Arabic version: الفلبين تحصد أول لقب في يوروفيجن آسيا
According to ABC News, the Philippines has won the inaugural Eurovision Asia Song Contest in Bangkok, with 19-year-old Carmelle Allyza San Juan Collado taking the title for her original song Sobra-Sobra. Collado said the song was inspired by the strength of Philippine women. “I’m really happy. I’m really grateful that I made history,” she said.
The performer from Bicol was the youngest contestant in the competition and comes from a family of entertainers. She had previously won the Tawag ng Tanghalan singing competition, appeared on Pinoy Big Brother and released a self-titled album this year. Collado said she hoped audiences would find Filipino music “universally relatable”.
Eleven countries competed in the first Asian edition: Bhutan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, the Philippines, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. India, China and Japan were among major countries that did not take part. The Bangkok event featured colourful tuktuks on stage, visual effects and elaborate costumes, while fans travelled internationally to attend.
The winner will not receive prize money or an automatic right to host the next contest. Eurovision Asia follows the long-running European competition, which was created 70 years ago to help unite war-torn Europe through music. ABC News reported that the Asian contest made a tentative start in seeking a regional audience across a market with musical traditions ranging from K-pop to indie.
