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'Waiting so long': Fans gather for Eurovision's first Asia show
Published : Saturday, 14 November, 2026 at 7:35 PM
Observer Online Report
Collected Photo
Fans gathered in Bangkok on Saturday (November 14) for the first Asian edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, featuring performers from 11 countries, including Bangladesh, as the long-running music competition expanded beyond Europe.
The contest brings together artists from countries including Bangladesh, Malaysia, Vietnam, Mongolia, Nepal, the Philippines, South Korea and Thailand. Entries range from Bangladeshi beatboxing and Vietnamese pop to a Mongolian singer's love song.
Malaysian fan Fauzan, 37, said he was excited to see the competition reach Asia after years of waiting. He cited Eurovision's support for LGBTQ rights as one of the reasons behind his long-standing interest in the event.
Among the contestants, Mongolian singer Beck works as an economist advising the country's deputy prime minister, while Philippine performer Carmelle will sing about women's empowerment. Nepal's Pratik Himal Rai is set to perform a rock song accompanied by masked dancers.
Votes will be split equally between national juries and viewers, with participants barred from voting for their own countries. The contest will be broadcast on commercial television in participating nations and on YouTube.
Organised by the European Broadcasting Union, Eurovision attracts a global audience and has helped launch the careers of artists such as ABBA and Celine Dion. Organisers said the Asian edition could take several years to establish itself, while India, Japan and China were absent from the inaugural lineup.
-AH
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Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
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Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Advertisement: 41053012; 01793317829, 01550707291, 01550707296
E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]. [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], Online-email: [email protected]
