Vietnamese singer Duc Phuc won the inaugural Intervision final in Moscow’s Live Arena on Saturday night, taking the top prize of 30 million rubles (about $360,000) for his song Phu Dong Thien Vuong, a heady blend of pop, rap and dubstep. The competition, billed as Russia’s answer to Eurovision, sought to reinsert Moscow into the global cultural conversation three years after it was barred from Europe’s long-running song contest over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Intervision’s organizers framed the event as a cultural initiative, separate from politics, but the ceremony unfolded against a backdrop of geopolitical maneuvering and symbolic performances.
The show, staged with the kind of spectacle associated with Eurovision—thundering vocals and pyrotechnics—also delivered moments of unexpected drama. In a surprise development, the U.S. entrant, Australian-born Vassy, was unable to perform due to what organizers described as political pressure from the Australian government. Another planned performance, by Brandon Howard, was canceled three days before the final because of unforeseen family circumstances. As Shaman—Russia’s entry—concluded his act, he delivered a pointed appeal to the international jury, saying, “Russia has already won by inviting so many countries to join us.”
The Intervision final occurred as Moscow reasserted its cultural presence on the world stage, a task subordinated to broader political objectives. The competition’s launch was formalized by a presidential decree in February, three years after Moscow was excluded from Eurovision. Kremlin officials insist Intervision is not a vehicle for political influence. “What we are doing is diametrically opposite to the attempts to use sports, art, and any other human activities for political gains,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters ahead of the show. Yet the event has been intertwined with high-level politics: President Vladimir Putin discussed the contest during a state visit to China at the start of September, and Lavrov appeared at the broadcast, conducting interviews between acts.
Analysts say Intervision represents an attempt to craft a Russia-centered cultural platform that could rival Eurovision in stature and reach. Historian Dean Vuletic notes that the modern Intervision is a revival of a socialist-era format—one that originally aimed to bridge East and West during a polarized era. “They wanted to attract the attention of Western media and Western record companies,” Vuletic explained, pointing to the historical role such contests played in expanding artists’ profiles. While the 2025 lineup boasted 23 acts from a broad swath of countries—including China, South Africa, Brazil, the UAE, India, Cuba, Ethiopia and Venezuela—participation by nations willing to project a neutral or measured stance on Russia’s war in Ukraine was a recurring theme, with the United States’ representative standing out as a notable exception.
The selection process for individual acts remains opaque. Intervision describes co-organizers as the legal entities responsible for nominating acts and promoting the contest, which can range from national broadcasters to private individuals, but there is no public roster of these partners. As a result, some performances carry more cultural influence than others, even though the rules require each act to be a “national star.” Russia’s entry, Shaman, is one of the country’s most promoted acts, while other participants include Kenya’s Sanaipei and Madagascar’s Denise and D-Lain, who enjoy dedicated followings at home. Egypt’s Moustafa Saad is known primarily as a soloist at the Alexandria Opera House, illustrating the contest’s diverse range of participants across genres and profiles.
Intervision has also encountered friction with parts of its audience. Some Eurovision fans dismissed the project as a Kremlin-led spectacle, while others raised concerns about the contest’s alignment with Russia’s broader values agenda. The competition’s stance on LGBTQ+ rights has drawn particular scrutiny, given the LGBTQ+-friendly stance of Eurovision. Information about Vassy’s role as an ambassador for the NOH8 Campaign—an organization promoting LGBTQ+ rights and gender equality—briefly disappeared from her Wikipedia page after her Intervision announcement but was later restored.
Looking ahead, organizers announced that the next Intervision would be held in Saudi Arabia, signaling a pivot to another geopolitically significant venue. Lavrov framed the move as part of Russia’s broader effort to present a fuller, more objective image abroad, while noting that “some of our perceived shortcomings provoke envy among many foreign counterparts.” Putin’s involvement in the show and the subsequent media narrative underscored the contest’s role as a cultural barometer of Russia’s international standing during a period of ongoing conflict and diplomatic tension. Critics, however, warn that Intervision’s long-term future depends on political will and sustained audience interest, reminding readers of similar cultural experiments from the past that faded as political priorities shifted. Historian Vuletic cautions that, without a durable audience and institutional support, revived events like Intervision may struggle to maintain momentum beyond a single edition.
As 2025 drew to a close, the Intervision project framed itself as a provocative blend of cultural festival and political signal—one that Moscow hopes will endure beyond the current moment. Whether the contest can build a sustainable legacy remains uncertain, but its inaugural edition has already delivered a complex narrative about culture, power and the global stage.