The Philippines has won the first edition of the Eurovision Song Contest Asia, held at the One Bangkok Forum on Saturday night.
Event Overview
Nineteen countries participated in the regional contest — including South Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam and Laos — but major powers such as China, Japan and India did not take part. The competition featured a parade-style opening where performers arrived by tuk-tuks, each waving their nation's flag.
The show lasted two and a half hours, incorporating advertising breaks. It was structured similarly to its European counterpart: 50% of points came from national juries, with an additional public vote that allowed viewers worldwide to cast ballots for non-home nations (with eight free votes and optional purchases).
Winner and Performance
Carmelle Collado, aged 19, won the contest with her song 'Sobra-Sobra' — a pop-rap track performed in both English and Tagalog. The performance blends traditional Philippine instruments such as the kubing and kulintang with modern dance elements.
The Philippines earned 211 total points: 93 from national juries and 118 from global audience voting. Thailand finished second with 170 points; Vietnam placed third at 164 points; Malaysia came fourth with 152 points.
Before the final, Carmelle stated that 'Sobra-Sobra' was an empowering tribute to all Filipino women, describing Filipinas as ‘unapologetic, independent and strong’ — a message she said reflected both her own identity and broader cultural values.
Voting Process
The jury results were determined during a dress rehearsal on Friday night. The Philippines emerged ahead of Vietnam and Malaysia in this phase, securing 93 points from juries before any public voting occurred.
The public vote accounted for half of the total score. Viewers could cast votes online but not for their home country; each received eight free votes with the option to buy up to ten more.
Laos’s entrant, Thinla, performed 'Bae' dressed in traditional hilltribe attire. However, due to an apparent technical issue during broadcast, her music was played again after all live acts had finished — resulting in it being heard as the final song on screen. She ended fifth overall and achieved the third-highest public score.
Notable Performances
- Nepal's Pratik Himal Rai delivered a rock ballad titled ‘Ananta Maya’ featuring fire imagery and a heart-shaped backdrop; he concluded by calling for international support amid reports of catastrophic flash floods that killed over 1,500 people and left more than 5,000 missing near China’s border earlier in August.
- Bangladesh’s Beatmosphere performed without instruments — using only vocal techniques to replicate drums and basslines — with three members excluded from final performance due to the rule limiting stage acts to six performers.
- Mongolia’s Beck performed in a reinterpreted version of the deel, a national garment. Bhutan's Nyendra appeared dressed in the gho, his country’s traditional male attire against Himalayan mountain backdrops.
Guest Appearances
The event featured guest performances by Bulgarian Eurovision winner Dara, who sang her winning song 'Bangaranga' as well as a new track titled 'Bad Idea'. Thai singer Jeff Satur also performed 'Black Tie', gaining attention through his role in KinnPorsche — an Asian-themed same-sex romance series with wide popularity across Asia.
Future of the Contest
Organisers have stated that victory does not automatically grant future hosting rights. Smaller nations lack infrastructure to sustain such events, and only 16 or 17 territories have expressed interest for next year’s edition, including China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
The competition has generated enthusiasm among fans; UK-based attendees Zelie Pereira, Michael Peters and Scarlett Massie said they were ‘very happy’ with Carmelle's win and praised the show as having a 'high standard' in performance quality. They suggested renaming it 'Asia Vision' for its upcoming iteration.
Despite initial excitement, attendance at One Bangkok Arena declined after the final — indicating uncertainty about long-term commitment from regional broadcasters to expand the contest beyond eleven nations.
Carmelle receives no prize money but will receive a trophy presented by Dara and is set to perform at Eurovision 2027 in Burgas, Bulgaria.