Carmelle Collado is ready for a world stage
Despite the expectations, she has chosen not to dwell on the competition itself. Being selected to carry the Philippine flag is already a victory in the eyes of Carmelle.
Every second onstage matters when the audience is watching from around the world.
That is the mindset Carmelle Collado has embraced as she prepares to represent the Philippines at Eurovision Asia in Bangkok on 14 November. Unlike a solo concert where she has an entire evening to connect with the crowd, the international competition gives performers only a few minutes to introduce themselves and leave a lasting impression.
The opportunity excites the young singer, but she admitted that representing the country on a global stage also comes with immense pressure.
“Of course po, kasi sabi ko nga when you represent the country, it’s a huge responsibility. Eurovision is pang-worldwide and global audience po talaga ‘yung nanonood so grabe po talaga ‘yung pressure. But at the same time, ako po nagfo-focus din po ako sa kung ano po ‘yung mga opportunities na puwedeng mangyari sa buhay ko — win or lose po (Of course, because as I’ve said, representing the country is a huge responsibility. Eurovision reaches a worldwide, global audience, so the pressure is immense. But at the same time, I’m also focusing on the opportunities that could open up in my life — win or lose),” Carmelle said.
Despite the expectations, she has chosen not to dwell on the competition itself. Being selected to carry the Philippine flag is already a victory in the eyes of Carmelle.
“Ngayon po happy na po ako kasi ako po ‘yung napili na mag-represent po ng Philippines. Tinatry ko po ‘yung best ko na hindi mag-overthink — talagang mas nagma-matter po sa akin na i-enjoy ‘yung journey (I’m happy now because I was chosen to represent the Philippines. I’m trying my best not to overthink—what really matters to me is enjoying the journey),” she added.
Carmelle said her first solo concert helped her develop confidence and stage presence, lessons she now hopes to bring to Eurovision Asia. She acknowledged, however, that the format of the competition requires a different approach.
“‘Yung first solo concert ko po kasi parang ‘yung nagbigay sa akin ng daan para matutunan ko kung paano ko i-carry ‘yung sarili ko, lalong-lalo na po ‘yung buong performance. Sa Eurovision naman po, it’s a different one po kasi marami po kaming kakanta and we only have minutes to make an impression (My first solo concert paved the way for me to learn how to carry myself, especially throughout the entire performance. Eurovision, on the other hand, is a different experience because there are many of us performing, and we only have a few minutes to make an impression),” she explained.
She also made sure to be actively involved in planning her performance, saying she wanted her own ideas to be part of the final presentation while working closely with her creative team.
“Kailangan ko po talaga magsabi kung ano po ‘yung gusto ko, kung saan po ako kumportable kasi ako po ‘yung magpe-perform. But then, ako talaga ate, nag-unite kami na ito na lang ‘yung magandang gawin sa performance. So happy po ako kasi nagkasundo kaming lahat (I really needed to speak up about what I wanted and what I was comfortable with, since I’m the one who’ll be performing. But ultimately, we came to an agreement that this was the best approach for the performance. I’m so happy that we all reached a consensus),” she shared.
Bangkok will be the next stop in Carmelle’s journey, but she hopes the performance will be remembered not only for representing the Philippines, but also for making every minute onstage count.