgia: Stela Cole
- Guam: Jason J.
- Hawaii: Bronson Varde
- Idaho: Andrew Sheppard
- Illinois: Justin Jesso
- Indiana: UG skywalkin
- Iowa: Alisabeth Von Presley
- Kansas: Broderick Jones
- Kentucky: Jordan Smith
- Louisiana: Brittany Pfantz
- Maine: King Kyote
- Maryland: Sisqó
- Massachusetts: Jared Lee
- Michigan: Ada LeAnn
- Minnesota: Yam Haus
- Mississippi: Keyone Starr
- Missouri: Brett Seper
- Montana: Jonah Prill
- Nebraska: Jocelyn
- Nevada: The Crystal Method
- New Hampshire: MARi
- New Jersey: Brooke Alexx
- New Mexico: Khalisol
- New York: ENISA
- North Carolina: John Morgan
- North Dakota: Chloe Fredericks
- Northern Mariana Islands: Sabyu
- Ohio: Macy Gray
- Oklahoma: AleXa
- Oregon: courtship.
- Pennsylvania: Bri Steves
- Puerto Rico: Christian Pagán
- Rhode Island: Hueston
- South Carolina: Jesse LeProtti
- South Dakota: Judd Hoos
- Tennessee: Tyler Braden
- Texas: Grant Knoche
- US Virgin Islands: Cruz Rock
- Utah: Savannah Keyes
- Vermont: Josh Panda
- Virginia: Almira Zaky
- Washington, DC: D.C.: NËITHER
- West Virginia: Alexis Cunningham
- Wisconsin: Jake'O
- Wyoming: Ryan Charles
Before the official contestants were announced, we compiled a list of the biggest artists we thought could have been lined up to represent their respective states or territories at the American Song Contest.
You can find our list of guesses below:
Alabama — Lionel Richie
Born and raised in Tuskegee, Alabama, there can’t be any musician more famous and more fitting to represent Alabama at the American Song Contest than the former Commodores frontman and the legendary singer of hits like "All Night Long".
Alaska — Portugal. The Man
Although they’re based in Portland, Ore., Portugal. The Man originally came from Wasilla, Alaska. They’re best known for their single "Feel It Still", which was certified five-times platinum back in 2019.
American Samoa — Isu Pouesi
Isu is a Polynesian vocalist, songwriter and member of American Samoan music group Banned from the Sun. She participated in the Kennedy Center's 'Arts Across America' initiative in 2020, and you can find her streamed performance here.
Arizona — Stevie Nicks
Stevie Nicks was born in Phoenix, Arizona. Known for her work both with Fleetwood Mac and as a soloist, Stevie is notable for being the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice.
Arkansas — Evanescence
Formed in Little Rock, Arkansas, Evanescence has been variously classified as both a rock and metal band over the years. They're well known for singles like "Bring Me To Life" and "My Immortal".
California — Katy Perry
There's a reason Katy Perry once sang about "California Gurls"! Born in Santa Barbara, the singer originally tried to make it in the world of gospel music, before shooting to fame off the back of songs like "I Kissed a Girl", "Hot n Cold" and "Firework".
Colorado — The Fray
Formed in Denver, Colorado, The Fray originally achieved success with their 2005 debut album How to Save a Life. They've been compared with the likes of Coldplay and mainly perform rock and power ballads.
Connecticut — John Mayer
John Mayer has won seven Grammys and been nominated for no less than 19 of them. Hailing from Bridgeport, Connecticut, Mayer is both an accomplished soloist and a member of Dead & Company, formed in 2015.
Delaware — Stephen Marley
Born in Wilmington and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, Stephen Marley is the son of legendary reggae star Bob Marley. He started his musical career as part of his older brother's band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers but launched his solo career in 2007 with his first album, Mind Control.
Florida — Flo Rida
Florida really couldn't pick anyone else! Born in Carol City, Florida, Flo Rida is a rapper and singer-songwriter who will be no stranger to the contest format. He'd be coming to the American Song Contest 2022 fresh off the back of representing San Marino in a duet with Senhit in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021.
Georgia — OutKast
Although the hip hop duo comprised of André 3000 and Big Boi have been on hiatus since 2014, the American Song Contest would be a perfect opportunity for the Georgia-born rappers and producers to return to the stage together.
Guam — Pia Mia
Pia Mia was born in Guam and started out by posting videos of herself on YouTube. Primarily an independent artist, she has collaborated with the likes of will.i.am, Sean Paul and Chris Brown.
Hawaii — Bruno Mars
Born in Honolulu, Bruno Mars has performed in a wide range of genres including pop, R&B, soul and funk. Accompanied by the Hooligans, he's known hits like "Uptown Funk", "24K Magic" and "Locked Out Of Heaven".
Idaho — Josh Ritter
Josh Ritter was born in Moscow, Idaho and is known for his stellar songwriting talent. He's a folk and indie performer who performs with the Royal City Band, and has released ten major albums as of 2021.
Illinois — Earth, Wind & Fire
Supergroup Earth, Wind & Fire are still going strong! Originally formed in Chicago by Maurice White, Wade Flemons and Don Whitehead, the team behind anthems like "September" and "Boogie Wonderland" would be sure to get the party going if they took to the stage at the American Song Contest.
Indiana — Guns N’ Roses
Since frontman W. Axl Rose hails from Lafayette, we could well see the world-famous hard rock band behind "Sweet Child O' Mine" and "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" taking to the stage to represent Indiana.
Iowa — Slipknot
Beloved heavy metal band Slipknot could well represent for Iowa as they were formed in Des Moines back in 1995. Their last album was released in 2019, so there might be some time for the iconic outfit to work on a new song.
Kansas — Katrina and the Waves
Kansas would be onto a winner with Katrina and the Waves. That's because the British-American pop-rock band won the Eurovision Song Contest for the United Kingdom back in 1997 with "Love Shine A Light".
A huge competition like the American Song Contest would be the perfect opportunity for Katrina and the Waves to reunite for a new track.
Kentucky — Chris Stapleton
Stapleton was born in Lexington and grew up in Staffordsville, Kentucky. He began his music career in Nashville after dropping out of an engineering degree. He's a major force in country music and would be a perfect fit for Kentucky's entry to the American Song Contest.
Louisiana — Britney Spears
Louisiana is the home of the Princess of Pop, Britney Spears. Although born in Mississippi, she grew up in Kentwood, Louisiana. Since the singer has a huge range of hits to draw inspiration from, she'd be a perfect pick for Louisiana for the American Song Contest 2022.
Maine — Anna Kendrick
Anna Kendrick initially found fame for her roles in the likes of Twilight and 50/50 but the Portland, Maine native is best known for her starring role in Pitch Perfect, where she really got to show off her vocal talent. She'd be a great choice for Maine's entry.
Maryland — Good Charlotte
Formed in Waldorf, Maryland in 1996, Good Charlotte has been a mainstay band in pop punk ever since. They broke out with their second album The Young and the Hopeless which included tracks such as "The Anthem" and "Girls & Boys".
Massachusetts — Aerosmith
You don't get much more American than the best-selling American hard rock band of all time! Aerosmith were formed in Boston in 1970 and have continued to tour and produce music ever since.
Michigan — Stevie Wonder
Michigan has a huge range of artists to choose from, but one of the biggest artists has got to be Stevie Wonder. He's won 22 Grammys across his career and is regarded as one of the most successful musicians of all time.
Minnesota — Bob Dylan
With a career spanning 60 years, Bob Dylan is possibly one of the most well-known singer-songwriters of all time. He grew up in Hibbing, Minnesota, and has explored a range of American musical styles including blues, folk, and country.
Mississippi — Diplo
Since the American Song Contest 2022 will accept entries from DJs, Diplo could be a solid choice for Mississippi. The DJ and music producer was born in Tupelo Mississippi and has collaborated with a huge range of pop artists including Sia, Gwen Stefani, Britney Spears, Beyoncé and so many more.
Missouri — Tina Turner
Although she grew up as Anna Mae Bullock in Nutbush, Tennessee, Missouri could equally lay claim to Tina Turner as she seized success by joining her abusive late first husband Ike Turner and his band on stage one night in a club in St. Louis, Missouri. She was recently the subject of the doc, Tina.
Montana — Reggie Watts
Comedian and musician Reggie Watts was raised in Great Falls, Montana before he left to study music at the Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Washington. Since 2015, he's been the bandleader and announcer on The Late Late Show with James Corden.
Nebraska — 311
Formed in Omaha, Nebraska in 1988, this alt-rock band have been going strong ever since! They were due to celebrate 30 years of performing last year with a North American tour with Incubus, but were forced to cancel due to the pandemic. So, the American Song Contest 2022 would be a perfect opportunity to finally celebrate.
Nevada — The Killers
Formed in Las Vegas, The Killers would be a great fit for the competition! They're the band behind such hits as "Mr. Brightside", "Somebody Told Me" and "The Man". They've been performing since 2001 and are easily one of the most successful acts to come out of Nevada.
New Hampshire — Mandy Moore
Mandy Moore is a singer and actor who you might recognize from NBC's This Is Us. She was raised in Nashua, New Hampshire has released seven studio albums so far, starting with So Real in 1999. She released her first album in 11 years, Silver Landings, in 2020.
New Jersey — Bruce Springsteen
You can't get much more American than the man behind "Born in the U.S.A!" The leader of the E Street Band came right from the Jersey Shore and his career has spanned five decades already.
New Mexico — Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato is a solid choice for New Mexico's entry in the American Song Contest 2022. They rose to prominence on the Disney Channel before striking out on a solo career. They've been a mainstay presence in pop ever since.
New York — Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga would be a perfect fit for a show trying to translate Eurovision's bombast to the USA. She was born in New York City and has won 12 Grammy awards since she rose to prominence with hits like "Poker Face" and "Just Dance" in 2008.
North Carolina — J. Cole
J Cole was brought up by his mother in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The rapper and singer-songwriter began rapping when he was just twelve years old and finally started gaining recognition off the back of his debut mixtape, The Come Up. His background in production makes him a great candidate for producing an original song for the American Song Contest.
North Dakota — Wiz Khalifa
Although Wiz Khalifa began writing and performing his own rap lyrics in Pittsburgh, he was originally born in Minot, North Dakota. He's put out a range of mixtapes and albums over the years, the most recent being Big Pimpin in late 2020.
Northern Mariana Islands — Sabyu
Sabyu produces music that is directly inspired by the Pacific Islands and Pacific Northwest. He grew up on Saipan, the largest of the Northern Mariana Islands before moving to Seattle, Washington to pursue a music career. He is a singer-songwriter and producer who plays a variety of instruments including ukulele, guitar and drums.
Ohio — John Legend
Springfield Ohio's John Legend is a huge star! He was the first Black man to become an EGOT (meaning he secured a win at all four of the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Awards) and produces soulful, feel-good R&B and pop tracks.
Oklahoma — All-American Rejects
Formed in Stillwater, Oklahoma, The All-American Rejects are an emo pop-rock group who found continued success since they started playing music back in 1999. They're probably best known for tracks like "Gives You Hell", "Dirty Little Secret" and "Move Along".
Oregon — Esperanza Spalding
Esperanza Spalding is a jazz musician from Portland, Oregon. She began performing as a violinist when she was just five years old, and has since picked up other instruments like guitar and bass. Alongside her performances, she's worked as an educator and became a professor of the Practice of Music at Harvard University back in 2017.
Pennsylvania — Taylor Swift
Pennsylvania will be hard pushed to find a bigger star to represent the State over Taylor Swift. She relocated from West Reading, Pennsylvania to Nashville, Tennessee in 2004 to pursue her career in country music, and the rest is history! Since then, she's been one of the most popular pop artists around.
Puerto Rico — Ricky Martin
The King of Latin pop music began his solo career back in 1991 and gained worldwide success after releasing "Livin' la Vida Loca". He's been a major force in pop music since then, and many Latin artists cite him as a major influence on their own careers.
Rhode Island — Jeffrey Osborne
Jeffrey Osborne grew up in Providence, Rhode Island and was initially the drummer and lead singer for L.T.D before he struck out on his own in 1982. Although his music hasn't been as popular as it was in the 80s, his R&B career has continued to this day.
South Carolina — Hootie & the Blowfish
Hootie & the Blowfish are an American rock band that formed in Columbia, South Carolina back in 1986. They are a soft rock group that saw mainstream success off the back of their album Cracked Rear View (1994).
South Dakota — Shawn Colvin
Shawn Colvin is a folk and country singer-songwriter. She was born in Vermillion, South Dakota, before growing up in Carbondale, Illinois and London, Ontario, Canada. She started gigging just after starting college and launched her solo career professionally with her debut album Steady On in 1989.
Tennessee — Justin Timberlake
Tennessee would struggle to find a bigger star for its entry into the American Song Contest 2022. Justin grew up in Memphis, Tennessee, and rose to prominence as one of the lead singers in NSYNC before launching his solo career, where he focussed more on R&B, funk and soul music.
Texas — Beyoncé
Beyoncé is one of the world's best-selling artists, so it would make perfect sense for her to be the American Song Contest entry for Texas. After Destiny's Child went on hiatus, she released her first solo album Dangerously in Love in 2003 and swiftly became a world-renowned singer alongside sweeping up awards across the board!
U.S. Virgin Islands — Pressure
Pressure is a reggae musician from Saint Thomas, one of the U. S. Virgin Islands. He released his debut album The Pressure is On in 2005, but his 2016 release Red Rose is probably his widest known album after it debuted at number eight on the Billboard Reggae Album Chart.
Utah — Neon Trees
Hailing from Provo, Utah, Neon Trees are a pop rock band who you might have seen as the supporting act to The Killers on a leg of their North American tour in 2008. With a little help from Killers' drummer Ronnie Vannucci Jr, Neon Trees got signed to a major label where they began to release mainstream tracks like "Everybody Talks", "Animal" and "Sleeping With A Friend".
Vermont — Phish
Guitarists Trey Anastasio and Jeff Holdsworth, drummer Jon Fishman and bassist Mike Gordon formed the rock band Phish in Burlington at the University of Vermont in 1983.
Phish are well known for their improvisation and lengthy jam sessions and have continued to release both studio and live albums ever throughout the years.
Virginia — Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Williams is a very strong candidate for Virginia's American Song Contest entry. Pharrell has collaborated with a range of artists including Gwen Stefani, Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg and Usher whilst also working on his solo career or making music with N.E.R.D. and, more recently, working on movie scores too! Hopefully, he'd find the time to fit a nationwide competition into his busy schedule!
Washington — Foo Fighters
Drummer Dave Grohl launched the Foo Fighters following the dissolution of Nirvana in 1994. Dave initially recorded the self-titled debut album himself, before forming a proper band. They've been a hugely popular rock band ever since, and released their tenth studio album, Medicine at Midnight, in October 2020.
Washington D.C. — Ginuwine
Ginuwine was born in D.C. but began his musical career as part of the R&B and Hip Hop collective Swing Mob in Rochester, New York, where he met Missy Elliott, Timbaland and Static Major. His first solo album arrived in 1996 and included one of his most enduring tracks, "Pony".
West Virginia — Brad Paisley
Country singer-songwriter Brad Paisley was born and raised in Glen Dale, West Virginia. He began performing in his local area whilst growing up, before officially debuting with Who Needs Pictures in 1999, landing his first no. 1 hit just seven months later. To date, he's put out 11 studio albums.
Wisconsin — Bon Iver
Indie folk band Bon Iver was formed in 2006 by Justin Vernon. Their debut album netted them Grammys for Best New Artist and Best Alternative Music Album in 2012. Their music has flirted with a variety of genres and styles over the years, and Bon Iver has collaborated with a huge range of artists, with a recent example being their featured appearance on Taylor Swift's 2020 album, Folklore.
Wyoming — Chancey Williams
You don't get more authentic than Chancey Williams. He's perhaps less well known than other country singers, but he and his backing group The Younger Brothers would have a great opportunity to grow their following with the American Song Contest 2022.
Chancey grew up on a ranch near Moorcroft, Wyoming, and followed his father into the rodeo world before releasing his first album, HonkyTonk Road independently in 2008.
