American Song Contest is an all-live music competition series hosted by Snoop Dogg and Kelly Clarkson. The series is based on the worldwide phenomenon Eurovision Song Contest. The U.S. version will feature 56 artists representing the 50 states, five U.S. territories, and our nation’s capital. They will compete to win the country’s vote for the best hit song.
The March 21 episode will debut the first 11 cast members of American Song Contest. From iconic singers like Michael Bolton to rising stars like Kelsey Lamb, these artists are battling it out on the American Song Contest stage. Get to know the first 11 contestants.
Michael Bolton (Connecticut)
Everyone knows Michael Bolton! He is a multiple Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter from New Haven, Connecticut. He’s sold more than 65 million records around the globe. He’s also won six American Music Awards and has three Emmy nominations. His hit songs include “When A Man Loves a Woman,” “How Am I Supposed To Live Without You,” “Go The Distance,” and more. He now resides in Westport, Connecticut.
Keyone Starr (Mississippi)
Keyone Starr hails from Jackson, Mississippi. She’s the daughter of a Mississippi preacher and a Grammy Award-nominated singer, songwriter, and producer. Her performance of the single “I Can’t Lose” was featured on Mark Ronson’s Uptown Special album and landed in the Billboard Top 20 chart. Keyone now lives in Duluth, Georgia.
Ryan Charles (Wyoming)
Ryan Charles is a Western rapper from Buffalo, Wyoming. His style is completely unique, mixing the cowboy lifestyle with the flow of 2000s rap. He’s released the singles “Gettin’ Western” in 2020 and “Old Dirt Fancy” in 2021. Charles now works on new music in Nashville.
Christian Pagán (Puerto Rico)
Christian Pagán is a singer, songwriter, musician, and actor who lives in Puerto Rico. He rose to fame winning the first season of Idol Puerto Rico. His debut studio album, Más de lo Que Soy, debuted at #6 on Billboard’s Latin Pop Albums chart. Christian had a role on the Telemundo telenovela Guerra de Ídolos and was recently featured on the Amazon TV series The Bay.
Kelsey Lamb (Arkansas)
Kelsey Lamb is a country music singer/songwriter from Little Rock, Arkansas. Her first song “Little By Little” has garnered over 2 million streams since its release in 2018. She now lives in Nashville.
Hueston (Rhode Island)
Cory Hueston was born in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, and now lives in Florida. Cory was the frontman of the indie/alternative-duo The Blancos but has gone solo. His music has been featured in Aquaman, Just Mercy, and more.
Jake’O (Wisconsin)
Jake’O is a vocalist, guitarist, performer, and entertainer from Plain, Wisconsin. He is the originator of the “Nuvo-Retro sound,” a term he coined to describe his genre and style. He combines vintage vibes, modern motifs, and futuristic flair in every original song.
UG skywalkin (Indiana)
UG skywalkin, whose real name is Josh Kimbowa, is a hip-hop pop artist and songwriter. He lives in Greenwood, Indiana, but was born in Uganda. UG skywalkin has toured the world doing shows and music festivals.
Alisabeth Von Presley (Iowa)
Alisabeth Von Presley is a pop-rock artist who currently lives in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She released her first album, Diamonds in the Blackout, in 2017 and went on tour. Alisabeth recently played a show for over 16,000 in Cedar Rapids.
AleXa (Oklahoma)
AleXa (알렉사) is a K-pop singer, dancer, and songwriter who was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She now lives in Seoul, South Korea. AleXa won the online talent competition Rising Legends and participated in Produce 48, the most competitive audition show in Korea. She made her K-pop debut in 2019 with the release of “Bomb.”
Yam Haus (Minnesota)
Yam Haus is an indie-pop band. Their band members include Lars Pruitt, Seth Blum, Zach Beinlich, and Jake Felstow. They’ve played alongside Adam Lambert, Tori Kelly, Kacey Musgraves, and more. They released their debut studio album, Stargazer, in 2018.