Eurovision Song Contest Is Coming to America—And Fans Are Skeptical
Eurovision Song Contest has been wildly popular long before Will Ferrell spoofed the competition event in Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, but it looks as though the Netflix hit could not have come at a more perfect time.
The television spectacle—which helped launch the careers of icons like ABBA, Celine Dion, and Julio Iglesias—is now coming to the U.S. in 2021. On August 7, Eurovision announced its new spin-off: American Song Contest, a massive competition that will pit solo and group performers from all 50 states against one another over the course of 5 to 10 televised qualifier competitions, semi-finals, and the “ultimate primetime grand finale.”
(Think Miss America mixed with America's Got Talent and American Idol, if you’ve never seen Eurovision Song Contest for yourself.)
“The Eurovision Song Contest’s unique legacy dates back 65 years, and its worldwide popularity is still rising. It’s time for America to experience this spectacle, through its sister competition, the American Song Contest,” executive supervisor Martin Österdahl said in a statement. “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.”
There’s already a trailer, which you can check out below.
Of course, that doesn’t mean everyone’s sold. Some big fans of the Eurovision Song Contest are a bit skeptical. “I said it before and I’ll say it again. Americans can’t live knowing other continents have something that they don’t have. But at least they’re not joining the esc,” one Twitter user wrote.
“Just keep it out of Eurovision, separate it completely, make it not have a single common thing,” another user wrote. “Just don't let it touch Eurovision—or it will be ruined forever.”
We’ll see how it goes. Hopefully we’ll be able to prove ourselves worthy.
Originally Appeared on Glamour
