Intervision: Russias Cultural Retort to Eurovision Aiming for Global South Engagement

This Saturday night in Moscow, twenty-three musical performances from Russia’s allies across Latin America, Africa, and Asia are set to take place at Intervision, a Russian counterpart to Eurovision that revives a contest from the Soviet era sharing the same name.

Promoted as a “depoliticized” musical celebration, the event is nevertheless a reaction to Russia’s exclusion from Eurovision following its invasion of Ukraine. As Moscow reinforces its campaign for “traditional values,” the event is expected to diverge significantly from the campiness, inclusivity, and diversity typically anticipated by Eurovision fans.

Russia’s representative for this event will be Shaman, a pro-war pop artist whose patriotic songs, such as “Ya Russky” (“I’m Russian”) and “Moi Boy” (“My Fight”), have made him one of the most prominent figures in wartime Russia.

His participation sharply contrasts with Russia’s last appearance at Eurovision in 2021, where Tajik-born singer Manizha performed “Russian Woman,” a song that conveyed an inclusive and feminist perspective on womanhood in Russia, drawing considerable criticism from the government at the time. Manizha, who later condemned the invasion of Ukraine, has since been prohibited from performing in Russia.

**The Purpose and Timing of Intervision’s Revival**

Intervision was first held in Czechoslovakia from 1965 to 1968, intended as a festival that aimed to bridge the divide between East and West, according to historian Dean Vuletic. A brief revival occurred in Poland from 1977 to 1980, attracting performers from places as diverse as the United States, Canada, and Japan.

“They sought to engage Western commercial record labels. They were not anti-capitalists who shunned contact with the West,” Vuletic explained to The Guardian.

Russia’s first modern attempt to revive the competition was in 2009, initiated by then-Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, suggesting a version involving members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Another attempt occurred in 2014, right after Eurovision crowned Conchita Wurst, the Austrian drag queen whose victory infuriated Russian lawmakers amidst Moscow’s clampdown on LGBTQ+ rights. Plans to host Intervision in Sochi with China and several Central Asian nations ultimately fell through.

Eurovision again managed to irritate Moscow in 2016 when Ukraine’s Jamala claimed victory with «1944,» a song addressing the Soviet deportation of the Crimean Tatars.

In 2022, mere days after launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia was banned from participating in Eurovision, and Russian broadcasters promptly withdrew from the European Broadcasting Union.

In February of this year, Putin signed a decree to resurrect Intervision, assigning senior officials such as Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko and domestic policy head Sergei Kiriyenko to oversee its organization.

**What to Anticipate**

The competition’s website currently lists 23 participating countries, including the U.S., Cuba, China, India, Belarus, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Madagascar, and others.

In contrast to Eurovision’s branding as a celebration of European unity and cohesion, Intervision seems to represent Russia’s latest attempt to strengthen connections with BRICS nations and the Global South, aligning with Putin’s ambition for a “multipolar world order.”

Media expert Stephen Hutchings characterized Intervision as an initiative to create “alternative cultural structures,” similar to the repositioning of Kremlin-backed broadcaster RT after its being blocked in many Western areas.

Regarding the contest, expectations are uncertain. Many performers will likely be unfamiliar to Western audiences, and the lineup has altered several times. Recently, U.S. contestant B. Howard withdrew from the event and was substituted by Australian-born singer Vassy.

Despite an increase in public relations efforts, including sharing images and videos of contestants visiting prominent sites in Moscow such as the VDNKh exhibition center, the WWII Victory Museum, and Zaryadye Park, its outreach seems constrained.

Its Telegram account has around 36,000 subscribers, while its Instagram page has just over 7,300 followers, and its VK page holds only 23,000 subscribers. In comparison, Eurovision boasts more than 2 million followers on Instagram.

Nonetheless, in the absence of Western platforms, Intervision offers the Kremlin an opportunity to present its vision of cultural independence.

As Hutchings noted, it may function as “more domestic theater than international outreach,” serving as a spectacle tailored for local audiences as much as for international ones.