Russia's Revived Intervision Song Contest Concludes Amidst Mixed Reviews and Geopolitical Undertones

Russia Hosts Intervision 2025 as Eurovision Alternative

The Intervision 2025 International Music Contest, a revival of the Soviet-era song competition, took place on September 20, 2025, at the Live Arena in Novoivanovskoye, near Moscow, Russia. Organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, among others, the event was positioned as an alternative to the Eurovision Song Contest, from which Russia was excluded in 2022 following its invasion of Ukraine. Russian officials stated the contest aimed to promote 'traditional family values' and 'spiritual ideals,' contrasting with what they described as 'fake values' perceived in Eurovision.

Geopolitical Stage and Participant Dynamics

The contest featured representatives from 23 countries, primarily drawing participants from BRICS, CIS, Latin American, and Middle Eastern states. Nations such as Belarus, Brazil, China, Cuba, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the UAE, and Venezuela were among those taking part. Serbia was noted as the only country participating in both Intervision and Eurovision. The event faced geopolitical scrutiny, with critics viewing it as a tool to project Moscow's influence and foster alliances with 'friendly' nations. A notable incident involved the last-minute withdrawal of the U.S. contestant, Australian-born singer Vassy, which organizers attributed to 'unprecedented political pressure from the government of Australia.' The Australian government did not deny contact with Vassy but stated it had 'no engagement' with the contest itself.

Event Execution and Technical Challenges

The broadcast, aired on Russia's state-run Channel One, was reportedly marked by several technical hiccups and awkward moments. These included hosts mispronouncing country names like 'Kazakhstan' and 'Kyrgyzstan,' technical difficulties that delayed the jury vote, and an instance where an individual wandered into a judge's shot. Despite organizers claiming the event was broadcast to countries with a combined population of over 4 billion people, the official YouTube broadcast garnered only 103,000 views at the time of publication. The winner of the contest was determined by a professional jury from each participating country, rather than a public vote.

Vietnam Crowned Winner Amidst Mixed Reception

Duc Phuc, representing Vietnam, was crowned the winner of Intervision 2025 with a song inspired by a poem about bamboo. He received a cash prize of 30 million rubles, equivalent to approximately $360,000 USD. Kyrgyzstan secured second place, and Qatar came in third. While Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov asserted the contest was 'not striving for any political effect,' Ukraine condemned the event as 'an instrument of hostile propaganda.' Looking ahead, organizers announced that Saudi Arabia has agreed to host the Intervision contest next year.