Philippines’ Carmelle Collado Wins First Eurovision Asia Contest in Bangkok
Nineteen-year-old Carmelle Collado won the first Eurovision Asia contest on Saturday night in Bangkok, taking the Philippines’ entry to victory with 211 points at the One Bangkok Forum.
The grand final ran for two and a half hours, featuring contestants from 11 countries competing in the first regional edition of the song contest staged outside Europe. Carmelle finished 41 points clear of host country Thailand, while Vietnam took third place, according to The Guardian.
The winning track, “Sobra-Sobra,” mixes pop and rap with traditional Philippine instruments like the kubing and kulintang, and is sung in Tagalog and English. Carmelle grew up beside the railway tracks in the Bicol region of south-eastern Luzon and has competed in televised talent contests since she was 12.
“I made history, since this was the first time,” Carmelle said, according to the Associated Press. “It’s such a big responsibility for me, because this one is a global stage, so thank you everybody who voted for me.”
The event faced organizational hurdles ahead of the broadcast. JournalArta Global reported that a sudden million-dollar budget cut three weeks before the final prevented many technicians familiar with Eurovision staging from traveling to Thailand, alongside several staff resignations.
Eleven countries took part in the Bangkok show, while major regional markets including India, China, Japan, and Indonesia were absent from the lineup. Sarun ‘Note’ Kungbunpot noted the format differences in the region. “It’s still very new in Asia. I’m not sure many people have heard about it yet,” he said to JournalArta Global, adding that regional contests traditionally focus on singer popularity rather than the song itself.
The final score was determined by a 50/50 split between national juries and a public online vote. National juries cast their votes during a dress rehearsal on Friday night, placing the Philippines at the top with 93 points, followed by Vietnam and Malaysia.
Viewers worldwide cast online votes while using up to eight free votes, with the option to purchase ten additional ones. Contestants received no prize money but walked away with a trophy presented by Dara, the Bulgarian singer who won the European contest earlier this year.
Organizers plan for the Bangkok event to serve as the first of multiple regional editions. Executive producer Assaf Blecher said that 16 or 17 territories have expressed interest in competing next year, including China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
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