Rising singer Carmelle Collado has been named the Philippines’ first-ever representative to the Eurovision Song Contest Asia after winning the inaugural Philippine Selection Night with her empowering song “Sobra-Sobra.”
Carmelle emerged victorious from a field of 10 competing songs during the national selection held on Sunday, August 30, at the New Frontier Theatre. She will perform "Sobra-Sobra" and carry the Philippine flag at the inaugural Eurovision Song Contest Asia in Bangkok, Thailand, on Saturday, November 14.
The selection show was organized by ABS-CBN and hosted by Vice Ganda, with the event streamed globally through the official Eurovision Song Contest YouTube channel.
The winner was determined through a combination of votes from three groups: a professional jury, which accounted for 40% of the total score; Filipino viewers, contributing another 40%; and the Rest of the World vote, which made up the remaining 20%.
Collado's Sobra-Sobra topped the competition, while SAGA’s “Broken Beyond Repair” finished in second place. JM Dela Cerna and Marielle Montellano’s “Mapadama” secured third place.
Written by Nica del Rosario and Mat Olavides, Sobra-Sobra, which translates to “Too Much,” combines modern and traditional musical elements with rap influences. The song features Filipino and English lyrics and carries a message intended to uplift and empower Filipino women.
Carmelle is no stranger to televised singing competitions. She gained recognition after finishing as the first runner-up of The Voice Kids in 2019, before eventually winning Tawag ng Tanghalan in 2025. She also became a housemate on Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab Edition 2.0 that same year.
Her winning song also brings together two established names in the Philippine music industry.
Del Rosario is an award-winning songwriter known for writing and co-producing several OPM songs, while Olavides is a DJ and music producer who has co-produced tracks for popular Filipino girl group BINI, including “Salamin, Salamin,” “Pantropiko,” and “Karera.”
The Philippines was among the first countries to select its entry for the inaugural Eurovision Song Contest Asia, following Bhutan and Malaysia, which had earlier chosen their representatives.
With Sobra-Sobra, Carmelle will now take the Philippines’ first Eurovision Song Contest Asia entry to the international stage as she competes in Bangkok this November.
