OMSC 10

Online Music Song Contest 10, often referred to as OMSC 10 or OMSC X, was the tenth edition of Online Music Song Contest, held in Heraklion, Greece.

The Semi-Finals of OMSC 10 occured on the 7ᵗʰ March 2021 while the Final occured on the 14ᵗʰ March 2021. Fourty-one* countries participated in the tenth contest, under the slogan “Feel The Rhythm!”.

Location
After it's victory in the previous edition, the broadcaster ERT chose to host the contest in Heraklion, Greece. Heraklion is the largest city and the administrative capital of the Island of Crete and capital of Heraklion regional unit. It is the fourth largest city in Greece with a population of over 200,000 inhabitants.

Heraklion is close to the ruins of the palace of Knossos, which in Minoan times was the largest centre of population on Crete. Knossos had a port at the site of Heraklion from the beginning of Early Minoan period. Between 1600 BC and 1525 BC, the port was destroyed by a volcanic tsunami from nearby Santorini, leveling the region and covering it with ash.

After the fall of the Minoans, Heraklion, as well as the rest of Crete in general, fared poorly, with very little development in the area. Only with the arrival of the Romans did some construction in the area begin, yet especially early into Byzantine times the area was abound with pirates and bandits.

The present city of Heraklion was founded in 824 by the Arabs under Abu Hafs Umar who had been expelled from Al-Andalus by Emir Al-Hakam I and had taken over the island from the Eastern Roman Empire. They built a moat around the city for protection, and named the city "Rabḍ Al-Ḫandaq which means "Castle of the Moat". It became the capital of the Emirate of Crete. The Saracens allowed the port to be used as a safe haven for pirates who operated against Imperial Byzantine shipping and raided its territory around the Aegean.

In 1204, the city was bought by the Republic of Venice as part of a complicated political deal which involved, among other things, the Crusaders of the Fourth Crusade restoring the deposed Eastern Roman Emperor Isaac II Angelus to his throne. The Venetians improved on the ditch of the city by building enormous fortifications, most of which are still in place, including a giant wall and a fortress in the harbour. Chandax was renamed Candia and became the seat of the Duke of Candia, and the Venetian administrative district of Crete became known as "Regno di Candia" (Kingdom of Candia). The city retained the name of Candia for centuries and the same name was often used to refer to the whole island of Crete as well. To secure their rule, Venetians began in 1212 to settle families from Venice on Crete. The coexistence of two different cultures and the stimulus of Italian Renaissance led to a flourishing of letters and the arts in Candia and Crete in general, that is today known as the Cretan Renaissance.

During the Cretan War, the Ottomans besieged the city for 21 years, from 1648 to 1669, perhaps the longest siege in history. The Ottoman army under an Albanian grand vizier, Köprülü Fazıl Ahmed Pasha conquered the city in 1669. Under the Ottomans, Kandiye was the capital of Crete (Girit Eyâleti) until 1849, when Chania (Hanya) became the capital. During the Ottoman period, the harbour silted up, so most shipping shifted to Chania in the west of the island.

In 1898, the autonomous Cretan State was created, under Ottoman suzerainty, with Prince George of Greece as its High Commissioner and under international supervision. During the period of direct occupation of the island by the Great Powers, Candia was part of the British zone. At this time, the city was renamed "Heraklion", after the Roman port of Heracleum, whose exact location is unknown. In 1913, with the rest of Crete, Heraklion was incorporated into the Kingdom of Greece. Heraklion became again capital of Crete in 1971, replacing Chania.

Nowadays, Heraklion has a new harbour with moles, an airport, and several hotels to serve the tourist trade. Among the port’s principal exports are grapes, olives and olive oil, wine, carobs, citrus, almonds, and vegetables. A modern museum contains one on the finest collections of Minoan antiquities in Greece.

Participants
Fourty-one* countries participated in the tenth edition of the contest: ten European countries (France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Sweden, United Kingdom), eight Asian countries (Iraq, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Singapore, South Korea, Uzbekistan, Vietnam), six American countries (Canada, Chile, Mexico, Puerto Rico, United States of America, United States' Virgin Islands), seven Oceanian countries (Australia, Guam, Kiribati, Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea) and ten African countries (Algeria, Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe).

In this edition Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Nauru, Uganda and Zambia participated for the first time.

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

Britney Spears represented Papua New Guinea in the previous edition of the contest with her song "Criminal" sung in English, which didn't make it to the final and placed 35ᵗʰ out of 46 participating countries with 50 points. In this occasion, she represented United States' Virgin Islands with her song "Till The World Ends", sung again in English, trying to achieve a better result!

Mimoza represented Kosovo at its only participation in the third edition of the contest. She performed her song "Love For Days", sung in English, which placed 5ᵗʰ out of 27 participating countries with 68 points. In this occasion, she represented Germany, with her song "Young Queen", again in English, trying to achieve an even better result!

Faouzia represented Canada in the third edition of the contest with her song "Tears Of Gold" sung in English, which placed 2ⁿᵈ out of 27 participating countries with 77 points, achieving the best result for Canada so far. She also represented Morocco in the sixth edition of the contest with her song "The Road" sung in English, which placed 18ᵗʰ out of 27 participating countries with 33.5 points. In this occasion she was selected internally to represent Morocco again, with her song "This Mountain", again in English, trying to achieve Morocco's best result!

Madison Beer represented Guam in the eighth edition of the contest. She performed her song "Selfish", sung in English, which didn't make it to the final and placed 24ᵗʰ out of 37 participating countries with 76 points. In this occasion, she represented the United Kingdom, together with Jax Jones and Martin Solveig, with the song "All Day And Night", again in English, trying to achieve an even better result!

Naaz represented the Netherlands in the sixth edition of the contest with her song "Taped" sung in English, which placed 9ᵗʰ out of 27 participating countries with 69 points. In this occasion, she represented Iraq, together with Yellow Claw, also returning artists, and Flux Pavilion, with the song "Catch Me", sung again in English, trying to achieve a better result!

Yellow Claw represented Pakistan at its only participation in the fourth edition of the contest, together with Krewella and VaVa. They performed the song "New World", sung in Chinese and English, which didn't make it to the final and placed 23ʳᵈ out of 38 participating countries with 67 points. In this occasion, they represented Iraq, together with Naaz, also returning artist, and Flux Pavilion, with the song "Catch Me", sung only in English, trying to achieve a better result!

National Selections
Micronesia, Nauru, Puerto Rico, Romania, Sweden and Uganda used a National Selection to determine the country's representative for OMSC 10.

Out In The Sea (OMSC 10)
Main article: Out In The Sea (OMSC 10)

Nauru's Choice (OMSC 10)
Main article: Nauru's Choice (OMSC 10)

Selección de la Canción Puertorriqueña (OMSC 10)
Main article: Selección de la Canción Puertorriqueña (OMSC 10)

Selecția Națională... But Overused (OMSC 10)
Main article: Selecția Națională... But Overused (OMSC 10)

SkottFestivalen (OMSC 10)
Main article: SkottFestivalen (OMSC 10)

Ugandan Music Festival (OMSC 10)
Main article: Ugandan Music Festival (OMSC 10)

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

• Afghanistan – Afghanistan did not appear on the list of participants published on the 28ᵗʰ February 2021.

• Angola – Televisão Pública de Angola (TPA) announced on the 21ˢᵗ February 2021, that Angola would withdraw from the contest for unknown reasons.

• Aruba – Aruba did not appear on the list of participants published on the 28ᵗʰ February 2021, probably because of the poor results in the previous edition.

• British Virgin Islands – British Virgin Islands did not appear on the list of participants published on the 28ᵗʰ February 2021.

• Canary Islands – Televisión Canaria (TVC) announced on the 21ˢᵗ February 2021 the country's withdrawal from the contest, for unknown reasons.

• China – China did not appear on the list of participants published on the 28ᵗʰ February 2021.

• Colombia – Colombia did not appear on the list of participants published on the 28ᵗʰ February 2021, probably because of the poor results in the previous edition.

• Crimea – Crimea announced on the 20ᵗʰ February 2021 that its participation in the tenth edition of the contest would not be possible.

• Curaçao – Curaçao did not appear on the list of participants published on the 28ᵗʰ February 2021.

• Dominican Republic – Dominican Republic did not appear on the list of participants published on the 28ᵗʰ February 2021.

• Egypt – Egyptian Radio and Television Union (ERTU) announced on the 21ˢᵗ February 2021, that Egypt would withdraw from the contest for unknown reasons.

• Ethiopia – Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) announced on the 21ˢᵗ February 2021 the country's withdrawal from the contest, for unknown reasons.

• Gibraltar – Gibraltar's broadcaster Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) announced on the 20ᵗʰ February 2021 its withdrawal from the contest, for unknown reasons.

• Kenya – Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) announced on the 21ˢᵗ February 2021, that Kenya would withdraw from the contest for unknown reasons.

• Malaysia – Malaysia did not appear on the list of participants published on the 28ᵗʰ February 2021, despite scoring a very good result in the previous edition.

• Gibraltar – Dutch broadcaster Netherlands Public Broadcasting (NPO) announced on the 20ᵗʰ February 2021 its withdrawal from the contest, for unknown reasons.

• Nigeria – Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) announced on the 21ˢᵗ February 2021 the country's withdrawal from the contest.

• Norfolk Island – Norfolk Island did not appear on the list of participants published on the 28ᵗʰ February 2021.

• North Korea – North Korea did not appear on the list of participants published on the 28ᵗʰ February 2021, probably because of the poor results in the previous edition.

• Northern Mariana Islands - Northern Mariana Islands did not appear on the list of participants published on the 28ᵗʰ February 2021.

• Samoa – Samoa did not appear on the list of participants published on the 28ᵗʰ February 2021, probably because of the poor results in the previous edition.

• Thailand – Thailand did not appear on the list of participants published on the 28ᵗʰ February 2021.

• Ukraine – Ukrainian broadcaster UA:PBC announced on the 20ᵗʰ February 2021 its withdrawal from the contest, despite scoring a very good result in the previous edition.

Other Countries
• Laos – On the 20ᵗʰ February 2021, the Lao broadcaster Lao National Television (LNTV) announced that they were planning a debut in OMSC 10. However, it was later confirmed on the following that the country would not debut in this edition of the contest.