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-six countries participated in the tenth contest, under the slogan “Feel The Rhythm!”.

Sweden won the contest with the song "Mermaid" receving a total of 131 points. Poland finished in second place, with Norway finishing in third place. They were followed by Uzbekistan, which reached the fourth place and Guam which reached the fifth place.

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-six countries participated in the tenth edition of the contest: ten European countries (France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Sweden, United Kingdom), ten Asian countries (Iraq, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Uzbekistan, Vietnam), seven American countries (Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, United States of America, United States' Virgin Islands), nine Oceanian countries (Australia, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa) and ten African countries (Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Republic of the Congo, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe).

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

Returning Artists
This edition featured eleven 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, placing 33ʳᵈ with 50 without unfortunately qualifying for the final.

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, placing 15ᵗʰ with 64 points.

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, placing 14ᵗʰ with 65 points.

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, placing 11ᵗʰ with 71 points.

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, placing 25ᵗʰ with 42 points.

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, placing 25ᵗʰ with 42 points.

Cardi B represented the Dominican Republic in the previous edition of the contest with her song "Press" sung in English, which didn't make it to the final and placed 36ᵗʰ out of 46 participating countries with 49 points. In this occasion, she represented again the Dominican Republic with her song "Up", sung again in English, placing 44ᵗʰ with 15.5 points without unfortunately qualifying for the final.

IZ*ONE represented Japan in the previous edition of the contest with their song "Violeta" sung in Korean, which placed 6ᵗʰ out of 46 participating countries with 102 points, scoring the Japan's best result to date. In this occasion, they represented South Korea, together with Soyou and pH-1, with the song "Zero: Attitude", sung in English and Korean, placing 43ʳᵈ with 17 points without unfortunately qualifying for the final.

KeshYou represented Kazakhstan at its debut in the second edition of the contest. They performed their song "Armandaymın (Армандаймын)", sung entirely in Kazakh, which placed 6ᵗʰ out of 14 participating countries with 64 points, scoring Kazakhstan's best result to date. In this occasion, they represented Kazakhstan again, together with Baller, with the song "Swala La La", again in Kazakh, placing 16ᵗʰ with 56 points.

Chungha represented host nation South Korea in the fifth edition of the contest, after she won the South Korean national selection Korea's Choice (OMSC 5). She performed her song "Play", sung in English and Korean, which placed 7ᵗʰ out of 29 participating countries with 53 points. In this occasion, she represented North Korea with her song "Bicycle", again in English and Korean, placing 21ˢᵗ with 44 points.

Gawaher represented Sudan at its debut in the previous edition of the contest with her song "El Saaah Seta (الساعة ستة)" sung entirely in Arabic, which placed 5ᵗʰ out of 46 participating countries with 102 points, scoring Sudan's best result to date. In this occasion, she represented Sudan again with her song "Gawezohaloh (جوزهالوا)", sung again entirely in Arabic, placing 20ᵗʰ with 44 points.

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 (OMSC 10)
Main article: Selecția Națională (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 tenth edition of the contest:

• Afghanistan – Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA) announced on the 23ʳᵈ February 2021, that Afghanistan would withdraw from the contest for unknown reasons.

• Algeria – While Établissement Public de Télévision (EPTV), had provisionally confirmed their participation in the contest, on the 21ˢᵗ February 2021, Algeria announced its withdrawal from the contest for unknown reasons.

• 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.

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

• Chile – While Televisión Nacional de Chile (TVN), had provisionally confirmed their participation in the contest, on the 21ˢᵗ February 2021, Chile announced its 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.

• 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 announed its withdrawal from the competition on the 23ʳᵈ February 2021, despite scoring a very good result in the previous edition.

• Netherlands – 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.

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

• Thailand – Thailand announced on the 23ʳᵈ February 2021, that Thailand would withdraw from the contest for unknown reasons.

• 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.

Incidents
• Sudan – On the 21ˢᵗ February 2021, ERT called a meeting with the executive supervisor of the contest, PelotoMagic, warning that sudanese representative Gawaher couldn't represent the nation in Heraklion, Greece. That was due to violations of some of the rules of the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation which was made in light of Gawaher's previous success in OMSC 9, and to preserve a serious world music competition. It was announced therefore, that this edition will have many changes, some of which concerning the artist and song rules. Sudan National Broadcasting Corporation (SNBC) contested the statements and after a few days, on the 24ᵗʰ February 2021, a referendum was held to decide whether the artist could represent or not the country in this edition of the contest. On the 25ᵗʰ February 2021 the results were announced with 46% of the voters in favour and 36% of the voters against. There was also 18% of the voters who abstained. On the same day was announced officially that Sudan will take part with Gawaher being again their representative.