ABU TV Song Festival 2012

[Diddy]

I've just become aware of this, basically it's Eurovision for the Far East.

Same format, 13 countries select a song to represent them. The performances are due for a Friday in March next year, with the results show on the following Sunday.

Doesn't look like the countries are set in stone yet, but it looks that Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam are set to enter for the inaugural contest held in Macau, China.

DOUZE POINTS FALOOLA

[David]

Well the Warsaw Pact countries (plus Finland) did the Intervision song contest in the late 70s, so it's not the first time.

[Diddy]

Wasn't saying it was ...

looking at the website it looks a bit SHONKY at the moment. Hopefully they will pull it together though. It's getting rather close, it seems light on any actual NEWS

[David]

I have to admit, part of me would love to have seen a Commie Era song contest, but haven't found anything online to view. Two of the winners also competed at Eurovision.

[Madison]

Marion Rung right?

[Diddy]

Marion Rung right?

She did but you were out, I asked if I could take a message but she said she'd call back.

[Madison]

I hope Israel enter.

[David]

Marion Rung right?

And Queen Alla Purgacheva!

[Diddy]

Japan is rather conspicious by its absence in that list!

No K-Pop divas for hakkangin either, no South Korea. Or North Korea but that's not a huge surprise

[Diddy]

Oh well much delayed but it seems like this is going ahead in November now.

The show will be held in Mumbai, India now, with "likely participants" now being:
Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China with Hong Kong, C. Taipei, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam

Looks like Japan and Korea are going for it now. God knows what sort of reality this is based on though

[Suomi]

how are Hong Kong entering twice?

[Diddy]

At this stage I just DON'T KNOW

They have their own Winter Olympics team too, there must be some thing about autonomous territories or something (is that what HK is?). I thought the same when I saw Bermuda and the Cayman Islands in the WO ceremony

[Apocalypt_flyer]

Oh, it's because China obviously thinks Hong Kong and Taiwan belong to them. Or something.

[Queen of the Bay]

The show will be held in Mumbai, India

omg imagine the show they're gonna put in
am already jealous

[Diddy]

The voting system addresses the strong patriotic feelings in Asian countries by allowing two votes, one of which may be for their own country.

WTF?! So people could JUST vote for their own country (and not use their second vote)?

I'd put money on China then, what with the 1billion person advantage over most of the other countries

TBH I think the safer bet is that this hot mess never happens

[Diddy]

Delayed again?

HOW UNEXPECTED!

[Diddy]

Don't call it a comeback, but this might actually HAPPEN STILL.

The ABU (Asian Broadcasting Union) has taken control of it now instead of the private company that was going to run Our Sound. It will be called the "ABU TV Song Festival" (catchy...) and is due to be held in Seoul in October.

[Dinlo]

Doesn't look like the countries are set in stone yet, but it looks that Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam are set to enter for the inaugural contest held in Macau, China.

Australia?! What a culture clash! They'd be completely fucked over, surely?

Also, no Japan and South Korea? I could well imagine them being Asia's Norway and Sweden. What a shame North Korea aren't participating either. Communist-leaning countries have great potential. Can you imagine 'I Love North Korea'?

*North Korean singer botches note*

*Pulled off stage*

*Completely different North Korean singer finishes song*

[Diddy]

DiDi, those countries were the possibly made-up ones for Our Sound, no word on participation this time yet. Deadline for applications is next Friday though so I guess we'll know soon.

South Korea must be likely to be in it though if they are hosting now!

[Diddy]

And @ potential North Korea

[Dinlo]

I really hope this mess happens, and that it's good.

Or REALLY BAD. Either would be fine with me.

[Dinlo]

Well this is apparently now HAPPENING but according to THIS it won't be competitive

I suppose it's to not put off the countries that would lose (Myanmar), but this sort of contest MUST have WINNERS and LOSERS . I for one will still be JUDGING, RATING and RANKING the lot.

[VoR]

I'd LOVE to see a fully competitive Asiavision featuring North and South Korea

Can you IMAGINE the tension during the voting?

[Dinlo]

"And South Korea gives our 12 points to... JAPAN!"

*Sound of rockets*

*Signal goes blank*

I just think it's such a bad idea not having it competitive. I mean, almost every notable Eurovision moment is as a direct result of countries WHORING themselves for votes.

[VoR]

"And the twelve points from North Korea go to... NORTH KOREA"

"Erm... North Korea you cannot vote for your..."

"END OF TRANSMISSION "

[Alla Flickor]

No competitive? What's the point then?

And yes to North Korea entering with a song about, obviously, their DEAR LEADER. We'll have to keep an eye if this is finally happening, I'm sure there'll be a few Swedish tunes by some Asian countries like Azerbaijan.

[Dinlo]

OMG GUYS STOP EVERYTHING NOW!!!1!

It's HERE. It's HAPPENING

Yes, you know you've been waiting with BATED BREATH for some life-changing anthems from the likes of POP-MUSIC POWERHOUSES such as BHUTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, VANUATU and SUDAN (?). Well you can finally EXHALE. Thanks to a quick browse on Diddy's blog (luv u Didz 4eva RIP ), I discovered THIS where you can listen to all 24 entries and 15 finalists (if anyone can actually understand what the HELL is going on there, please let me know ASAP). Some countries have more than one song, there's no sign of Japan as far as I can see and it all stinks of HOT MESS, but this will obviously be at the top of my list of things to do after ESC 2003 (I'd do it before, but I know Asiavision would be so good anything that comes after would DISAPPOINT).

You too can listen to ALL THE HITS, including:

Vayam Atra Sanjataha Asmakam Punym (CATCHY)
I'm Girl
Help Me To Conserve
I Stalk Your Profile (!)
and my personal TOP PICK (based on name only) Tone of Joyful Music of Lorestan

[Dinlo]

I'm itching for someone to JOIN me in my JOY

*mass disinterest*

If DIDDY and HAKKANGIN were here, we'd already be MID-FROTH.

Also, Black Snow is surprisingly NOT BAD. BHUTAN: who'd have thought?

[Diddy]

NEARLY ALL OF IT IS SHIT

Of the qualifiers anyway. It's like someone discovered a continent whose culture had Jason Mraz at its core.

You don't realise how much you like ESC's 3 minute limit until its gone...

[COB]

!

[Dinlo]

!

INDEED!

[Madison]

That link appears to be the radio version only.

There's a TV contest here:
http://www.abu2012seoul.com/s62.html

[Dinlo]

Thank you Madison!

Havana Brown

[Diddy]

HOLD UP, Perfume are representing Japan? UBER-

[Win_the_game]

HOLD UP, Perfume are representing Japan? UBER-

OMG

[Dinlo]

I think I see Diddy's game. He's making sure now every time he appears, it's an EVENT post

[Diddy]

My posts always ARE event posts


*eats piece of toast*

[Eileen]

WOOP. I'm INTRIGUED to give these a WEE LISTEN And total PROPS at the inclusion of KYRGYZSTAN and VANUATU.

[Diddy]

AUSSIES! The TV Song Festival is on NOW, on SBS One, and on SBS Two on 1 November.

But you can watch it on Youtube for now:


PERFUME ARE AMAZING <3

[Diddy]

Can someone please change the thread title to "ABU Radio & TV Song Festivals 2012"?

I blogged about both festivals in the end, the radio one had a handful of decent songs. I liked Australia (who won in the end), Singapore and South Korea's Pepperoni Pizza song.

TV festival was a mixed bag, too many gloopy ballads really, though Maria Calista made the genre her own with some EVENT HAIR that seemed to have some sort of SCORPION TAIL. Havana Brown looked totally at odds with the reserved artists for less slutty countries, but it was fun. Perfume were awesome, and South Korea's TVXQ were interesting but a little weird.

The hosts were fun too, he would say something in Korean, and she would reply to him in English, and so on. So only Korean-English bilinguals would know what was really going on