OMSC 30

Online Music Song Contest 30, often referred to as OMSC 30 or OMSC XXX, was the thirtieth edition of Online Music Song Contest, held in Kampala, after Uganda won the previous edition of the contest. This was a special edition of the contest, which allowed only non-English songs to be performed. It was permissible for a song to contain only repeated words or short verses in English. Since this edition the participants limit was brought back to 50 countries and the wildcard was abolished.

The Pre-Qualification Round of OMSC 30 occured on the 14ᵗʰ August 2022, the Semi-Finals on the 21ˢᵗ August 2022 while the Final occured on the 28ᵗʰ August 2022. Fifty countries participated in the thirtieth contest, under the slogan “Free Your Emotions!”.

Pakistan won the contest with the song "Rajkumari (راج کماری)", sung both in English and Urdu, receving a total of 162 points. Israel was tied with the winner but, due to the tie-breaking rule, finished in second place. Belarus finished in third place, while Burkina Faso placed fourth, followed by Ukraine which reached the fifth place.

Location
After it’s victory in the previous edition, the broadcaster UBC chose to host the contest in the capital and largest city of Uganda, Kampala, which has a population of almost 1,700,000 inhabitants. It occupies a series of hills at an elevation of about 1,190 metres and is situated in the southern part of the country, just north of Lake Victoria. Kampala lies north of Mengo, the capital of the kingdom of Buganda in the 19ᵗʰ century, in the country’s most prosperous agricultural area.

This area of numerous hills and swamps that later become known as Kampala was part of the core of the highly centralised Buganda Kingdom. It was also the site of the shifting Kibuga (capital) of the different Bassekabaka (kings) of the Buganda Kingdom, with each Kabaka (king) upon coronation or during their reign, setting up their Kibuga (capital) on a new and or different hill.

Kampala was selected in 1890 by Captain Frederick (later Lord) Lugard as the headquarters of the Imperial British East Africa Company. Lugard’s fort on Old Kampala Hill remained the Ugandan colonial administrative headquarters until 1905, when it was moved to Entebbe. In 1949 Kampala became a municipality and in 1962 became the capital of independent Uganda. Parliamentary and commercial buildings, industry, and residential areas are separated into sectors. The Battle of Kampala during the Ugandan Bush War occurred in January 1986. It resulted in the capture of the city by the National Resistance Movement, led by Yoweri Museveni and the subsequent surrender of the Ugandan government. In 2010, the Kampala Capital City Authority Act was enacted, giving the Ugandan Government more control of the administration of Kampala. The act also created the Kampala Metropolitan Physical Planning Authority with the stated aims of improving the infrastructure of Kampala and the surrounding districts of Wakiso, Mukono, Buikwe, Mpigi and Luwero.

Nowadays, Kampala is an important economic hub and exports coffee, cotton, tea, tobacco, and sugar. Although second industrially to Jinja, the city has numerous food, metal-products, and furniture enterprises and a tractor-assembly plant. It is the headquarters for most of Uganda’s large firms and the chief market for the Lake Victoria region. Kampala has a technical institute and is the seat of Makerere University, which was founded in 1922 and became a university college in 1949 and a university in 1970; for many years it was the only such educational institution in East Africa. Kampala also has the Uganda Museum. The city is home to several mosques (including the white Kibuli Mosque), Hindu temples, and Christian churches (notably Namirembe Anglican Cathedral and Rubaga and St. Peter’s Roman Catholic cathedrals).

Participants
Fifty countries participated in the thirtieth edition of the contest: fifteen European countries (Belarus, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine), fifteen Asian countries (Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, China, Iran, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Palestine, South Korea, Syria, Thailand, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Vietnam), eleven American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Greenland, Mexico, Peru, United States of America, Uruguay, Venezuela), two Oceanian countries (Australia, Samoa) and seven African countries (Angola, Burkina Faso, Mali, Morocco, Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda).

In this edition Scotland participated for the first time.

Returning Artists
This edition featured no representatives who had performed previously as lead vocalists for a country in the contest.

Withdrawing Countries
These countries confirmed their non-participation in the thirtieth edition of the contest:

• Abkhazia – Abkhaz broadcaster Abkhazian State Television (ASTV) announced on the 4ᵗʰ August 2022 its withdrawal from the contest, despite the successful results achieved since their debut.

• American Samoa – American Samoa did not appear on the list of participants published on the 7ᵗʰ August 2022.

• Andorra – Ràdio i Televisió d'Andorra (RTVA) announced on the 2ⁿᵈ August 2022 that Andorra would withdraw from the competition, probably because of the poor results achieved since their debut.

• Austria – Austrian broadcaster Österreichischer Rundfunk (ORF) announced on the 3ʳᵈ August 2022 the country's withdrawal from the contest, due to a lack of interest from the Austrian public.

• Bhutan – Bhutan's broadcaster Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS) announced on the 3ʳᵈ August 2022 its withdrawal from the contest, after the disappointment from the results of their debut.

• British Virgin Islands – Caribbean Broadcast Network (CBN) announced the British Virgin Islands' withdrawal on the 5ᵗʰ August 2022.

• Cambodia – National Television of Kampuchea (TVK) announced on the 4ᵗʰ August 2022, that Cambodia would not participate in the thirtieth edition, citing debts and the ongoing financial issues.

• Canary Islands – Televisión Canaria (TVC) announced on the 7ᵗʰ August 2022 that a Canarian participation in the thirtieth edition of the contest would not be possible, without further explanations.

• Chile – Televisión Nacional de Chile (TVN) announced on the 5ᵗʰ August 2022 that its participation in the thirtieth edition of the contest would not be possible, probably because of the poor results in the last five participations.

• Cuba – Instituto Cubano de Radio y Televisión (ICRT) announced on the 6ᵗʰ August 2022 that Cuba would not take part in this edition of the contest, despite achieving their best result to date and their first qualification ever in the previous edition.

• Democratic Republic of the Congo – Democratic Republic of the Congo's broadcaster Radio-Télévision Nationale Congolaise (RTNC) announced on the 7ᵗʰ August 2022 its withdrawal from the contest, for unknown reasons.

• French Polynesia – French Polynesia's broadcaster Tahiti Nui Télévision (TNTV) confirmed on the 5ᵗʰ August 2022 that French Polynesia would withdraw from the competition, probably because of the poor results achieved in the previous editions.

• Germany – Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF) announced the country's withdrawal on the 1ˢᵗ August 2022.

• Guam – Guam's broadcaster Public Broadcasting Service Guam (PBS GUAM) announced on the 7ᵗʰ August 2022 its withdrawal from the contest, citing low ratings during their time in the contest.

• Honduras – Honduran broadcaster Televisión Nacional de Honduras (TNH) confirmed on the 7ᵗʰ August 2022 that it would not take part in the thirtieth edition of the contest.

• Iraq – Iraqi Media Network (IMN) announced on the 4ᵗʰ August 2022, that Iraq would not participate in the thirtieth edition, without providing further information.

• Jamaica – Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation (JBC) announced on the 6ᵗʰ August 2022 its withdrawal from the contest, due to a lack of interest from the Jamaican public.

• Kiribati – Broadcasting and Publications Authority (BPA) announced on the 7ᵗʰ August 2022 Kiribati's withdrawal from the contest, for unknown reasons.

• Kyrgyzstan – When submission period started, Kyrgyz broadcaster (KTRK) stated that they had yet to make a decision on their participation. Kyrgyzstan did not appear on the list of participants published on the 7ᵗʰ August 2022.

• Libya – Libyan broadcaster Libyan Radio and Television (LRT) announced on the 5ᵗʰ August 2022 that Libya would withdraw from the contest, due to a lack of interest from the Libyan public.

• Malaysia – Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) announced on the 3ʳᵈ August 2022, that Malaysia would withdraw from the contest, for unknown reasons.

• Malta – Malta's broadcaster Public Broadcasting Services (PBS) announced on the 1ˢᵗ August 2022, that Malta would not participate in the thirtieth edition, probably because of the poor results in the last four participations.

• Myanmar – Myanmar's broadcaster Myanmar Radio and Television (MRT) announced on the 5ᵗʰ August 2022 its withdrawal from the contest, due to a lack of interest from the Burmese public.

• New Zealand – Television New Zealand (TVNZ) announced on the 6ᵗʰ August 2022 that New Zealand's participation in the thirtieth edition of the contest would not be possible, without further explanations.

• Norfolk Island – Norfolk Island did not appear on the list of participants published on the 7ᵗʰ August 2022.

• North Korea – North Korean broadcaster (KCTV) announced on the 5ᵗʰ August 2022, that North Korea would withdraw from the contest after fourteen consecutive participations, despite placing 3ʳᵈ in the previous edition and achieving the nation's best result so far.

• Northern Mariana Islands – Northern Mariana Islands did not appear on the list of participants published on the 7ᵗʰ August 2022.

• Norway – While Norsk Rikskringkasting (NRK) had provisionally confirmed their participation in the contest on the 31ˢᵗ July 2022 and rumours about a possible representative, Norway later announced the withdrawal on the 2ⁿᵈ August 2022.

• Philippines – People's Television Network (PTV) announced on the 4ᵗʰ August 2022, that the Philippines would withdraw from the contest, for unknown reasons.

• Puerto Rico – Corpración de Puerto Rico para la Difusión Pública (CPRDP) announced Puerto Rico's withdrawal from the contest a couple of days after the confirmation period started, due to financial difficulties.

• Serbia – Radio-televizija Srbije (RTS) announced the country's withdrawal on the 1ˢᵗ August 2022.

• South Africa – South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) announced on the 4ᵗʰ August 2022 South Africa's withdrawal from the contest, citing low ratings during their time in the contest.

• South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands – South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands did not appear on the list of participants published on the 7ᵗʰ August 2022.

• Taiwan – Taiwan Television (TTV) announced on the 3ʳᵈ August 2022 its withdrawal from the contest, despite achieving the island nation's second-best result in the previous edition.

• United Kingdom – On the 2ⁿᵈ August 2022, it was announced that a representative from an unknown British broadcaster would be attending a meeting for this edition. A few days later it was confirmed that the United Kingdom would not take part in the special thirtieth edition of the contest. Scotland, a country that is part of the United Kingdom, competed.

• United States’ Virgin Islands – United States’ Virgin Islands did not appear on the list of participants published on the 7ᵗʰ August 2022.

Other Countries
• Barbados – On the 4ᵗʰ August 2022, the Barbadian broadcaster Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) announced that they were planning a debut in OMSC 30, after sending their own delegation to Belgrade to supervise and evaluate a future participation in the competition. Despite rumours about Nilüfer Yanya being a possible representative, on the 6ᵗʰ August 2022 it was confirmed that the insular nation would not debut in this edition of the contest.

• Botswana – On the 3ʳᵈ August 2022, rumours about a debut of Botswana in OMSC 30 arose. However, it was later confirmed that the country would not debut in this edition of the contest, denying the rumours spread.

• Nepal – On the 1ˢᵗ August 2022, the Nepalese broadcaster Nepal Television (NTV) announced that they were planning a debut again, in OMSC 30. However, it was later confirmed on the following day that the country would not debut in this edition of the contest either, due to bureaucratic issues.

• Panama – On the 1ˢᵗ August 2022, the Panamanian broadcaster Sistema Estatal de Radio y Televisión (SERT) announced that they were planning a debut again in OMSC 30, after their attempt in OMSC 20. However, it was confirmed later on that day that the country would not debut in this edition of the contest either.