Philippines Representative Wins Inaugural Eurovision Asia Song Contest
Translated & summarized from i24NEWS by baba
The Philippines' Carmel Collado won the inaugural Eurovision Asia song contest held in Bangkok, Thailand, on Saturday. Collado, 19, secured 211 points with her song "Sobra Sobra," surpassing host nation Thailand, which received 170 points. The competition featured 11 Asian countries and was organized by the European Broadcasting Union. The concept for Eurovision Asia has been in development since 2008, with previous attempts to launch it in 2016 and 2019.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Philippines representative Carmel Collado won the first Eurovision Asia contest in Bangkok.
- Collado, 19, scored 211 points with her song "Sobra Sobra" to defeat Thailand.
- The inaugural contest featured 11 Asian countries and was organized by the EBU.
- Thailand placed second with 170 points, and Vietnam secured third with 164 points.
- The idea for Eurovision Asia has been discussed since 2008, with multiple prior attempts.
- The American Song Contest, a similar venture in the US, did not achieve high ratings.
The first-ever Eurovision Asia song contest, a smaller version of the European competition, concluded Saturday in Bangkok, Thailand, with 11 Asian nations participating. After a tense vote, the Philippines' representative was crowned the winner, narrowly defeating host nation Thailand.
The event was organized in collaboration with the European Broadcasting Union, the body behind the original Eurovision. The competing countries included Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Mongolia, Bhutan, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Thailand, South Korea, Nepal, and Malaysia. The contest was broadcast live in several other countries, including Australia, Poland, Sweden, and Israel, where it aired on Kan 11.
Nineteen-year-old Carmel Collado from the Philippines won with her song "Sobra Sobra," performed in English and Tagalog. She secured 211 points, earning the most votes from both the jury and the public. Thailand came in second with 170 points, and Vietnam finished third with 164 points. Malaysia, which had been the favorite according to betting agencies, placed fourth.
Bulgaria's Eurovision 2026 winner, Dara, performed during the event and presented the trophy to the Philippine winner. The idea for Eurovision Asia originated in 2008, with subsequent attempts to launch the competition in 2016 and 2019, the latter of which planned for Gold Coast, Australia, before being shelved. The concept was revived in 2025, with the November contest announced in March as part of the 70th-anniversary celebrations of the original Eurovision.
This is not the first time Eurovision has expanded beyond Europe; the American Song Contest aired in the United States in 2022, featuring all 50 states, five territories, and the federal district. That show, formatted as a reality series over eight episodes, garnered lower-than-expected ratings and has not been renewed.