OMSC 22

Online Music Song Contest 22, often referred to as OMSC 22, was the twenty-second edition of Online Music Song Contest, held in Vancouver, after Canada won the previous edition of the contest.

The Pre-Qualification Round of OMSC 22 occured on the 2ⁿᵈ January 2022, the Semi-Finals on the 9ᵗʰ January 2022 while the Final occured on the 16ᵗʰ January 2022. Fifty countries participated in the twenty-second contest, under the slogan “Feel The Cold!”.

Bolivia won the contest with the song "Rumba", sung both in Russian and Spanish, receving a total of 224 points. The United States of America finished in second place with a margin of forty-three points from the winner, while Belarus finished in third place. They were followed by Denmark, which reached the fourth place and Latvia which reached the fifth place.

Location
After it's victory in the previous edition, the broadcaster CBC chose to host the contest in the third-largest metropolis of Canada, Vancouver. It has a population of over 2,200,000 inhabitants. It is located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. The North Shore Mountains dominate the cityscape, and on a clear day, scenic vistas include the snow-capped volcano Mount Baker in the state of Washington to the southeast, Vancouver Island across the Strait of Georgia to the west and southwest, and Bowen Island to the northwest. Vancouver is one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities in Canada. Vancouver is one of the most livable cities in Canada and in the world. In terms of housing affordability, Vancouver is also one of the most expensive cities in Canada and in the world.

Indigenous settlement of Vancouver began more than 10,000 years ago, and the city is on the traditional and unceded territories of the Squamish, Musqueam, and Tsleil-Waututh peoples. The beginnings of the modern city, which was originally named Gastown, grew around the site of a makeshift tavern on the western edges of Hastings Mill that was built on the 1ˢᵗ July 1867, and owned by proprietor Gassy Jack. The original site is marked by the Gastown steam clock. The city was renamed “Vancouver” in 1886, through a deal with the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). The Canadian Pacific transcontinental railway was extended to the city by 1887. The city's large natural seaport on the Pacific Ocean became a vital link in the trade between Asia-Pacific, East Asia, Europe, and Eastern Canada.

The dominance of the economy by big business was accompanied by an often militant labour movement. The first major sympathy strike was in 1903 when railway employees struck against the CPR for union recognition. The rise of industrial tensions throughout the province led to Canada's first general strike in 1918, at the Cumberland coal mines on Vancouver Island. Following a lull in the 1920s, the strike wave peaked in 1935 when unemployed men flooded the city to protest conditions in the relief camps run by the military in remote areas throughout the province but their protest was put down by force. Other social movements, such as the first-wave feminist, moral reform, and temperance movements were also instrumental in Vancouver's development.

Nowadays Vancouver is the industrial, commercial, and financial heart of British Columbia, with trade and transportation as basic components of its economy. Its ice-free deepwater port, Canada’s largest, has extensive docks and grain elevator facilities; it handles freighters, a fishing fleet, and some ferries. Major cargoes include bulk commodities (grain, coal, sulfur, potash, and petrochemicals), forest products, steel, and containers. It is also the fourth-largest port by tonnage in the Americas, the busiest and largest in Canada, and the most diversified port in North America. It's an important port for cruise ships, with Alaska as their most common destination. While forestry remains its largest industry, Vancouver is well known as an urban centre surrounded by nature, making tourism its second-largest industry. Major film production studios in Vancouver and nearby Burnaby have turned Greater Vancouver and nearby areas into one of the largest film production centres in North America, earning it the nickname "Hollywood North". In recent years Vancouver has hosted many international conferences and events, including the 1954 Commonwealth Games, the World Police and Fire Games in 1989 and 2009; several matches of 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics which were held in Vancouver In 1969, Greenpeace was founded in Vancouver. The city became the permanent home to TED conferences in 2014.

Participants
Fifty countries participated in the twenty-second edition of the contest: fifteen European countries (Åland Islands, Albania, Belarus, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Latvia, Malta, Norway, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom), fifteen Asian countries (Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Malaysia, North Korea, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates), ten American countries (Argentina, Aruba, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, El Salvador, Greenland, Mexico, Puerto Rico, United States of America), six Oceanian countries (American Samoa, Australia, French Polynesia, Micronesia, New Caledonia, New Zealand) and four African countries (Canary Islands, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Uganda).

In this edition Cambodia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, El Salvador, Latvia, New Caledonia and the United Arab Emirates participated for the first time.

Returning Artists
This edition featured fifteen representatives who had performed previously as lead vocalists for a country in the contest.

Yseult represented French Polynesia at its debut in the eighth edition of the contest with her song "Corps", sung entirely in French, which unfortunately didn't make it to the final, placing 33ʳᵈ out of 37 participating countries with 44 points. In this occasion, she represented French Polynesia again with her song "Rodéo", again in French, placing 14ᵗʰ with 73 points.

MØ represented Denmark in the first edition of the contest with the song "Kamikaze", sung in English, which placed 15ᵗʰ out of 18 participating countries with 45 points. She returned to the contest after two editions, for the Faroe Islands, with her song "Final Song", which placed 13ᵗʰ out of 27 participating countries with 53 points. In this occasion, she was selected one last time, this time to represent Denmark again. The song she performed this time was "Blur", sung also in English, placing 4ᵗʰ with 125 points.

Luísa Sonza represented Brazil in the fifth edition of the contest with her song "Boa Menina", sung entirely in Portuguese, which placed 16ᵗʰ out of 29 participating countries with 34 points. In this occasion, she represented Brazil again with her song "Penhasco", again in Portuguese, placing 34ᵗʰ with 77 points, without unfortunately qualifying for the final.

Agnes represented Sweden at its previous appearence in the contest, in the eighteenth edition. She performed her song "Twenty-Four Hours", sung in English, which placed 4ᵗʰ out of 50 participating countries with 112 points, achieving Sweden's second best result so far. In this occasion she represented Sweden again, with her song "Fingers Crossed", placing 11ᵗʰ with 86 points.

TRI.BE represented Japan in the eighteenth edition of the contest with their song "Loro", sung in English and Korean, which made it to the final and placed 23ʳᵈ out of 50 participating countries with 32 points. In this occasion, the group represented Taiwan, with their song "Would You Run", again in English and Korean, placing 40ᵗʰ with 61 points, in the semi-final.

Aurora represented Norway at its second appearence in the contest, in the ninth edition. She performed her song "Runaway", sung in English, which placed 9ᵗʰ out of 46 participating countries with 97 points. In this occasion she represented Norway again, with her song "Cure For Me", placing 21ˢᵗ with 64 points.

Michelle Andrade represented Crimea at its last appearence in the contest, in the twelfth edition. She performed her song "Mirror", which unfortunately didn't make it to the final, placing 40ᵗʰ out of 44 participating countries with 34 points in the semi-final. In this occasion, she represented Bolivia with her song "Rumba", sung both in Russian and Spanish, who won the contest with 224 points, the highest score ever achieved in a final.

Winona Oak represented Sweden at its third appearence, in the seventh edition of the contest with her song "Piano In The Sky". The song, sung in English, placed 13ᵗʰ out of 33 participating countries with 69 points. In this occasion, she represented the Åland Islands with her song "Winter Rain", placing 13ᵗʰ again, with 78 points.

Marina represented Greece in the tenth edition of the contest, on home soil after Evangelia won the contest in the previous edition. Marina performed her song "To Be Human", which placed 9ᵗʰ out of 46 participating countries with 82 points. In the fifteenth edition she was chosen to represent Fiji with her song "Venus Fly Trap", which placed 21ˢᵗ out of 50 participanting countries with 44 points. In this occasion, she was selected one last time, to represent Greece again. This time she performed her song "Man's World", placing 17ᵗʰ with 67 points.

Froukje represented Aruba at its previous appearence in the contest, in the twentieth edition. She performed her song "Niets Tussen" sung entirely in Dutch, which placed 31ˢᵗ out of 50 participating countries with 71 points, without qualifying for the final. In this occasion, she was selected to represent Aruba again, this time with her song "Licht En Donker", sung also entirely in Dutch, placing 37ᵗʰ with 63 points, without unfortunately qualifying for the final.

EVERGLOW represented South Korea in the fifteenth edition of the contest with the song "First", sung in English and Korean, which unfortunately didn't place 1ˢᵗ. It placed 3ʳᵈ out of 50 participating countries with 111 points. In this occasion, the girl group represented China, with the song "Pirate", again in English and Korean, placing 45ᵗʰ with 187 points, in the pre-qualification round.

Dara represented Bulgaria at its third appearence in the contest, in the fifteenth edition. She performed as soloist her song "K’vo Ne Chu (К’во Не Чу)", sung entirely in Bulgarian, which placed 15ᵗʰ out of 50 participating countries with 71 points. In this occasion she was chosen to represent Bulgaria again, with her song "Ela Ela (Ела Ела)", sung again entirely in Bulgarian, placing 24ᵗʰ with 50 points.

Tini represented Argentina in the previous edition of the contest, together with Karol G. She performed the song "Princesa", sung entirely in Spanish, which unfortunately didn't make it to the final, placing 45ᵗʰ out of 50 participating countries with 145 points, in the pre-qualification round. In this occasion, she represented Argentina again, together with Jonas Blue, also returning this edition. She performed the song "Wild", sung both in English and Spanish, placing 22ⁿᵈ with 62 points.

Jonas Blue represented Sint Maarten at its debut in the third edition of the contest, together with Tiësto and Rita Ora. He performed the song "Ritual", sung in English, which made it to the final and placed 3ʳᵈ out of 27 participating countries with 71 points. In this occasion, he represented Argentina together with Tini, also returning this edition. He performed the song "Wild", sung both in English and Spanish, placing 22ⁿᵈ with 62 points.

CLC represented South Korea in the eighth edition of the contest with the song "Helicopter", sung in English and Korean, which placed 4ᵗʰ out of 37 participating countries with 106 points. In this occasion, the girl group represented North Korea, with the song "Me", again in English and Korean, placing 41ˢᵗ with 47.5 points.

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

• Armenia – Hayastani Hanrayin Herrustaynkerut'yun (ARMTV) announced on the 20ᵗʰ December 2021 that Armenia would not participate in the twenty-second edition of the contest.

• Cape Verde – Cape Verdean broadcaster Radiotelevisão Caboverdiana (RTC) confirmed on the 26ᵗʰ December 2021 that Cape Verde would not take part in the twenty-second edition of the contest.

• Cocos Islands – Cocos Islands did not appear on the list of participants published on the 26ᵗʰ December 2021.

• Colombia – Radio Televisión Nacional de Colombia (RTVC) announced on the 26ᵗʰ December 2021 that its participation in the twenty-second edition of the contest would not be possible, without further explanation.

• Curaçao – Curaçao did not appear on the list of participants published on the 26ᵗʰ December 2021.

• Cyprus – Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC) announced on the 19ᵗʰ December 2021 the country's withdrawal from the contest, for unknown reasons.

• Equatorial Guinea – Televisión de Guinea Ecuatorial (TVGE) announced on the 26ᵗʰ December 2021, that Chile would not participate in the twenty-second edition, citing debts and the ongoing financial issues.

• Estonia – Estonian broadcaster Eesti Rahvusringhääling (ERR) announced on the 19ᵗʰ December 2021 that Estonia's participation in the twenty-second edition of the contest would not be possible, despite achieving a good result and their best result to date in the previous edition.

• France – French broadcaster France Télévisions announced on the 19ᵗʰ December 2021 its withdrawal from the contest, without further explanations.

• Guam – Guam's broadcaster Public Broadcasting Service Guam (PBS GUAM) announced on the 26ᵗʰ December 2021 its withdrawal from the contest, citing low ratings during their time in the contest.

• Iran – Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) announced the withdrawal a few days after the confirmations opened, for unknown reasons.

• Italy – While Radio Televisione Italiana (RAI), had provisionally confirmed their participation in the contest, on the 19ᵗʰ December 2021, Italy announced its withdrawal from the contest for unknown reasons.

• Kiribati – Kiribati broadcaster Broadcasting and Publications Authority (BPA) announced on the 26ᵗʰ December 2021, that Kiribati would not participate in the twenty-second edition of the contest.

• Kyrgyzstan – Kyrgyz broadcaster (KTRK) announced on the 20ᵗʰ December 2021, that Kyrgyzstan would not participate in the twenty-second edition, for unknown reasons.

• Liechtenstein – Fürstentum Liechtenstein Television (FLTV) announced on the 19ᵗʰ December 2021, that Liechtenstein would not participate in the twenty-second edition, probably because of the poor results in the previous editions.

• Luxembourg – Luxembourgish broadcaster Télé Lëtzebuerg (RTL) confirmed on the 19ᵗʰ December 2021 that Luxembourg would not take part in the twenty-second edition of the contest.

• Marshall Islands – Marshall Islands did not appear on the list of participants published on the 26ᵗʰ December 2021.

• Mayotte – Mahoran broadcaster Nouvelle Radio Jeune Mayotte (NRJ) announced the country's withdrawal right after the final, after the disappointment from the results of their debut.

• Moldova – Moldova's broadcaster Moldovan broadcaster Teleradio-Moldova (TRM) announced on the 19ᵗʰ December 2021, that Moldova would not participate in the twenty-second edition, probably because of the poor results in the last three participations.

• Palau – Palau did not appear on the list of participants published on the 26ᵗʰ December 2021.

• Palestine – Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) announced the country's withdrawal on the 20ᵗʰ December 2021, because of financial difficulties.

• Poland – While Telewizja Polska (TVP) had provisionally confirmed their participation in the contest, it was later announced that Poland would withdraw from the contest, despite achieving good results in the previous editions.

• Réunion – Réunion La Première announced on the 26ᵗʰ December 2021 Réunion's withdrawal from the contest, due to a lack of interest from the Réunionese public and citing low ratings during their time in the contest.

• San Marino – San Marino's broadcaster (SMRTV) announced on the 19ᵗʰ December 2021, that San Marino would not participate in the twenty-second edition of the contest, probably after previous edition's disappointing placement.

• Turkmenistan – Turkmenistan's broadcaster (TTV) announced on the 20ᵗʰ December 2021, that Turkmenistan would not participate in the twenty-second edition of the contest.

• Ukraine – When submission period started, Ukrainian broadcaster Nacional'na Suspilʹna Teleradiokompanija Ukraïny (UA:PBC) stated that they had yet to make a decision on their participation. Ukraine later confirmed its withdrawal on the 26ᵗʰ December 2021.

Other Countries
• Benin – On the 20ᵗʰ December 2021, Benin's broadcaster Office de Radiodiffusion et Télévision du Bénin (ORTB) announced that the nation had interest in the competition and was planning a debut in OMSC 22. However, it was later confirmed on the 23ʳᵈ December 2021 that the country would not debut in this edition of the contest.