Bhutanese national broadcaster Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS) has published an in-depth feature on Nyendra, exploring the personal journey behind the country's first Eurovision Asia representative and the challenges he faced before winning the inaugural Rhythm of Bhutan.
The report, titled “From self-doubt to spotlight: Thukten Nyendra’s journey to Eurovision Asia”, offers a more personal look at the 24-year-old singer-songwriter, moving beyond his national selection victory to explore his childhood, musical ambitions and the doubts he experienced while pursuing a career in music.
Nyendra, whose full name is Thukten Nyendra, comes from Chhukha in southwestern Bhutan. He will represent the country at the inaugural Eurovision Song Contest Asia in Bangkok on 14 November with his song “Lhayi Semo” (The Angel).
A musical journey that began in childhood
According to the BBS feature, Nyendra's interest in music began at a very young age. His mother, Nidup Tshomo, recalled that he was already playing guitar and singing when he was around four years old.
At the time, his family did not anticipate that music would eventually become his professional ambition.
As he grew older, Nyendra's interest developed into a serious pursuit. While studying at Royal Thimphu College, he began practising more regularly and gradually decided that he wanted to build a career in music.
However, his decision was not immediately supported by his family. His mother explained that she was concerned about the limited opportunities available to musicians in Bhutan and initially encouraged him to pursue a more secure career.
Nyendra nevertheless continued to follow his ambition.
Overcoming self-doubt
In the interview, the singer spoke openly about the personal difficulties he experienced while trying to establish himself as an artist.
He explained that insecurity about his appearance, presentation and the way he communicated had often affected his confidence.
Despite these challenges, music became an important way for him to express emotions that he found difficult to communicate verbally.
He began writing songs as a way of putting his thoughts and experiences into words, gradually developing his own creative identity.
At the age of 19, he moved to Thimphu, Bhutan's capital, where he focused more seriously on music while continuing his studies.
An independent songwriter and producer
Nyendra's creative work extends beyond performing. The singer writes and produces his own music, working across pop, folk-pop, acoustic and R&B influences.
BBS also highlighted an album he completed following his graduation, titled “Let Me Tell You a Story”, which contains nine songs.
Nyendra described several tracks, including “Let Me Tell You a Story” and “Take Me Back”, as particularly personal works, drawing on his own experiences and emotions.
His independent approach to songwriting and production has helped shape the musical identity he now brings to the Eurovision Asia stage.
His family celebrates his Eurovision Asia opportunity
The BBS feature also included comments from his mother, who reflected on how her initial concerns had changed following his success.
She expressed pride in seeing her son selected to represent Bhutan internationally, describing the achievement as a special moment for the family.
For Nyendra, the opportunity to perform at Eurovision Asia represents more than the victory of a television competition. It is also the culmination of years of pursuing a musical career despite uncertainty about whether it would be possible.
The road to Bangkok
Following his victory at Rhythm of Bhutan on 11 August, Nyendra is now preparing to represent his country at the inaugural Eurovision Song Contest Asia.
His entry, “Lhayi Semo”, written together with Lungten Wangchuk, will compete at the Grand Final in Bangkok on 14 November.
The BBS feature provides a glimpse into the person behind Bhutan's first Eurovision Asia entry, presenting an artist whose journey to the international stage began with a childhood interest in music and developed through years of determination.
As preparations continue, Nyendra will have the opportunity to introduce both his music and his country's contemporary musical identity to a much wider audience.
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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