CARMELLE COLLADO has been chosen to represent the Philippines at the inaugural Eurovision Song Contest Asia this year, after besting nine other entries at the Philippine Selection Night on Sunday.
Previously grand champion of It’s Showtime’s “Tawag ng Tanghalan” singing competition segment and housemate at the reality show Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab Edition 2.0, Ms. Collado won with the dance track “Sobra-Sobra,” composed by Flip Music composers Nica del Rosario and Mat Olavides. Ms. Collado will go on to compete with singers from South Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan in the very first Asian iteration of the famed Eurovision competition, which began in Europe in 1956.
“Maraming, maraming salamat po kay Papa God sa gift of talent na ibinigay niyo po sa akin (Many, many thanks to Papa God for the gift of talent that you’ve given me),” Ms. Collado said upon winning. “Sa lahat po ng mga bumoto po para sa akin, mabuhay ang musikang Pilipino! (To all those who voted for me, long live Filipino music!)”
She is also known for competing in The Voice Kids Philippines in 2019, finishing as first runner-up. She has also released a single titled “Morena.”
Philippine Selection Night, organized by ABS-CBN, took place at the New Frontier Theater in Quezon City on Sunday. It was hosted by Vice Ganda, Alexa Ilacad, and Darren Espanto.
The other finalists include second-placer singer-songwriter Saga (John Mark Saga) with “Broken Beyond Repair,” composed by Angelo Gonzales and JM dela Cerna; and Marielle Montellano and JM dela Cerna with “Mapadama,” composed by Jeremy Glinoga and Jungée Marcelo. All of the performers in the top three happen to be alumni of It’s Showtime’s “Tawag ng Tanghalan” segment.
For Ms. del Rosario and Mr. Olavides, composers of the winning song “Sobra-Sobra,” much of the credit goes to the support of Flip Music (a sound production house and record label with which they are affiliated), which has honed songwriting talents and music production projects since 2009.
“Maraming salamat po sa pamilya namin, sa mga friends namin, at sa pamilya namin sa Flip Music (Many thanks to our families, our friends, and our Flip Music family),” she said.
Other competing entries were “Between Bituin,” composed by Jungee Marcelo and performed by DNA; “Cheri(e),” penned by Nar Cabico and performed by Cabico with Elha Nympha, Esang de Torres, and Lance Reblando; “Di ’Yan (Red Flag),” written by Jason Marvin Hernandez and performed by Jason Dy and Sassa Dagdag; “Good For You,” composed by Hazel Faith and sung by Ryssi Avila; “Make It Exist,” penned by Angelo Calucin and interpreted by AJAA; “Reason to Leave,” written by Stephen Tan and performed by KHIMO; and “Round N’ Round,” composed by Julius James de Belen and John Michael Conchada and sung by VVINK and WRIVE Russu.
The winner’s overall score came from a professional jury (40%), a Philippine public vote (40%), and a Rest of the World vote (20%).
Eurovision Song Contest Asia will be held later this year in Bangkok, Thailand, on Nov. 14. — Brontë H. Lacsamana
