Snoop Dogg and Kelly Clarkson to host a U.S. version of the 'Eurovision Song Contest'

Snoop Dogg and Kelly Clarkson are bringing Eurovision stateside.

The stars will be hosting an upcoming musical competition in which performers from across the U.S. will vie for the title of best original hit.

NBC's American Song Contest will feature live performances representing all 50 states, five territories and Washington, D.C. There will be three rounds of competition, with audiences set to choose one winning act by popular vote.

"An incredible 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," NBC said in a release.

The competition was first announced in 2020, and Clarkson and Snoop Dogg were announced as hosts during an advertisement that ran during the Super Bowl (at which the rapper was one of the halftime show performers). The 56 competitors will be announced at a later date, NBC said.

The competition is based on the Eurovision Song Contest, which has been a global mainstay since it began in 1956 and attracts some 200 million viewers each year, according to NBC. The two also share the same producers (the U.S. show is also produced by those involved with the singing competition The Voice).

"I have been a fan and love the concept of Eurovision and am thrilled to bring the musical phenomenon to America," Clarkson said in a statement. "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."

American Song Contest will premiere on Monday, March 21 and run for eight weeks. The finale is scheduled for May 9, which Eurovision notes is just one day before the Eurovision Song Contest first semifinal.

The Eurovision semifinals and final are available in the U.S. on NBC sibling streaming platform Peacock as part of a two-year deal, according to Deadline.

Clarkson — who rose to fame as the winner of the first season of American Idol — spoke about the competition in a Tuesday segment of The Kelly Clarkson Show.

She said she's excited that all parts of the U.S. will be represented, saying, "We're pretty divided as a nation." And she applauded its focus on songwriting.

"There's a lot of shows out there that have competitions with singing or artists or whatever, and it's really cool because the best song wins out," Clarkson said, adding that working with Snoop Dogg is another highlight.

The rapper returned the compliment, writing in a statement: "I am honored to host 'American Song Contest' alongside my lil sis Kelly Clarkson, aka Miss Texas."

This story originally appeared on the Morning Edition live blog.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.