American version of Eurovison to be launched

American network NBC is taking cues from the European songbook and creating a song competition based on the 50-year-old Eurovision Song Contest.

“Eurovision is the granddaddy of all talent shows and the Super Bowl of singing,” said Ben Silverman, chair of the company that will produce the show.

The program will challenge the Fox ratings blockbuster American Idol, which regularly attracts 28 million viewers.

An online competition will be held first to find singers from each U.S. state.  Singers from every state will be featured and the public will be urged to vote, with the winner landing a recording contract. 

NBC is keeping wraps on further details but the new show is expected to become a series rather than a one-off thing.

Eurovision helped launch the careers of Swedish pop group ABBA, which grabbed the top prize in 1974 for Waterloo.  The prize went to Canadian songbird Céline Dion in 1988 when she sang under the flag of Switzerland.

A record 39 countries took part in last year’s contest with Greece’s Helena Paparizou coming out on top.

The event is watched by about 150 million worldwide.  Each country taking part is invited to cast votes but voting for your own country is forbidden.