#SHOWBIZ: Jurors: 'Aina can win Eurovision Asia, but competition will be tough'

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian singer Aina Abdul stands a strong chance of winning the inaugural Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2026 in Bangkok on Saturday, Malaysia's five-member jury panel said.

However, they warned she faces stiff competition, particularly from South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Nepal.

Chief Malaysian juror, composer and producer AG Coco said a winner must deliver a memorable performance that stands out.

"Aina always steps up and does better each time, and that means her chances of winning the contest are really good," he said.

"As a singer-songwriter who always sets a benchmark in local entertainment, Aina must come up with a good, strong song, and Bluest Sky is such a song."

AG, who has judged several international and local music contests, said Aina's biggest rivals are from the Philippines, Thailand and South Korea.

"If she goes all out and surprises everyone with a performance that resonates with the crowd, I'm sure she's got a great chance of victory," he said.

Fellow juror, producer and composer Justin Seow, judging the competition for the first time, said tonight that Aina must put up a tough fight against strong entrants from the Philippines and Nepal.

"Having watched the rehearsals, I must say that the Philippines and Nepal entrants are really good, too. It's going to be a great show, and what's most important for Aina is giving fans something different once again," Seow said.

He said the award-winning singer is known for pushing boundaries and raising benchmarks among Malaysian artistes.

"I've watched Aina in action in many concerts, and each time she really surprises us with her thinking out of the box, and planning each performance well," he said.

Concert promoter and event organiser Iman Tang said Aina is a "rock-solid" competitor with a good chance of winning, though she must be wary of "dark horses" Bangladesh and Nepal.

"This annual, prestigious concert is known to set benchmarks really high, and I'm confident Aina has what it takes to reach the very top. She is known for her superb showmanship and production values, not to mention her singing capabilities," Tang said.

Commercial and film director Bobby Husaini and Berita Harian senior entertainment news and projects editor Shamshul Azree Samshir were equally optimistic about Aina's prospects.

Shamshul said: "Aina has proven herself again and again, that she's a tireless performer who always steps out of her comfort zone to give music lovers plenty of surprises.

"This is a very crucial factor for any competitor, that is to be entertaining and out of the ordinary, as well as giving audiences an unpredictably good act," he said.

"Aina's got it all, plus superb vocals. Even if she doesn't win, she's really going to put Malaysian music on the world map."

Bobby said: "What we look for is originality, and while it's not going to be an easy road to the top, I'm optimistic that Aina will go far and capture the imagination of audiences and jurors alike."

Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim wished Aina, Malaysia's first representative at the contest, well.

In a Facebook post, Anwar said her participation showed that Malaysian talent and creative works could reach greater heights and compete internationally.

Aina's selection was announced during the 40th Anugerah Juara Lagu (AJL40) on Aug 15.

She will perform her song Bluest Sky—released on Oct 9 and described by her as a "love letter" to someone special—against entrants from 10 other Asian countries.

The track has drawn positive reactions from international listeners, and supporters are confident the 33-year-old from Seremban, Negri Sembilan—best known for hits such as Sumpah and Sepi—can deliver a strong performance.

On Nov 10, Aina wrote on Threads that preparing for the contest had given her a taste of what it is like to be an athlete.

"Thank you to my beloved fans for accompanying me on my journey. I'm so touched—I'll do my very best, okay?" she said.

Under the competition's voting system, each participating country is represented by five professional jurors whose scores make up 50 per cent of the final results, with the remaining 50 per cent decided by public vote.

The panel watches the dress rehearsals together to judge the artistic merit and overall performance of each entry before submitting individual rankings through an online voting system.

Official broadcaster TV3 will air the Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2026 live at 9.30pm tomorrow, with simultaneous streaming on Tonton.