Philippines wins first Eurovision Song Contest Asia

The Phillippines on Saturday became the first winner of the Asian version of the Eurovision Song Contest. 

Who took part in the event and which songs were featured? 

Eleven countries, including South Korea, Malaysia and Vietnam, took part in the song contest in the Thai capital, Bangkok. However, major nations in the region such as China, Japan and India were absent from the event. 

19-year-old Carmelle Collado's dance song "Sobra-Sobra" (Too Much) won the competition. The song, which features lyrics in both English and Tagalog, is an empowering tribute to Filipino women.  

The Philippines received 211 points in the competition, with Thailand in second place with 170 points. Vietnam placed third with 164 points, while Malaysia landed in fourth place on 152 points.  

National juries in the participating countries and the viewing audience awarded the points.  

The competition featured motifs inspired by host city Bangkok, with the participants making their way to the stage on tuk-tuks and waving the flag of the countries they represent in a parade.   

Will the Eurovision Song Contest Asia become a sensation? 

The contest featured some references to the camp European competition. Bulgarian singer Dara performed "Bangaranga," the song which won the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna in May. 

It's unclear whether Eurovision Song Contest Asia will be as popular as the original competition, which received 131 million viewers this year. Tickets for the Bangkok event were still available just hours before it kicked off. 

In 2022, a US spinoff, the American Song Contest, featured acts from all 50 US states. The competition, hosted by rapper Snoop Dogg and American Idol star Kelly Clarkson, only lasted for one season.