Intervision 2025 in Russia: Global Music Contest Returns to Unite East and West
What is Intervision? History and Revival in 2025
Intervision 2025 in Russia: Global Music Contest Returns to Unite East and West
Moscow, August 24, 2025 – Russia is preparing to host Intervision 2025, the historic international music competition often called the Eastern alternative to Eurovision. The revived contest will take place this September at the LIVE Arena near Moscow, gathering artists from 23 countries, including China, India, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Kenya, Cuba, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and even the United States.
What is Intervision? History and Revival in 2025
The Intervision Song Contest first appeared in the 1960s as the socialist world’s answer to Eurovision. Despite Cold War tensions, it became a unique cultural bridge, bringing together artists from both East and West.
Highlights of the past include:
- 1979 – Boney M performed their legendary hit Rasputin in socialist Poland.
- 1980 – American disco star Gloria Gaynor stunned the audience with her show.
The competition disappeared after the collapse of the Soviet Union, but its revival in 2025 marks a new chapter in Russia’s cultural diplomacy and soft power strategy.
Intervision 2025 Participants and Countries
The Intervision 2025 lineup features artists from multiple continents, making it a truly global music festival:
- Russia – Shaman (Yaroslav Dronov) will perform his song Right to the Heart.
- USA – Brandon Howard, rumored to be Michael Jackson’s illegitimate son, represents America.
- China – Wang Xi, known as the “Chinese Elvis” with a three-octave range.
- Cuba – Zulema Iglesias Salazar, bringing the passion of the “Island of Freedom.”
- Saudi Arabia – Zena Imad, a modern cultural icon with millions of social media followers.
- Belarus – Nastya Kravchenko, debuting her song Moth.
Latin Grammy winner Nydia Gongora (Colombia) and Qatari World Cup singer Dana Almir also add star power to the contest.
Russia’s Cultural and Sports Ambassadors for Intervision
Russia has named major figures as Intervision 2025 ambassadors:
- Alexander Ovechkin, NHL legend and world hockey champion, emphasized that music “unites people beyond borders.”
- Pelageya, the renowned Russian singer, highlighted the contest as “an international language of love and peace.”
- Mikhail Shvydkoy, cultural advisor, revealed that cooperation with China, India, and Brazil made the revival possible.
Intervision as a Tool of Cultural Diplomacy
Intervision is more than just a music competition. Organizers position it as a platform for global dialogue, showcasing national cultures while strengthening ties between Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America.
“Each country will reveal its cultural code,” said producer Igor Matvienko, stressing the importance of authenticity over AI-generated pop.
Pelageya added: “Music is the international language of love. It erases differences and unites nations.”
National Importance of Intervision 2025
A giant countdown clock on Manezhnaya Square in Moscow underscores the event’s significance, standing where similar clocks once marked the Sochi Olympics and FIFA World Cup.
With 11,000 seats filled at LIVE Arena and millions expected to watch worldwide, Intervision 2025 is not just nostalgia—it is Russia’s answer to Eurovision, reborn for a multipolar world.
