Michael Bolton, Macy Gray, Jewel and Sisqó will all be taking part in the US version of the Eurovision Song Contest when it starts this month.
The musicians, who together have 25 top 10 hits, each represent their state and compete against amateurs, newcomers and rising stars.
Pop star Kelly Clarkson and rap icon Snoop Dogg will host the eight-week show.
Clarkson said she was “thrilled” to bring the Eurovision concept to the US.
“I’m really excited to be working with Snoop and can’t wait to see each state and territory represented by artists singing their own songs,” she added in a statement.
Michael Bolton, whose nine US number-one singles include “How Am I Supposed To Live Without You” and “To Love Somebody,” said he was “very excited” to represent his home state of Connecticut.
Jewel, who won The Masked Singer season 6 in the US, will represent Alaska. Macy Gray accepts the award for Ohio while Thong Song star Sisqó represents Maryland.
The lineup also includes former Glee star Riker Lynch and dance act The Crystal Method – often described as America’s answer to The Chemical Brothers.
Keyone Starr from Mississippi was a vocalist on Mark Ronson’s 2015 Uptown Special album; while Oklahoma singer AleXa has had a successful career as a K-pop artist in her second home, South Korea.
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Other nudes are greener around the gills. Hawaiian contestant Bronson Varde only has one song on Spotify, with 18 monthly listeners.
Soul singer NËITHER, representing Washington DC, has more songs to his name but only 71 listeners.
There are 56 acts in total, representing all 50 US states, five US territories and the nation’s capital. Each act will compete for the audience’s vote in hopes of earning the title of Best Original Song.
The competition is an official Eurovision spin-off and will consist of several stages, with three qualifying rounds before the semi-finals.
The grand finale will be broadcast live by US TV channel NBC on Monday, May 9, the day before the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Turin.
Last week organizers announced that Russia would be banned from the competition because of the war in Ukraine.
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