OMSC 34

Online Music Song Contest 34, often referred to as OMSC 34, was the thirty-fourth edition of Online Music Song Contest, held in Buffalo, after the United States of America won the previous edition of the contest.

The Pre-Qualification Round of OMSC 34 occured on the 4ᵗʰ December 2022, the Semi-Finals on the 11ᵗʰ December 2022 while the Final occured on the 18ᵗʰ December 2022. Fifty countries participated in the thirty-fourth contest, under the slogan “Fighting For A Feeling!”.

Fiji won the contest with the song "Stained Glass Love", sung in English, receving a total of 168 points. Israel finished in second place with a margin of thirty-eight points from the winner, while Belgium finished in third place. They were followed by Kazakhstan, which reached the fourth place and Finland which reached the fifth place.

Location
After it’s victory in the previous edition, the broadcaster ABC chose to host the contest in Buffalo, the second-largest city in the state of New York, behind New York City. It has a population of 275,000 inhabitants and it is located in Western New York, at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, near the United States border with Canada.

Before the 17ᵗʰ century, the region was inhabited by nomadic Paleo-Indians who were succeeded by the Neutral, Erie, and Iroquois nations from the 8ᵗʰ millennium BC. The Woodland period began around 1000 BC, marked by the rise of the Iroquois Confederacy and the spread of its tribes throughout the state.

In the early 17ᵗʰ century, the French began to explore the region and Jesuit missionaries were the first to visit the area in 1620. The tribes used animal and war paths to travel and move goods across what today is New York State. Native Americans did not settle along Buffalo Creek permanently until 1780, when displaced Senecas were relocated from Fort Niagara. In the 18ᵗʰ century, Iroquois land surrounding Buffalo Creek was ceded through the Holland Land Purchase, and a small village was established at its headwaters: it was named after Buffalo Creek. After the French and Indian War, the region was ruled by Britain. After the American Revolution, the Province of New York began westward expansion, looking for arable land by following the Iroquois. Permanent white settlers along the creek were prisoners captured during the Revolutionary War. In 1825, after its harbor was improved, Buffalo was selected as the terminus of the Erie Canal, which stimulated its growth as the primary inland port between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean. Transshipment made Buffalo the world's largest grain port of that era. Railroads greatly reduced the canal's importance, the city became the second-largest railway hub. During the mid-19ᵗʰ century, Buffalo transitioned to manufacturing, which came to be dominated by steel production.

At the start of the 20ᵗʰ century, Buffalo was the world's leading grain port and a national flour-milling hub. Buffalo hosted the 1901 Pan-American Exposition after the Spanish–American War. The Great Depression saw severe unemployment, especially among the working class. During World War II, Buffalo regained its manufacturing strength as military contracts enabled the city to manufacture steel, chemicals, aircraft, trucks and ammunition.

Nowadays, Buffalo developed service industries, such as health care, retail, tourism, logistics, and education, while retaining some manufacturing. The city's cultural landmarks include the oldest urban parks system in the United States and several annual festivals. Its educational institutions include the University of Buffalo and Buffalo State College. Buffalo is also known for its winter weather, Buffalo wings, and two major-league sports teams: the National Football League's Buffalo Bills and the National Hockey League's Buffalo Sabres.

Participants
Fifty countries participated in the thirty-fourth edition of the contest: fifteen European countries (Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Romania, San Marino, Spain, Sweden), twelve Asian countries (Armenia, China, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea), eight American countries (Argentina, Canada, Ecuador, Honduras, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, United States of America, United States’ Virgin Islands), six Oceanian countries (American Samoa, Australia, Cocos Islands, Fiji, Guam, New Zealand) and nine African countries (Algeria, Canary Islands, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Lesotho, Morocco, Nigeria, Tunisia).

In this edition Gabon participated for the first time.

Other Countries
• Bahamas – On the 22ⁿᵈ November 2022, the Bahamian broadcaster Broadcasting Corporation of the Bahamas (BCB) announced that they were planning a debut in OMSC 34. However, it was later confirmed on the same day that the island nation would not debut in this edition of the contest.

• Guinea-Bissau On the 24ᵗʰ October 2022, the Belizean broadcaster Great Belize Television (GBT) announced that they were planning a debut in OMSC 33, after sending their own delegation to León to supervise and evaluate a future participation in the competition. Despite rumours about ?? being a possible representative, on the 28ᵗʰ October 2022 it was confirmed that Belize would not debut in this edition of the contest.

• Isle of Man – On the 24ᵗʰ November 2022, the the Isle of Man's broadcaster Manx Radio announced that they were planning a debut again in OMSC 34, after their previous attempts in OMSC 28 and OMSC 29. However, it was confirmed later on that day that the country would not debut in this edition of the contest either.

• Northern Ireland On the 28ᵗʰ October 2022, rumours about a Gabonese debut in OMSC 33 arose. However, it was later confirmed by Radio Télévision Gabonaise (RTG) that the country would not debut in this edition of the contest denying the rumours spread.