AI Song Contest

Last updated

AI Song Contest
Genre Music competition
Created byKaren van Dijk
Based on Eurovision Song Contest
Developed by
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes6
Original release
Release12 May 2020 (2020-05-12)

The AI Song Contest (Dutch : AI Songfestival) is an international music competition for songs that have been composed using artificial intelligence (AI). The inaugural edition took place on 12 May 2020 and was organised by the Dutch public broadcaster VPRO, in collaboration with NPO 3FM and NPO Innovation. [1] [2] Since 2021, the contest has been held by Stichting AISC, as part of an annual conference organised by Wallifornia MusicTech until 2022, and in 2023 with the support of RTVE Play.

Contents

Format

The format of the competition was created by the Dutch programme creator Karen van Dijk (VPRO) and was inspired by the Eurovision Song Contest. [3] Participating teams are tasked with the composition of a song using artificial intelligence. [1] Each submission is then evaluated by a jury, which assesses the use of AI in the songwriting process, and by the public, which assesses the quality of the song through online ratings. [1] The team who receive the most votes from the public win the Audience Trophy, and the Overall Winner is determined using a combination of the jury scores and audience votes.

Unlike Eurovision, countries can be represented by multiple teams. [3] While the 2020 edition only allowed teams from "Eurovision countries" to compete, this rule was dropped in 2021 to allow teams from outside Europe and Australia to enter as well. [4] In addition, entries would no longer be judged for their "eurovisioness" sense, open up to all music genres, and the maximum song length was extended from three to four minutes. [4] A Semifinal was introduced since 2022 in which the jury selected a dozen of entries to advance to the Grand Final. [5]

Past editions

YearDateLocationPresenter(s)FinalistsOverall WinnerRunner-up
OriginTeamSongPoints
2020 12 MayHilversum (Netherlands) Lieven Scheire 13Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Uncanny Valley"Beautiful The World"19.8Flag of Germany.svg  Germany
2021 6 JulyLiège (Belgium) Cesar Majorana  [ nl ]38Flag of the United States.svg  United States M.O.G.I.I.7.E.D."Listen to Your Body Choir"21.7Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands
2022 6 JulyLiège (Belgium)Rebecca Leger, Ryan Groves, Vincent Koops and John Ashley Burgoyne15Flag of Thailand.svg  Thailand Yaboi Hanoi"Asura deva choom noom – Enter Demons & Gods" (อสุระเทวะชุมนุม)21.1Flag of Galicia.svg  Galicia
2023 4 NovemberA Coruña (Galicia) [6] Duarte Galbán, Natasha Mangal and Ryan Groves [7] 10Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands Synthetic Beat Brigade"How Would You Touch Me"20.5Flag of Germany.svg  Germany
2024 5 OctoberZürich
(Switzerland) [8]
TBA10Flag of Chile.svg  Chile Onda Corta [9] "Sudamérica"18.9Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom/Flag of India.svg  India
2025 TBA

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryResultRef.
2020 Prix Europa Digital MediaNominated [10]
2021 NPO Innovation Award Won [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Netherlands in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest</span>

The Netherlands has participated in every edition of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest since its inception in 2003 and is the only country to have taken part in every edition of the contest. The country has won the competition on one occasion; in 2009, with the song "Click Clack" by Ralf Mackenbach. Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS has been responsible for the participation, selecting the nation's entrant through the national final Junior Songfestival.

The Netherlands selected their Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2015 entry through Junior Songfestival 2015, a national selection consisting of eight songs. The competing songs broke down into two semi-finals, each consisting of four songs, and a final consisting of the top two placing songs from each semi-final and a special wildcard that was originally eliminated. The eight finalists were revealed on 2 April 2015. The final was held on 3 October 2015, while the two semi-finals were on 19 and 26 September.

The Netherlands participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2017 with the song "Lights and Shadows" written by Rory de Kievit and Rick Vol. The song is performed by the group O'G3NE, who was internally selected by the Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS to represent the Netherlands at the 2017 contest in Kyiv, Ukraine. O'G3NE's appointment as the Dutch representative was announced on 29 October 2016, while the song, "Lights and Shadows", was presented to the public on 3 March 2017.

The Netherlands participated in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2017 which took place in Tbilisi, Georgia on 26 November 2017. The Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS is responsible for the organisation of their representative at the contest. Their entry was selected through the national selection Junior Songfestival 2017. It consisted of six contestants who were divided into two semifinals, having been broadcast on 2 & 9 September 2017. The final was broadcast on 16 September 2017. The boy band Fource, a quartet consisting of the four boys Jannes, Niels, Max and Ian, were selected as the winners of the national selection. Their song for the contest, "Love Me", was released on 6 October 2017.

The Netherlands participated in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2018 which took place in Minsk, Belarus on 25 November 2018. The Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS was responsible for the organisation of their representative at the contest. Their entry was selected through the national selection Junior Songfestival 2018, which had four songs. For the first time in the history of Junior Songfestival, the competing songs were written fully by famous Dutch musicians.

The Netherlands participated in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2019 which was held on 24 November 2019 in Gliwice, Poland. Matheu was selected with his song "Dans met Jou". Their entry was selected through the national selection Junior Songfestival 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eurovision Song Contest 2020</span> Cancelled international song competition

The Eurovision Song Contest 2020 was planned to be the 65th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It would have taken place in Rotterdam, Netherlands, following the country's victory at the 2019 contest with the song "Arcade" by Duncan Laurence. This edition was the first and only one in the contest's history to be cancelled, with it being called off on 18 March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eurovision Song Contest 2021</span> International song competition

The Eurovision Song Contest 2021 was the 65th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Rotterdam, Netherlands, following the country's win at the 2019 contest with the song "Arcade" by Duncan Laurence. The Netherlands was set to host the 2020 contest, before it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcasters Nederlandse Publieke Omroep (NPO), Nederlandse Omroep Stichting (NOS) and AVROTROS, the contest was held at Rotterdam Ahoy, and consisted of two semi-finals on 18 and 20 May, and a final on 22 May 2021. The three live shows were presented by Dutch television presenters and singers Chantal Janzen, Edsilia Rombley and Jan Smit, and Dutch YouTuber and make-up artist Nikkie de Jager.

<i>Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light</i> Replacement programme for Eurovision 2020 after cancellation

Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light was a live television programme, organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and produced by the Dutch broadcasters NPO, NOS and AVROTROS. It replaced the Eurovision Song Contest 2020, which was planned to be held in Rotterdam, Netherlands, but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

<span title="Dutch-language text"><i lang="nl">Junior Songfestival</i></span> Annual Dutch song competition

Junior Songfestival is a Dutch televised music competition for children, held annually since 2003. It is the children's version of the Nationaal Songfestival. The winner of the contest goes on to represent the Netherlands in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, an international version of the competition.

The AI Song Contest 2020 was the inaugural edition of the AI Song Contest, organised by the Dutch public broadcaster VPRO, in collaboration with NPO 3FM and NPO Innovation. It was held on 12 May 2020 in the Netherlands and was presented by Lieven Scheire. Thirteen teams from eight countries participated in the contest. The contest was won by Uncanny Valley from Australia with the song "Beautiful the World".

The Netherlands participated in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2020 which was held on 29 November 2020 in Warsaw, Poland. The girl group Unity was selected by AVROTROS to represent the country through the televised national selection Junior Songfestival 2020. They achieved 4th place with 132 points.

The Netherlands was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 with the song "Birth of a New Age", written by Jeangu Macrooy and Pieter Perquin, and performed by Macrooy himself. The Dutch participating broadcaster AVROTROS internally selected Macrooy after he was due to compete in the 2020 contest with "Grow" before the event's cancellation. In addition, AVROTROS, along NPO and NOS, was also the host broadcaster and staged the event at the Rotterdam Ahoy in Rotterdam, after winning the 2019 contest with the song "Arcade" performed by Duncan Laurence. Macrooy's re-appointment as the Dutch representative was announced on 18 March 2020, while the song was presented to the public during a special live broadcast on 4 March 2021.

The Netherlands participated in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2021 in Paris, France. National broadcaster AVROTROS selected Ayana to represent the Netherlands through the national final Junior Songfestival 2021. With her song "Mata Sugu Aō Ne", containing lyrics in Dutch, English and Japanese, she finished in 19th place at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest with 43 points.

The Netherlands participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Turin, Italy, with "De diepte" performed by S10. The Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS internally selected the Dutch entry for the 2022 contest. S10's appointment as the Dutch representative was announced on 7 December 2021, while the song, "De diepte", was presented to the public during an event on 3 March 2022.

The Netherlands participated in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Yerevan, Armenia. National broadcaster AVROTROS was responsible for the participation and selected the nation's entrant, Luna with the song "La festa", via national final Junior Songfestival 2022.

Belgium was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 with the song "Because of You", written by Stef Caers and Jaouad Alloul, and performed by Caers himself under his stage name Gustaph. The Belgian participating broadcaster, Flemish Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie (VRT), organised the national final Eurosong 2023 to select the Belgian entry for the contest. The competition featured seven competing acts and consisted of five songclub shows and a final. In the final on 14 January 2023, "Because of You" performed by Gustaph was selected as the winner via the votes of a fifteen-member jury panel and a public vote.

The Netherlands was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 with the song "Europapa" performed by Joost Klein. The Dutch participating broadcaster AVROTROS internally selected its entry for the contest. Klein's appointment as the Dutch representative was announced on 11 December 2023, while the song, "Europapa", was presented to the public on 29 February 2024.

The Netherlands competed in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in France, which was held in Nice on 26 November 2023. Sep and Jasmijn were selected by AVROTROS to represent the country with their song "Holding On to You" through the televised national selection Junior Songfestival 2023.

The Netherlands is set to take part in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2024 in Madrid, Spain, with "Music" performed by Stay Tuned. The Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS organised the national final Junior Songfestival2024 in order to select the Dutch entry for the contest.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "FAQ – The AI Song Contest". VPRO International. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  2. Smirke, Richard (10 May 2020). "Machine Music: With Eurovision Canceled, The Netherlands Prepares to Host First AI Song Contest". Billboard. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Kan AI een liedje componeren?". De Nationale AI-Cursus (in Dutch). 10 May 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  4. 1 2 "FAQs". AI Song Contest 2021. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  5. Granger, Anthony (11 June 2022). "Semi-Final Introduced For AI Song Contest 2022". Eurovoix World. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  6. Granger, Anthony (9 July 2023). "AI Song Contest 2023 Launched". Eurovoix World. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  7. Borrego Escot, Daniel (26 October 2023). "RTVE Play emitirá la final del AI Song Contest 2023". RTVE (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  8. Granger, Anthony (2 June 2024). "🇨🇭 Switzerland Hosting the AI Song Contest 2024". Eurovoix World. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  9. Granger, Anthony (5 October 2024). "Onda Corta Wins the AI Song Contest 2024" . Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  10. "List of Nominations" (PDF). Prix Europa . 10 September 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  11. "NPO Innovatieprijs voor VPRO's AI Songfestival". Entertainment Business (in Dutch). 4 June 2021. Archived from the original on 4 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.