Meet Assaf Blecher: The Israeli Producer Bringing Eurovision to Asia

Assaf Blecher has worked with global stars, produced Miss Universe in Israel and helped bring Madonna to the Eurovision stage. Now, he is taking on his biggest project yet: Eurovision Asia.

From Petah Tikva to Los Angeles, Madonna, Miss Universe and now Eurovision Asia, Israeli producer Assaf Blecher has built a career that sounds almost like a reality TV storyline.

Blecher, who lives in Los Angeles with his French partner, has worked on some of the biggest international television productions, including the Emmy Awards and Miss Universe. He also played a key role in bringing Madonna to the Eurovision stage in Tel Aviv in 2019.

Now, however, he is preparing for a completely new challenge.

Blecher is the Executive Producer of Eurovision Asia, the ambitious new competition that aims to bring the Eurovision concept to audiences across the Asian continent.

And for Blecher, this is much more than another television production. It is a project that has been in development for almost two years — and one that carries enormous responsibility.

Almost Two Years in the Making

Eurovision Asia has not been created overnight.

In an interview with Zoop, Blecher revealed that preparations for the project have been underway for approximately a year and a half to two years.

“We've been planning it for a long, long time. I think probably almost two years, a year and a half,” he explained.

The scale of the project makes it unlike anything he has previously produced.

“It is challenging because, first, it is the biggest music show in the world. There is nothing like that,” Blecher said.

While he has extensive experience producing major international shows, Eurovision Asia presents a different kind of challenge: it is not simply another television format, but an attempt to establish the Eurovision brand in an entirely new region.

“It's different because it's the biggest music show on the planet. There is nothing like that. It's a big responsibility.”

Carrying 70 Years of Eurovision Into Asia

The European Eurovision Song Contest has built a unique global identity over nearly seven decades.

Now, Blecher and his team have the task of taking that identity into Asia while creating something that can stand on its own.

“Everybody knows the brand in Europe — 70 years of Eurovision — and now we're starting something amazing in Asia,” he said.

“We have a lot of responsibility here to carry the brand on our shoulders.”

That responsibility becomes even greater because Blecher himself is a Eurovision fan.

He says he has watched the contest since he was a child, meaning that he approaches Eurovision Asia not only as a producer but also as someone who deeply understands the emotional connection fans have with the competition.

“I’m a fan. I’m a Eurovision fan before I came on to produce the show. I’m a fan. I’ve been watching this show since I was a little kid.”

For him, that creates a unique kind of pressure.

“I have a double pressure: I need to produce a great show, but also to enjoy and love what I’m doing, because I love Eurovision.”

“The Pressure Is Huge”

Eurovision fans are known for their passion, detailed knowledge and high expectations. With Eurovision Asia attracting attention online even before its first show, Blecher knows that expectations are already growing.

“The pressure is huge because I’m a fan,” he said.

But his connection with Eurovision goes beyond simply watching the contest every year.

He remembers Eurovision as a family tradition, something that brought his family together.

“It’s one of the nights of the year when my family got together — my dad, my mom, my brothers, my grandmother and us on so many levels.”

Now, he feels that he is carrying that legacy into a new chapter.

“The pressure is on that I will carry this legacy for my family, for the fans, for myself, and obviously create an amazing production here.”

Eurovision Asia Is Already Going Viral

Although the first edition of Eurovision Asia has yet to take place, interest in the project is already growing rapidly on social media.

Blecher says the official social media activity has reached around two million views, with the numbers continuing to increase.

“Two million! And every second we're watching the number, and it's growing,” he said.

For Blecher, this is only the beginning.

He expects interest to increase dramatically once the participating countries begin revealing their artists and songs.

“We just started. As we go along — another country, another song, another contestant — it’s gonna get crazy.”

His message to Eurovision fans is simple:

“Get ready.”

The Eurovision Family Is Supporting Eurovision Asia

Eurovision Asia is also receiving support from people connected to the European Eurovision community.

Blecher says that seeing former Eurovision participants and winners show their support has been particularly emotional for him.

“It's amazing. The Eurovision community, you know, everybody is family,” he said.

“Everybody who participated in the competition is part of the family, and they're supporting us.”

He believes this connection between Europe and Asia will be an important part of the new competition.

“Europe is supporting us. The fans want us to be successful, and we need to prove to them that it's going to be an amazing show.”

Recent messages of support from Eurovision artists have also added to the excitement surrounding the project.

For Blecher, seeing former winners and contestants embrace Eurovision Asia is more than a professional achievement.

“It’s amazing to see the love of previous winners, previous contestants, the new winners from every country. For me personally, it’s very emotional.”

From One Eurovision Night to Two

Blecher is clearly not trying to hide his enthusiasm for Eurovision.

In fact, he would happily have even more of it.

“I hope everybody joins the celebration and now, instead of one time a year in May, we could have it twice a year.”

Then he laughs and adds:

“That's a lot of Eurovision. Give it to me four times a year!”

For someone who has spent years working in television, his excitement is strikingly personal.

“I love Eurovision,” he says repeatedly. “I love it.”

Discovering a New Musical World

One of the most exciting aspects of Eurovision Asia for Blecher is the opportunity to introduce audiences to countries, cultures and musical traditions that European Eurovision fans may not know well.

He specifically highlighted the potential of discovering new places and new music through the competition.

“Bhutan is a unique place. Discovering the place, discovering the music, new talent — unbelievable.”

That discovery, he believes, could become one of Eurovision Asia's biggest strengths.

Rather than simply copying the European contest, the Asian competition has the opportunity to showcase the incredible cultural and musical diversity of the continent.

From Madonna to Eurovision Asia

Blecher's Eurovision journey began long before he became Executive Producer of Eurovision Asia.

In 2019, he played a crucial role in bringing Madonna to Eurovision in Tel Aviv.

He had connections with Madonna's team and contacted her manager, Guy Oseary, after believing that the global superstar could be the perfect artist for the Eurovision stage.

The negotiations became complicated, particularly over the songs and the length of Madonna's performance.

Eventually, Madonna performed for almost eight minutes during the Eurovision 2019 Grand Final.

Describing his role in the process, Blecher famously said: “I was ‘in charge of Madonna.’”

He also produced Miss Universe in Israel in 2021, another major international television event.

But Eurovision Asia may ultimately become the project that defines his career.

Could Israel Move to Eurovision Asia?

One of the biggest questions surrounding the new competition has been whether Israel could eventually participate in Eurovision Asia instead of Eurovision.

The possibility has reportedly been discussed, but Blecher does not believe such a move is realistic.

“As far as I am concerned, it cannot happen,” he said.

He pointed to both the political complexities surrounding Israel and the country's established position within the European Eurovision system.

At the same time, Blecher considers Israel an important part of the Eurovision ecosystem.

“Israel is a very central figure in the Eurovision puzzle,” he said.

A New Eurovision Chapter

The first edition of Eurovision Asia is expected to bring together around 12 to 14 countries, with countries including South Korea, the Philippines and Vietnam already involved and discussions continuing with other major Asian markets.

Japan is also among the countries involved in negotiations.

But for Blecher, Eurovision Asia is about more than numbers.

It is about creating a new Eurovision tradition for an entire continent.

From a young boy watching Eurovision with his family in Petah Tikva, to bringing Madonna to the Eurovision stage in Tel Aviv, and now preparing to launch Eurovision Asia from Bangkok, his journey has come full circle.

And he understands the historical significance of what he is attempting to create.

“I feel I am making history. I am going to be the first producer to do Eurovision in Asia. I will be remembered as the first who ever did it.”

With the Eurovision community already watching closely and millions of social media views accumulating before the first show, one thing is clear:

Eurovision Asia has not even started yet — and people are already watching.

Source: ynet Global & Zoop