OMSC 12

Online Music Song Contest 12, often referred to as OMSC 12, was the twelfth edition of Online Music Song Contest, held in Kraków, after Poland won the previous edition of the contest.

The Semi-Finals of OMSC 12 occured on the 18ᵗʰ April 2021 while the Final occured on the 25ᵗʰ April 2021. Forty-two* countries participated in the twelfth contest, under the slogan “Just Be Yourself!”.

Location
After it's victory in the previous edition, the broadcaster TVP chose to host the contest in the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland, Kraków. Kraków is situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Province and dates back to the 7ᵗʰ century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 and has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, economic, cultural and artistic life. Cited as one of Europe's most beautiful cities, its Old Town was declared the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in the world.

The city has grown from a Stone Age settlement to Poland's second-most-important city. It began as a hamlet on Wawel Hill and was reported as a busy trading centre of Central Europe in 965. With the establishment of new universities and cultural venues at the emergence of the Second Polish Republic in 1918 and throughout the 20ᵗʰ century, Kraków reaffirmed its role as a major national academic and artistic centre. The city has a population of about 780,000 with approximately 8,000,000 additional people living within a 100 kilometers radius of its main square.

After the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany at the start of World War II, the newly defined Distrikt Krakau (Kraków District) became the capital of Germany's General Government. The Jewish population of the city was forced into a walled zone known as the Kraków Ghetto, from which they were sent to German extermination camps such as the nearby Auschwitz, and the Nazi concentration camps like Płaszów. However, the city was spared from destruction and major bombing.

In 1978, Karol Wojtyła, archbishop of Kraków, was elevated to the papacy as Pope John Paul II, the first non-Italian pope in 455 years. Also that year, UNESCO approved Kraków's entire Old Town and historic centre as its first World Heritage List alongside Quito. Kraków is classified as a global city with the ranking of "high sufficiency" by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network. Its extensive cultural heritage across the epochs of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture includes the Wawel Cathedral and the Royal Castle on the banks of the Vistula, the Saint Mary's Basilica, Saints Peter and Paul Church and the largest medieval market square in Europe, the Rynek Główny. Kraków is home to Jagiellonian University, one of the oldest universities in the world and traditionally Poland's most reputable institution of higher learning.

Participants
Forty-two* countries participated in the twelfth edition of the contest: fifteen European countries (Åland Islands, Bulgaria, Crimea, Denmark, Germany, Moldova, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine), ten Asian countries (Armenia, Iraq, Israel, Japan, North Korea, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Uzbekistan, Vietnam), ten American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, United States of America, United States' Virgin Islands), five Oceanian countries (Australia, Micronesia, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Papua New Guinea) and two African countries (Ghana, Mali).

In this edition Ghana and North Macedonia participated for the first time.

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

Alexia Bosch represented Argentina in the third edition of the contest with her song "Tango" sung in English, which placed 7ᵗʰ out of 27 participating countries with 66 points. In this occasion, she represented Argentina again, with her song "Chemicals", sung again in English, trying to score an event better result!

Reol represented Japan in the eighth edition of the contest with her song "Phantome (ゆーれいずみー)" sung in Japanese, which placed 6ᵗʰ out of 37 participating countries with 103 points. In this occasion, she represented Japan again, with her song "Give Me A Break Stop Now (ギミアブレスタッナウ)", sung again in Japanese, trying to score an event better result!

Sanah represented Poland in the tenth edition of the contest, with her song "Duszki" sung in Polish, which placed 2ⁿᵈ out of 46 participating countries with 129 points. In this occasion, she represented Poland again, with her song "2:00", again in Polish, trying to score an event better result and win on home soil!

National Selections
Armenia, Chile, Micronesia, Moldova, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Romania, Ukraine and the United States' Virgin Islands used a National Selection to determine the country's representative for OMSC 12.

The Star of Armenia (OMSC 12)
Main article: The Star of Armenia (OMSC 12)

Chile's Festival (OMSC 12)
Main article: Chile's Festival (OMSC 12)

Out In The Sea (OMSC 12)
Main article: Out In The Sea (OMSC 12)

Moldova's Choice (OMSC 12)
Main article: Moldova's Choice (OMSC 12)

Kanta ng Pilipinas (OMSC 12)
Main article: Kanta ng Pilipinas (OMSC 12)

Selección de la Canción Puertorriqueña (OMSC 12)
Main article: Selección de la Canción Puertorriqueña (OMSC 12)

Selecția Națională (OMSC 12)
Main article: Selecția Națională (OMSC 12)

Шлях України до ОМSC (OMSC 12)
Main article: Шлях України до ОМSC (OMSC 12)

Virgin National Final (OMSC 12)
Main article: Virgin National Final (OMSC 12)

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