Carmelle Collado is officially making history as the first-ever representative of the Philippines in the Eurovision Song Contest Asia.
The "Tawag ng Tanghalan" School Showdown Edition (2025) grand champion emerged as the winner of Pili, Pinas! Philippine Selection Night, held on Sunday, August 30, at the New Frontier Theater in Quezon City.
Carmelle won with her empowering dance track “Sobra-Sobra,” giving her the ticket to represent the Philippines at the inaugural Eurovision Song Contest Asia in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 14, 2026.
Her victory came after she competed against nine other artists and groups, each hoping to make history as the country's first Eurovision Asia representative.
Composed by Nica del Rosario and Mat Olavides, “Sobra-Sobra” is an upbeat track celebrating Filipinas and encouraging women to embrace who they are.
Carmelle, who is also known for her song “Morena,” has previously made her mark in televised singing competitions. She became the Tawag ng Tanghalan Grand Champion in 2025 after previously finishing as a runner-up on The Voice Kids in 2019.
Carmelle's win was determined through a combination of 40% professional jury votes, 40% Philippine public votes, and 20% Rest of the World votes.
Carmelle's victory means the Philippines will make its debut at Eurovision Song Contest Asia later this year.
The inaugural competition is scheduled for November 14, 2026, in Bangkok, Thailand, with the Philippines joining other participating Asian countries on the international stage.
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SAGA, JM & MARIELLE ARE RUNNERS-UP
Coming in second was SAGA, who performed the dramatic entry “Broken Beyond Repair.”
The song was written by Angelo Gonzales and gave SAGA a strong showing among the 10 competing entries.
SAGA ultimately finished behind Carmelle in the final results, securing the second spot in the Philippine selection.
Rounding out the top three were JM dela Cerna and Marielle Montellano, who performed the bilingual pop-jazz duet “Mapadama.”
Written by Jungee Marcelo and Jeremy Glinoga, “Mapadama” centers on the confusion and excitement of developing feelings for someone while trying to navigate the possibility of changing a friendship into something more.
The pair finished third in the final results.
SAGA, JM, and Marielle are also products of It's Showtime's "Tawag ng Tanghalan."
THE OTHER PHILIPPINE SELECTION NIGHT FINALISTS
The Philippine Selection Night featured a diverse lineup of established singers, rising artists, and P-pop acts.
Among the other finalists were:
DNA — “Between Bituin”
Elha Nympha, Esang de Torres, Lance Reblando, and Nar Cabico — “Cheri(e)”
Jason Dy and Sassa Dagdag — “Di Yan (Red Flag)”
Ryssi Avila — “Good For You”
AJAA — “Make It Exist”
KHIMO — “Reason to Live”
VVINK and WRIVE Russu — “Round N’ Round”
The 10 entries represented a wide range of musical styles, from pop and R&B to dance and contemporary Filipino sounds.
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