BANGKOK (AP) — Filipino singer Carmelle won the first Asian edition of the Eurovision Song Contest Saturday with a fiery performance of his dance-pop song “Sobra-Sobra.”
The 19-year-old beat 10 other artists in the grand finale in Bangkok, with the winner chosen through votes from national juries from participating countries and viewers around the world.
After her victory, Carmelle said her song celebrated women’s empowerment and was meant to be “a tribute to all Filipino women.”
“I made history because it was the first time,” she told the Associated Press. “It’s a very big responsibility for me because this is a global stage, so thank you to everyone who voted for me.”
Thai duo Mang x Daou finished second with an energetic rendition of the romantic pop song “Aroma.” Vietnamese Tóc Tiên placed third with a lively and elegant rendition of “Em Tiên”.
Malaysia’s Aina Abdul took fourth place with her powerful ballad “Blest Sky”. Thinla from Laos finished fifth with “Bae,” a playful dance track that had the audience dancing every time it was replayed during the show.
Bhutan, South Korea, Mongolia, Nepal, Cambodia and Bangladesh also participated.
Competitors entered in tuk-tuks, the three-wheeled motorized vehicles common in Bangkok’s tourist districts. They waved national flags as thousands of supporters cheered inside the downtown venue.
Bulgarian singer Dara appeared as a special guest, performing “Bangaranga”, the song with which she won. the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna earlier this year.
The European competition seeks to put music before politics but has repeatedly been caught up in international conflicts. Russia was expelled in 2022 following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
THE Israel-Hamas war in Gaza also shook up competition, prompting demonstrations out competition locations and led the organizers to restrict wave a political flag.
Five long-time participants — SpainNetherlands, Ireland, Iceland and Slovenia — boycotted this year’s European competition on Israel’s participation.
Eurovision Asia seems less overshadowed by politics, said Eurovision historian Dean Vuletic, who attended the show in Bangkok.
He said an analysis of voting patterns could reveal political trends among participating countries.
“But for now, I can say that there was a very nice atmosphere inside the venue and it was a great window into Asian musical cultures.”
Gn entert
