Later this November the first Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2026 will take place in Bangkok, Thailand. Now Bhutan has confirmed it will select its representative through Rhythm of Bhutan broadcast on August 11.
Rhythm of Bhutan set for August 11
Recently, Bhutan confirmed its planned selection process for the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2026. National broadcaster BBS has confirmed that the five acts which competed in Druk Dra last year, have returned for Rhythm of Bhutan. These are as follows:
- Baeyul 301
- Karma Drupchu
- Pelden Wangchuk
- The Sangay Lhaden Band
- Thukten Nyendra
The winner of Rhythm of Bhutan will be chosen on August 11. The selection is financially supported by the Bhutanese government.
“Bhutan is unique in its music, songs, traditional attire and rich culture. Today, our artists are also bringing fresh creativity that can stand alongside the rest of the world. This platform allows us to showcase Bhutanese music, our language and our cultural identity to an international audience.”
Tshering Dorji, (Deputy Chairperson International Organising Committee, Eurovision Song Contest Asia)
Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2026
Taking up the hosting honours for the inaugural Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2026 is Thailand and its broadcaster Channel 3. The venue of choice is IdeaLive in Bangkok. This entertainment space is Bangkok’s newest venue in BRAVO BKK. It has a capacity of over 4,000 seated guests. So far ten broadcasters have declared interest in participation:
- Thailand – Channel 3 – (Host)
- South Korea – ENA (SK Telecom / KT Group)
- Malaysia – Media Prima (TV3)
- Philippines – ABS-CBN
- Vietnam – Vietnam Television (VTV3)
- Cambodia – TV5 Cambodia
- Laos – Vientiane Capital Television (VTE9)
- Bangladesh – NTV
- Bhutan – Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS)
- Nepal – Himalaya TV
Each entry submitted will follow the example of Eurovision itself. No more than six performers on stage and the song must not be longer than three minutes. Later in November, the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2026 will be chosen using Eurovision’s 50% jury and 50% public voting method. The one-off Grand Final will be aired live on the official Eurovision YouTube Channel, with televised broadcasts within the competing nations. International broadcasters may also choose to buy broadcast rights within their programming schedule.
Similarly to the Junior Eurovision Song Contest format, the winning broadcaster is not automatically forced to host the following edition. Instead a bidding process will take place after the 2026 contest concludes to decide who will host the Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2027.
Stay tuned with more announcements on participants expected in the coming weeks and months!
Who should represent Bhutan at the Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2026? Let us know! Keep track of the latest news by following @ESCXTRA on Twitter, @escxtra.bsky.social on Bluesky, @escxtra on Instagram, @escxtra on TikTok, subscribing to YouTube and liking our Facebook page! Also, follow us on Spotify for the latest music from your favourite Eurovision acts.
