Bhutan has unveiled the five songs competing to represent the country at the inaugural Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2026. The entries for Rhythm of Bhutan, the national selection organised by Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS), are now available to listen to online ahead of the live final on 11 August.
Five artists and groups will compete for the opportunity to represent Bhutan in Bangkok, Thailand, on 14 November. The selection brings together a mixture of contemporary pop, folk and rock influences, with all five entries showcasing different aspects of Bhutanese music.
Τhe five competing songs
The five entries released for Rhythm of Bhutan are:
The Sangay Lhaden Band – “Pemi Tshewang Tashi” (The Legend)
Baeyul 301 – “Drenpa” (The Memories)
Karma Drupchu – “Pha Yuel” (The Homeland)
Thukten Nyendra – “Lhayi Semo” (The Angel)
Pelden Wangchuk – “Jo’druel” (The Journey)
The songs are available through the official BBS channels, with listeners also able to find them on digital music platforms.
Among the competing acts, The Sangay Lhaden Band brings a blend of rock, folk and pop, while Baeyul 301 combines contemporary pop, hip-hop and R&B with Bhutanese musical identity. Karma Drupchu draws on folk and soft rock influences, while Pelden Wangchuk represents the country's contemporary solo music scene.
Thukten Nyendra, meanwhile, competes with “Lhayi Semo”, a song that would later become Bhutan's entry for Eurovision Asia 2026.
BBS releases the official Rhythm of Bhutan theme song
Alongside the five competing entries, BBS has also released the official theme song for the national selection, titled “Drukdra, Rhythm of Bhutan”.
Written and composed by Karma and Phurba Rigsel, the song celebrates Bhutanese identity and the country's opportunity to bring its music to a wider international audience.
The broadcaster described it as a proud voice of the Thunder Dragon, carrying Bhutan's spirit to Asia and the world.
The release adds a further musical element to the national selection, which is being presented as a showcase of Bhutanese culture as well as a competition to choose the country's Eurovision Asia representative.
Five acts prepare for the live final
The five entries will be performed during
The show will be broadcast by BBS and streamed internationally through the official Eurovision Song Contest YouTube channel. Viewers around the world will also be able to participate in the voting process.
The result will determine which artist and song will become Bhutan's first entry in the new pan-Asian competition.
With all five songs now available, the race to represent Bhutan has entered its final stage. Just days remain before the country chooses the act that will carry its musical identity to Bangkok.
Written by Manios Themis
Themis Manios is the founder of escasia.news and song contest analyst. He has a Computer Science background and years of experience documenting international musical competitions including Eurovision's 70-year legacy. He provides a specialized perspective on the intersection of pop culture and regional identity. Through his dedicated coverage, he tracks the evolution of the contest format as it expands toward the historic Bangkok 2026 stage.
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