Own USAvision Song Contest 3

Own USAvision Song Contest 3, often referred to as OUSC3, is the 3rd edition of Own USAvision Song Contest. It took place in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Organised by the Own Public Broadcasting Service and host broadcaster APT, the contest was held at Bryant–Denny Stadium, and consisted of two semi-finals and the final.

A record of forty-seven states participated in the contest. Idaho, Massachusetts, Vermont and West Virginia made their debut this edition. Connecticut, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Utah returned to the competition. Despite Indiana initially confirming its interest in taking part in the contest, it was later revealed that the delegation had not submitted an entry on time and thus it could not be present in the final list of participating states.

Location
Further information on the host State: Alabama

Host City
Tuscaloosa is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama. Located on the Black Warrior River at the Gulf Coastal Plain and the Piedmont meet, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama, with an estimated population of 101,129 in 2019. In 2008, Tuscaloosa hosted the USA Olympic Triathlon trials for the Beijing Games. Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, it was variously named the "Most Livable City in America", one of America's "100 Best Communities for Young People", one of the "50 Best College Towns", and one of the "Best Places to Launch a Small Business".

Venue
Bryant–Denny Stadium is an outdoor stadium in the southeastern United States, on the campus of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. It is the home field of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). With a seating capacity of 100,077, it is the fourth-largest stadium in the Southeastern Conference, the eighth-largest stadium in the United States, and the tenth-largest stadium in the world.

Semi-final Allocation Draw
The draw to determine the allocation of the participating states into their respective semi-finals took place on 29th March 2021. The draw decided in which half of the respective semi-finals each country would perform, with the exact running order determined by the producers of the show at a later date. From each semi-final, 10 states joined the big 6 in the final, where a total of 26 states participated.

The semi-finalists were allocated into six pots, based on their geographical place and cultural similarities. Drawing from different pots helps in reducing the chance of so-called neighbour voting and increasing suspense in the semi-finals. Each time a country was drawn from the pot, its semi-final and half of the semi-final was determined.

The six pots were the following:

Semi-final 1
Twenty-one states participated in the first semi-final. Alabama, Missouri and Nevada also voted in this semi-final.

Semi-final 2
Twenty states participated in the second semi-final. Arkansas, Rhode Island and Virginia also voted in this semi-final.

Other states
Eligibility for potential participation in the Own USAvision Song Contest requires a national broadcaster with active OUPB membership that would be able to broadcast the contest. As in every edition, an invitation to all the members has been sent in order to confirm whether they will participate or not.
 * Despite the state initially confirming its interest in taking part in the contest, it was later revealed that the Hoosier delegation had not submitted an entry on time and thus it could not be present in the final list of participating states.
 * The state HoD announced that the state will remain out of the competition.
 * The state didn't respond to the invitation that was sent by the OPBS, thus it was assumed as withdrawn.
 * The state didn't respond to the invitation sent by the OPBS, thus not being present in the final list of participating states.

Incidents
's entry, "Jealous of Myself" by Galxara, was initially rejected. Finally it was decided that the artist was allowed to represent Florida because of the high public demand.