In a spectacle that blended nostalgia, geopolitics, and musical flair, the Intervision Song Contest 2025 concluded in Moscow on September 21, 2025, crowning Vietnamese singer Duc Phuc as its champion. The event, revived at the behest of President Vladimir Putin, marked Russia’s boldest cultural counterpunch yet to its exclusion from Eurovision—a move prompted by the country’s ongoing war in Ukraine.
Held at an arena just outside the Russian capital, Intervision returned to the world stage with ambitions as grand as its Soviet-era origins. More than 20 countries participated, a diverse roster that included former Soviet republics like Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, as well as Russia’s BRICS partners—Brazil, India, and China. Organizers boasted that the participating nations represented nearly half of the globe’s population, a staggering 4.3 billion people, according to figures cited by Russian broadcaster Pervy Kanal and reported by Reuters and NPR.
The four-hour gala was more than just a music contest. It was a meticulously staged show of soft power, intended to project Russian values and influence far beyond its borders. As Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov put it, the competition aimed to foster "national identity" and "traditional values," pointedly declaring there would be no "perversions and mockery of human nature"—a not-so-veiled reference to Eurovision’s reputation for LGBTQ+ inclusivity and liberal themes, as reported by Deutsche Welle and NPR.
From the outset, the political undertones were unmistakable. President Putin opened the show with a video address, praising the contest’s "main theme" of respecting traditional cultures. "Today, Intervision is gathering a second wind, while remaining faithful to its traditions," he declared, suggesting the event stood for both cultural exchange and a form of defiance against Western influence. As NPR’s Charles Maynes reported, Putin’s remarks were couched in the language of a "fast-changing world where traditions and values must be preserved."
The competition, which dates back to 1965 in Prague and enjoyed a heyday in the Communist bloc before fading into obscurity, was resurrected this year as part of the Kremlin’s wider cultural strategy. Organizers made no secret of their intent to position Intervision as a family-friendly, values-driven alternative to the glitz and liberalism of Eurovision—where, notably, Russian artists have been barred since 2022.
Each artist performed in their native language, a deliberate contrast to Eurovision’s English-heavy roster. The show’s opening ceremony merged past and present: augmented-reality dancers in traditional costumes paraded alongside contestants from Cuba, South Africa, Qatar, and beyond. Among the standouts was Qatar’s Dana Al Meer, who previously sang at the opening of the 2022 World Cup, and Cuba’s Zulema Iglesias Salazar, who delivered a spirited rumba.
But it was Vietnam’s Duc Phuc—a pop star who first rose to fame after winning his country’s version of "The Voice"—who ultimately stole the show. His winning song, inspired by a poem about bamboo, resonated with both the international jury and the audience. Fighting back tears, Phuc thanked viewers "for every second" they had spent watching, as reported by Reuters. The victory earned him the contest’s top prize: 30 million roubles, or about $360,000.
Second place went to Kyrgyzstan, while Qatar finished third. Russia’s own entrant, Yaroslav Dronov—better known as Shaman and famous for his nationalist and pro-war stance—delivered a power ballad titled "Straight to the Heart." Yet in a gesture that underscored the event’s emphasis on hospitality, Shaman declined to compete for the title. "Hospitality is an inalienable part of the Russian soul... and according to the law of hospitality, I don't have the right to be among those vying to win," he told judges, as reported by Reuters and NPR. This act, some observers noted, helped clear the way for an international winner and reinforced the contest’s image as a global, not merely Russian, platform.
Notably absent were performers from European Union states, a reflection of the deep freeze in Euro-Russian relations since the war in Ukraine. The United States was initially slated to participate, represented by Australian-born pop singer Vassy. However, she withdrew at the last minute, with organizers blaming "unprecedented political pressure from the government of Australia." Joe Lynn Turner, former frontman for Deep Purple, served as a jury member for the U.S., an unusual moment of American presence at a Kremlin-backed event, as noted by Deutsche Welle and NPR.
Unlike Eurovision, where public voting is a hallmark, Intervision’s winner was chosen solely by an international jury. Organizers argued this system emphasized artistic merit over popularity and ensured fairness. The contest was broadcast live on Russian television and streamed internationally, with organizers claiming it reached homes across several continents. While the actual viewership numbers have yet to be independently verified, the ambition was clear: to eclipse Eurovision’s record 166 million viewers and claim a truly global audience.
The event’s cultural and political messaging did not go unnoticed. Russian fans, such as Tatiana Zhiltsova, expressed relief at having a platform that reflected their own values. "We're just fine here with our own values. What we saw at Eurovision was offensive and something we won't accept," she told NPR. Meanwhile, Ukraine denounced the show as an attempt to whitewash the ongoing conflict, a war that was never explicitly mentioned during the broadcast.
For the performers, Intervision represented a rare opportunity to step onto an international stage shaped by Moscow’s vision. South Africa’s Olutheren Smith, for example, told NPR he relished the chance to inspire young people back home: "So not a lot of youngsters get this opportunity. And so I just want to be the person that they can look up to and say it is possible." Chinese fans traveled from afar to support their favorite artists, reinforcing the event’s global aspirations.
Looking ahead, Intervision’s organizers are determined to keep the momentum going. At the show’s close, they announced that Saudi Arabia would host the next edition in 2026, signaling an ambition to expand the contest’s reach well beyond Russian soil. Whether Intervision can truly rival Eurovision’s cultural cachet and audience remains to be seen. But as confetti fell on Duc Phuc and his bamboo-inspired ballad, Russia could claim a symbolic victory—a resurrection of Soviet-era cultural diplomacy for a new, contested era.
