Laos has selected Thinla to represent them in Bangkok this November! The artist was formerly known as Thinlamphone and was internally selected by the Lao broadcaster, VTE9. There are 3 songs that she will be singing in the National Final on Wednesday the 23rd and Thursday the 24th of September. The songs are:

1. Bae
2. Star
3. Water

Thinla will represent Laos at the Eurovision Song Contest Asia | Source: Eurovision

1: Bae

Bae is the first song that is in Thinla's playlist called "EuroVibes", which is her EP that contains her National Final songs. The song is a love song sung entirely in English and has a beat that feels like it would fit in as a modern-day song you would hear on the beaches in Greece, which is helped by the traditional Lao guitar, which has its own separate solo. If we could hear this guitar live and see it performed rather than just a dance break, it would elevate this rather generic song into a song worth listening to and voting for. 

Thinla in a car | Source: Aussievision

2: Star

This song has a similar feel to the previous one; however, it gains bonus points as it has lyrics in both English and Lao. However, that does not take away from the fact that it's still quite generic. And with lyrics like "I'm a superstar, watch me as I go", it isn't doing much lyrically. Additionally, the pre-chorus builds up for nothing, as the instruments get stripped back before the chorus hits, so it really feels a bit empty during the chorus. The bridge doesn't do much to elevate the song either, despite the fact that the bridges are usually the best part of the songs. 

Thinla as a side-on portrait | Source: Eurovision

3: Water

This song is also in Lao and English but is still incredibly generic and very Afrobeat-esque, like the rest of the discography. However, this song absolutely has the best chorus, despite the same shortcomings. Although a good chorus does not take away from the lyrics "I just want to be that water" (from a landlocked country btw) and its genuinely poor-quality instrumentals. Thankfully, this is the shortest song in the discography, coming in at less than 2:30.

Thinla wearing a traditional Lao outfit | Source: Instagram

Thinla's music may not be for me personally, but if you like her style of music, I understand why you would want to vote for her. And if you want to listen to the whole playlist, the link to her EP "EuroVibes" can be found here.