Vietnamese Artist Duc Phuc Wins Russia-Revived Intervision Song Contest Amid Geopolitical Tensions

Vietnamese singer Duc Phuc won the 2025 Intervision Song Contest held in Moscow, a competition revived by President Vladimir Putin as a geopolitical and socially conservative rival to Eurovision after Russia's exclusion due to its invasion of Ukraine. The contest featured 23 countries, including China and India, with Duc Phuc's winning performance inspired by Vietnamese folklore and traditional imagery, earning 422 jury points. Russia's own participant, Shaman, asked the jury to disregard his performance to avoid bias as the host country. The United States' participation was complicated as the Australian-born singer Vassy, slated to represent the US, withdrew citing political pressure from the Australian government. Putin expressed confidence that Intervision would become a globally recognized event, whereas Ukraine criticized it as a tool for hostile propaganda and whitewashing Russia's aggressive policies. The contest was widely broadcast across multiple continents, emphasizing traditional values and cultural cooperation, with Saudi Arabia scheduled to host the next edition.