Thailand: The Philippines has won the inaugural Eurovision Song Contest Asia, with singer Carmelle taking the top spot with her song 'Sobra-Sobra' at the competition held in Bangkok, Thailand, on Saturday.
Representing the Philippines, Carmelle secured 211 points to become the first-ever winner of the Asian edition of the international music competition.
According to Variety, Thailand's Mang x Daou finished second with 179 points, while Vietnam's Toc Tiên came third with 164 points. Malaysia and Laos completed the top five.
The inaugural Asian edition brought together 11 participating countries, including Cambodia, Mongolia and Korea, showcasing musical talent and cultural diversity from across the region.
As in the European edition, the results were determined through a combination of national jury scores and public votes. The competition also included a 'Rest of the World' vote, which carried the same points allocation as one participating country. Audiences from 183 countries and territories were given the opportunity to vote.
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The event was hosted by Thai television personalities Woody Milintachinda and Cindy Bishop. It was broadcast across participating countries and streamed on Eurovision's official YouTube channel. European Broadcasting Union (EBU) members TVP (Poland), Sveriges Radio (Sweden), Kan (Israel) and SBS (Australia) also aired the competition.
Apart from the competing acts, the show featured performances by Thai superstar Jeff Satur and Dara, who won the European Eurovision Song Contest for Bulgaria in May with her track 'Bangaranga'. The programme also included a special opening performance celebrating Bangkok.
The event was produced by Voxovation and Bangkok-based S20 Productions, with Zoop as its sponsor.
Congratulating the Philippines on its victory, Eurovision director Martin Green said: "Congratulations to Carmelle and the Philippines on becoming the first-ever winners of Eurovision Song Contest Asia. What an historic achievement! This inaugural edition was a major milestone and brought together an extraordinary range of musical talent, cultures and creative voices from across the region," Variety reported.
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He added: "As we celebrate 70 years of the Eurovision Song Contest, seeing its spirit of unity through music take on a new life in Asia is a significant moment, and one we hope will inspire artists and audiences for years to come."
Assaf Blecher, executive producer of Eurovision Song Contest Asia, also congratulated the Philippines and highlighted the significance of the inaugural event.
"Bringing the first Eurovision Song Contest Asia to life in Bangkok has been an extraordinary journey," he said.
"Congratulations to Carmelle and the Philippines on making history as our first-ever winners. This is just the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Eurovision in Asia," he added.
