The Philippines on Saturday became the first winner of the Asian version of the Eurovision Song Contest, held in the Thai capital, Bangkok. Eleven countries, including South Korea, Malaysia and Vietnam, took part, though major regional nations such as China, Japan and India were absent. Carmelle Collado, 19, won with her dance song "Sobra-Sobra" (Too Much), an empowering tribute to Filipino women with lyrics in both English and Tagalog.
The Philippines received 211 points, with Thailand second on 170 points, Vietnam third on 164 and Malaysia fourth on 152. National juries in the participating countries and the viewing audience awarded the points. The competition drew on motifs inspired by host city Bangkok, with performers arriving on stage by tuk-tuk and waving their countries' flags in a parade.S1
The contest carried references to its European parent. Bulgarian singer Dara performed "Bangaranga," the song that won the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna in May. The original competition drew 131 million viewers this year, and it remains unclear whether the Asian edition will match that popularity, with tickets still available just hours before it began.S1
Fans travelled to Bangkok with personal histories tied to the European event. Simon Robinson, 63, who now lives in Melbourne, first watched the contest as an eight-year-old in Yorkshire, England, when Britain's Mary Hopkin finished second behind Ireland's Dana, and said he valued its role in bringing Europe together after the war. Lee Hudson, an American television executive based in Kuala Lumpur, said the Asian edition "makes sense because the musical cultures are distinct." Martin Green, director of the Eurovision Song Contest, said about half the tickets for Saturday's final were bought by "super fans" from outside Asia.S2
Some attendees praised the Asian acts for embracing the contest's trademark style. Drew Andrea, who has attended every Eurovision final since 2013, said "Asia understands the brief — the kitschy costumes, the dance music," naming the Philippines' Carmelle and Vietnam's Toc Tien as his favourites. Carmen Chung, a British accountant, noted that with no set expectations this year, performers had "just done their own thing" rather than copying the previous winner's style.S2
