Eurovision 2020 Was Canceled, But The 2021 Contest Is Already Being Planned
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The 2020 Eurovision Song Contest had to be canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but there are still plans to go forward with the 2021 competition. In fact, a few countries just announced the dates for their national selections.
Eurovision is an annual song contest among countries in the European Union, as well as guest countries such as Australia and Israel. It has been broadcast since 1956, and 2020 was the first year it was canceled.
Four Countries Announce Eurovision National Selections
Each country in the Eurovision competition submits a song and performer in the contest. Viewers at home can vote for their favorites, but they can’t vote for their own country.
The 2021 competition is set to be hosted in Rotterdam, Netherlands, which is where the 2020 contest was originally planned. According to the Eurovision website, several countries recently announced the dates for their national selections to choose who to send to next year’s competition.
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Finland has chosen its seven finalists, who will be revealed on January 19, 2021. The country’s Eurovision representative will be announced on February 20 in the final of Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu, the national selection.
Meanwhile, Sweden’s Melodifestivalen 2021 will be held in February and March without an audience, with the final airing on March 13. Norway’s Melodi Grand Prix will select the country’s representative in the final on February 20. Croatia’s Dora 2021 will hold its final on February 13.
When Will The 2021 Contest Take Place?
The 2021 Eurovision contest is scheduled to take place from May 18, 2021, to May 22, 2021. In 2019, Dutch singer Duncan Laurence won the competition with the song “Arcade.” The winning country usually hosts the next competition, which is why the 2021 contest will take place in the Netherlands.
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There’s also an American version of the contest currently in the works, called The American Song Contest. It’s set to premiere around the holidays in 2021. Instead of songs from different countries, this competition will feature songs from all 50 states.
“When America is more fractionalized than ever and we are dealing with so many issues that divide us, the one [thing] that truly unites us is our culture,” said executive producer Ben Silverman. “It can unite it by celebrating its diversity, its distinctions, and in pulling everyone around its love of music and its love of the song.”