Philippines’ Carmelle Wins First Eurovision Song Contest Asia in Bangkok

The update

Nineteen-year-old Carmelle Collado of the Philippines, performing as Carmelle, has won the first Eurovision Song Contest Asia in Bangkok on Saturday. Her pop and rap song Sobra-Sobra scored 211 points, 93 from the national juries and 118 from the public vote, finishing 41 points ahead of Thailand’s Mang x Daou, with Vietnam third on 164 points. Eleven countries competed in the final.

Today's top briefs

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Why it matters

The contest is the first regional edition of Eurovision staged outside Europe, realising an idea discussed for decades after repeated false starts. Carmelle, the youngest contestant, topped both the jury and public votes with a song in Tagalog and English that she said celebrates Filipina empowerment and uses traditional Philippine instruments. She receives a trophy, no prize money, and a performance slot at Eurovision 2027 in Burgas, Bulgaria.

What to watch

Organisers must now show that regional broadcasters will commit to future editions and expand the field beyond 11 countries, after the Bangkok arena was crowded but not full. Hosting rights for future editions will not automatically go to the winning country, organisers said, because smaller countries may lack the infrastructure to stage the show.

Sources

• theguardian.com — confirms the result, winning score, venue and Carmelle’s background and song
• bbc.co.uk — confirms the final scoreboard, voting split and the contest’s history

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