Eurovision Song Contest launches first-ever Asia edition

2 hours agoKoh EweGetty ImagesEurovision has grown into the world's longest running international music competitionKnown for its glitzy stage costumes and sometimes outlandish performances, the Eurovision Song Contest is now launching its first ever Asia edition. Broadcasters from 10 countries in the region, including South Korea, Bhutan, Thailand and the Philippines have confirmed that they will be taking part. According to the contest's website, which lists the participating countries, there are "more to follow".Countries will first host their own national selections before the grand final in Bangkok, to be broadcast live on 14 November.First held in 1956, Eurovision has grown into the world's longest running international music competition. "As we mark the 70th anniversary of the Eurovision Song Contest, it feels especially meaningful to open this next chapter with Asia, a region rich in culture, creativity and talent," Martin Green, director of the Eurovision Song Contest at the EBU, said in a statement.As a rule, the songs performed at Eurovision must be original and lead vocals sung live. Performers are then voted on by music experts and fans.The competition has supercharged the careers of some of the world's most famous acts, such as Swedish pop group Abba and Canadian singer Celine Dion, who represented Switzerland in 1988.Around 163 million people tuned in to last year's contest, which offered songs ranging from ebullient bangers to soulful ballads.But the contest has also become a site of international political tensions. A number of countries are boycotting the contest this year, set to take place in Vienna in May, over Israel's participation.Russia has been banned from entering the contest since 2022, following its invasion of Ukraine. As a result, Moscow relaunched its own international song contest, known as Intervision. Since the 2000s, there have been multiple attempts to create an Asian version of the iconic contest, but none of those previous efforts bore fruit.In a statement published by EBU, Chuwit Sirivajjakul, a senior official at the Thailand Tourism Authority, said he thought the host city of Eurovision Asia should "of course" be Bangkok."Because this city has always been a place where cultures come together, where music fills the air, and where celebration is part of everyday life," he said.The Asia edition of the contest is organised by the European Broadcasting Union alongside Los Angeles-based entertainment company Voxovation and the Thailand-based S2O Productions.