Kelly Clarkson is pretty much an expert when it comes to singing competition shows. In 2002, she got her start in the music industry when she was crowned the first winner of American Idol and after taking some time to focus on her career as an artist for several years, she was eventually brought back in front of the camera when she joined NBC’s The Voice as a coach. In 2019, she became the host of her own televised talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, and most recently she announced another competition series in the works that she will be able to add to her resume.
Clarkson called in to chat with guest host of The Kelly Clarkson Show, Taraji P. Henson, about the upcoming competition series American Song Contest, which she has been asked to co-host with Snoop Dog. She and the Super Bowl LVI performer previously worked alongside each other during Season 20 of NBC’s The Voice, where Clarkson served as a coach and Dogg as a mega mentor.
Clarkson revealed that the new series will be the U.S. equivalent of “Eurovision,” featuring an array of original songs from all 50 states.
“I’m so excited actually, because I didn’t know when we’d be able to talk about it, but apparently I can now,” she said before going into further explanation on what the show will entail.
During an overseas trip several years ago, Clarkson was first introduced to Eurovison, the international songwriting competition. “I’d never heard of it before,” she explained to Henson. “It was amazing and I thought it was so cool cause all the territories get represented. So they’re finally bringing it over to the states and it’s called American Song Contest – ASC.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ8E8VxJAgg/
With the help of the producers on The Voice and Snoop Dog, Clarkson is eager to introduce this musical phenomenon to US viewers and bring a new opportunity to contestants looking to showcase their songwriting talents.
“It’s really cool because I feel like, and I think everybody could agree, we’re pretty divided as a nation…all 50 states, there’s five US territories and then DC, our nation’s capital, everybody gets represented. So there’s a person representing every state, every part, and they all enter in this competition. The cool thing about it too is that it’s original songs and as a songwriter, I think that’s awesome.”
“The best song wins,” she adds.
The way the show works is a solo artist, duo or a band will represent each location and perform a new original song, celebrating the depth and variety of different styles and genres across America. The live competition consists of three rounds as the artists compete in a series of Qualifying Rounds, followed by the Semi-Finals and the ultimate Grand Final where one state or territory will ultimately take home the winning title.
The announcement of American Song Contest was first made on Sunday, February 13 in a promotional clip that aired during the start of the Super Bowl LVI halftime show.
“Huge announcement, y’all!!” Clarkson wrote on Twitter with a photo of her and her co-host Snoop Dog attached. “I’m so excited to finally share that I’ll be hosting #AmericanSongContest with @SnoopDogg!! I can’t wait!! Watch the premiere LIVE on March 21st, only on NBC.”
“I am honored to host ‘American Song Contest’ alongside my lil sis Kelly Clarkson, aka Miss Texas 🎤🎬👊🏾👊🏾,” Snoop Dogg said.
The series will run for eight weeks on Monday nights with the Grand Finale scheduled for May 9. The 56 artists who will appear as contestants on the show have yet to be announced. American Song Contest premieres live on March 21 at 8/7c on NBC.
