Ten Filipino acts have been unveiled as the country’s first-ever contenders for the Eurovision Song Contest Asia, each bringing an original song to the race for the Philippines’ official entry. The lineup spans P-pop, OPM, and powerhouse vocalists, setting up a selection that could be as much about musical identity as it is about the performance itself.  

Here are the 10 contenders:

AJAA — “Make It Exist”

There’s something immediately infectious about “Make It Exist.” Groovy, funky, and easy to move to, the track gives AJAA a slightly different lane from the quartet’s earlier material. Rather than relying solely on the polished P-pop formula, the song settles into its groove and invites you to simply go along with it.

It feels like AJAA opening another door in their sound—one where the point isn’t to overthink the moment, but to let the music take over.

Carmelle Collado — “Sobra-Sobra”

Carmelle Collado has no shortage of reasons to sing with confidence, and “Sobra-Sobra” gives her another one.

The track is a celebration of Filipina confidence, carrying the same self-assured energy that made her previous song “Morena” resonate. There’s a playful boldness to the way Carmelle approaches the song, turning the idea of being “too much” into something worth owning.

Instead of shrinking herself to fit the room, “Sobra-Sobra” walks in knowing exactly how much space it deserves.

DNA — “Between Bituin”

“Between Bituin” feels like stepping somewhere slightly outside reality.

The track carries an atmospheric quality that lets its inspirational lyrics breathe, creating the feeling of being transported somewhere else before eventually bringing you back to yourself. Its message about courage and reaching beyond what feels possible gives the song a quietly uplifting quality.

For DNA, a trio whose music has already explored themes of individuality and self-discovery, the song feels like another invitation to keep moving even when the destination isn’t completely clear. Sometimes, courage is simply deciding to keep going.

Elha Nympha, Esang de Torres, Lance Reblando & Nar Cabico — “Cheri(e)”

“Cheri(e)” feels like the kind of song that makes you want to stop checking the clock.

A feel-good anthem about taking life at your own pace, the track pushes back against the pressure to measure your life against somebody else’s timeline. Instead, it encourages listeners to choose their own direction—and actually enjoy getting there.

With four distinct performers sharing the track, “Cheri(e)” becomes even more fitting as a reminder that there isn’t one prescribed way to live, love, or arrive where you’re meant to be.

Jason Dy & Sassa Dagdag — “Di Yan (Red Flag)”

Falling for someone with questionable behavior is already frustrating. “Di Yan (Red Flag)” at least lets you laugh about it. Jason Dy’s entry plays with the familiar language of red flags, turning romantic denial and frustration into clever, funny lines that feel particularly familiar to anyone who’s ever tried to convince themselves that it’s not that bad.

There’s a playful push-and-pull to the track: you know the warning signs are there, but you’re still trying to make sense of why you’re falling anyway.

JM Dela Cerna & Marielle Montellano — “Mapadama”

“Mapadama” sounds like the moment when you realize you’re falling—and suddenly have no idea what to do with the feeling.

Boppy and light on its feet, the track captures the giddy confusion of falling in love, right down to its central question: “How do I make sense of pag-ibig?”

That question gives the song its charm. It doesn’t try to make love sound perfectly logical. Instead, “Mapadama” leans into the butterflies, uncertainty, and excitement of figuring it out as you go.

KHIMO — “Reason to Live”

“Reason to Live” takes a quieter route. The ballad feels like a reflection on the way life moves—through uncertainty, weight, and the people who make continuing worthwhile. Its lyrics ask, “Reason to live, what more can I give?” before answering with an image of carrying another person’s weight on your shoulders.

There is something tender about that idea: sometimes the reason to keep going isn’t one grand purpose, but the people we choose to carry with us. For KHIMO, whose music often gives space to his soulful vocals, the song becomes less about a dramatic declaration and more about sitting with life’s difficult questions.

Ryssi Avila — “Good For You”

“Good For You” carries a little angst, but it doesn’t stay there.

The song moves through the frustration of being broken and detoured before arriving somewhere more hopeful: “Now I am driven, love so light, so pure / that I am changed forever.”

It’s ultimately a song about choosing to change—not just for someone else, but because love has shown you another version of yourself worth becoming.

By the time Ryssi reaches the promise to “always try to be better,” the song has transformed from heartbreak into motivation. The past may have left its marks, but it doesn’t get to decide what happens next.

Listen to the full playlist here:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3YbHME60ERSB6tN4GwuONa?si=PFV4N4oaTG-bMzAqHbe4aQ

SAGA — “Broken Beyond Repair”

If “Good For You” is about moving forward, “Broken Beyond Repair” stays in the moment when you’re still trying to make sense of what went wrong. The orchestral ballad sits firmly in the bargaining stage of heartbreak: the part where you know something is falling apart but keep searching for a way to save it anyway.

There is still hope in the song, even if it hurts. Every note seems to hold onto the possibility that something broken might still be repaired—even when the title itself suggests otherwise.

VVINK & WRIVE Russu — “Round N’ Round”

“Round N’ Round” has a breezy, cosmic quality that makes falling for someone feel a little like floating into orbit.

Its dreamy production gives the song an almost weightless quality, while its lyrics revolve around the risks that come with choosing to pursue love. There’s uncertainty in it—knowing that taking a chance on someone could lead anywhere, but choosing to go for it anyway.

VVINK’s bright energy meets WRIVE Russu’s songwriting and rap sensibility, giving the track a playful shift in texture without losing its dreamy atmosphere.

It feels like the soundtrack to looking at someone and thinking: Why not? Let’s see where this goes.

The Philippine selection is part of the inaugural Eurovision Song Contest Asia, the first multi-country expansion of the Eurovision format into Asia. The European Broadcasting Union says the new competition will bring together participating broadcasters from across the region, with each country selecting its own entry before the Grand Final.

The Philippines is among the confirmed inaugural participants, with ABS-CBN serving as the country’s participating broadcaster. Other confirmed participants include South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan. Before any of them can make it to Bangkok, one song has to make it through the Philippine selection. The results will be revealed at the “Pili, Pinas! Philippine Selection Night” on August 30.