Hanoi, Vietnam – Vietnamese singer Duc Phuc has been crowned the winner of Intervision, a new international song competition positioned by its organizers as a family-friendly alternative to the Eurovision Song Contest. The announcement came at the close of the inaugural event, held in Moscow, Russia.
Intervision, conceived by Russia as a platform to showcase “traditional values,” drew attention for its overt emphasis on cultural and spiritual traditions, and what some observers characterized as an “anti-woke” agenda. The competition aims to “promote global, spiritual, family, cultural, ethical, and religious traditions of different nations,” according to official guidelines. Russia’s Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova insisted the event was focused on talent, stating, “The Intervision competition is about talented people, not political decisions. It is very important that the best, the most talented and the brightest performer who would conquer the hearts of the audience wins.”
The event featured contestants from various nations, with a noticeable emphasis on conservative viewpoints. One fan of the Russian participant, known as “Shaman,” told CNN, “Heterosexualism is very important to us.”
Looking ahead, organizers announced Saudi Arabia will host Intervision next year. The competition’s emergence signals russia’s intent to cultivate a cultural platform independent of Western-dominated events like Eurovision, notably following its exclusion from the latter due to the war in Ukraine.
