24-year-old Alexander Malofeev playing a variation of Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody.
Eurovision launches contest in Asia
Eurovision has announced its first-ever Asia edition, with Eurovision Song Contest Asia set to hold a live grand final in Bangkok on 14 November, 2026.
Ten countries are confirmed for the inaugural line-up: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, the Philippines, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. Organisers expect more countries to join ahead of the finale.The rules for the Asia competition have not yet been announced. Eurovision’s main contest typically involves national selections feeding into live shows, with results decided by a mix of jury scores and public voting.
Martin Green, director of the Eurovision Song Contest, said in a statement: “As we mark the 70th anniversary of the Eurovision Song Contest, it feels especially meaningful to open this next chapter with Asia, a region rich in culture, creativity and talent.”
Daniel Žižka will rep Czechia at Eurovision
A few days after Daniel Žižka was revealed to be representing Czechia at this year’s Eurovision, his song’s music video has been released. The 23-year-old singer will perform CROSSROADS in Vienna.
Daniel is a 23-year-old singer-songwriter currently based in Prague. However, despite his young age, he has already been touted as one of Czechia’s most promising young artists. He began his career in musical theatre before moving into writing and performing original songs. Under a previous name, he had already became known to the Czech public, but following his shift, he has released several successful singles.
Troye Sivan celebrates debut album’s 10th anniversary
Troye Sivan is celebrating the tenth anniversary of his debut album, Blue Neighbourhood, with the updated version featuring reimagined art from original illustrator Hsiao-Ron Cheng, and two new songs.
Initially released in December 2015, Blue Neighbourhood followed the release of Sivan’s fourth EP, Wild, and generated the singles Wild, Youth, Talk Me Down and Heaven. The album debuted at #6 in Australia upon its release, while the single Youth took home the coveted Song of the Year award at the 2016 ARIA Awards.
Blue Neighbourhood – Ten Years On includes two additional tracks that are deeply loved by fans. The first is Strawberries & Cigarettes, a standalone hit that’s amassed over one billion streams. Originally written in the Blue Neighbourhood era, the song found fame after being included in the 2018 film and its accompanying soundtrack, Love, Simon. The second song is Swimming Pools, which was originally made available on a retail, physical exclusive version of Blue Neighbourhood.
![Kadie Elder - First Time He Kissed a Boy [Official Music Video]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/et8R5fZOARo/0.jpg)
Homoerotic
Mexican artist Gabriel Santiago has released a new single titled “Homoerotic.” The song, which he wrote, recorded, and produced himself, celebrates the shared language and connections within gay culture.
The track was created as a direct response to his experience with a record label. Santiago says the label rejected his ideas for being “too gay” for a general audience. In answer to that rejection, he has made a song that is intentionally and unapologetically queer.
The accompanying music video, directed by Spanish filmmaker David Cuni, aims to build a bridge. It seeks to connect a traditional, heteronormative culture with one that celebrates queer sexual liberation. Shot on 16 mm film, the video features a cast of queer performers, independent artists, and immigrants.
Omar Rudberg’s raw and naked next chapter
It’s Omar Rudberg’s first headlining show, not just in New York but in the United States. The sold-out crowd is giddy with anticipation: a mixture of squealing stans of Netflix’s Young Royals, teens thrilled to be out on a school night, and queer folks of all ages in need of a space to unapologetically be themselves.
Paper hearts with the words “NY <3 Omar,” tossed about by an enthusiastic fan, flutter in the air, illuminated by the twinkling glow of phone lights. Soon, the Venezuelan-Swedish heartthrob and former boy band star takes the stage, and America is ready.
Rudberg’s U.S. debut is something of a coronation as a global sensation, but he seems almost as starstruck by the love of his fans as they are by the sight of him. A few days later he’s still visibly humbled by the adoring reception. “It’s a dream come true,” he says. “I never imagined that it would really happen, especially this quick. I’ve always wanted to do my own tours and perform here, but it’s really hard to actually get there. It’s another thing than dreaming about it every day of your life.”
