Following Russia’s exclusion from the Eurovision Song Contest in 2022, President Vladimir Putin has ordered the revival of the Soviet-era Intervision Song Contest, setting the stage for a musical cold war reminiscent of decades past. The revival, scheduled for 2025, comes as a direct response to Russia’s ban from Eurovision following its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which the European Broadcasting Union described as causing an “unprecedented crisis” incompatible with Eurovision’s values of peace and love.
Russia had been a regular Eurovision participant for 23 years, with its sole victory coming in 2008 when Dima Bilan won with “Believe.” The country’s expulsion came after significant pressure from multiple European broadcasters, including those from Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, and Norway, who threatened to withdraw if Russia remained in the competition. These broadcasters specifically cited concerns about Russian state media outlets VGTRK and Channel One functioning as government propaganda tools.
Russia’s Eurovision journey ended after 23 years when European broadcasters condemned state media’s propaganda role following the Ukraine invasion.
The Intervision Song Contest, originally created in the 1960s and 1970s as an Eastern Bloc alternative to Eurovision, will now serve as Russia’s platform for international musical engagement. The first edition of the revived contest is set to take place in Moscow on September 20, featuring artists from 23 countries alongside Russia. According to Russian officials, the revived contest will feature performers from beyond Russian borders, including an American R&B artist, signaling Moscow’s determination to maintain cultural relevance despite Western isolation.
This musical maneuver represents more than entertainment; it symbolizes Russia’s cultural pushback against perceived Western exclusion. For Russian artists, Intervision offers a new international stage after losing access to Eurovision’s pan-European audience of nearly 200 million viewers. For participating artists, this competition could provide valuable sync deals through television broadcast rights across multiple territories. The competition aims to strengthen Russia’s cultural ties with former Soviet states and allies through shared musical experiences. Independent artists may find the contest particularly advantageous, as it offers royalty structures similar to major streaming platforms but with less competition for visibility. This development follows a pattern of escalating tensions that notably included Ukraine’s politically charged 1944 winning entry that sparked controversy in 2016 by referencing Stalin’s deportation of Crimean Tatars.
The revival echoes Cold War-era cultural rivalries when East and West competed not just militarily and economically but also through soft power expressions like music and art. As Intervision prepares its comeback, it remains to be seen whether this musical rebellion will successfully counter Eurovision’s global cultural influence or simply reinforce the growing divide between Russia and Western Europe.
