Vietnam triumphs at Intervision 2025! Serbian representative takes 14th place

After months of speculation, announcements, and controversy, the new, revived version of the Intervision 2025 contest was held last night at the Live Arena in Moscow.

This musical event, personally ordered to be revived by Russian President Vladimir Putin, was presented as an alternative to the Eurovision Song Contest, focusing on „traditional family values“ and cooperation with „friendly countries.“ Although the concept is familiar from the past, the new Intervision had a completely different format, organizers, and participants.

The winner, following the jury’s vote from 23 countries, was Đức Phúc from Vietnam with the song „Phù Đổng Thiên Vương,“ scoring 422 points. Second place went to Kyrgyzstan, and third to Qatar.

The representative of Serbia, Slobodan Trkulja and Balkanopolis, took 14th place with 236 points.

Representative of Vietnam and winner of Intervision 2025.

The Course of the Competition

At the very beginning, the opening ceremony was marked by performances from famous Russian musicians. The audience was treated to Dima Bilan, the only Russian Eurovision winner (2008), and Polina Gagarina, who took second place in 2015. Their participation in Intervision, after their success at the European contest, symbolically heralded a new era in Russian music.

Russian President Vladimir Putin also addressed the participants and viewers via a video message. He stressed that Russia has been and remains a country open to communication and constructive cooperation. „Culture and music know no boundaries; Intervision aims to show the unifying power of art“, Putin said.

„We value our traditions and respect the traditions of others. It is precisely the respect for traditional values and diversity that is the fundamental idea of the competition and inspires all participants to achieve creative results. I wish all contestants a successful performance and well-deserved recognition. May each of you feel the strong, sincere support of the audience“, the Russian president concluded.

Twenty-three countries participated in the competition, mainly from the BRICS countries, the Commonwealth of Independent States, Latin America, and the Middle East, including Serbia.

The organization was at a very high level, and the Live Arena, with a capacity of up to 11,000 spectators, proved to be an ideal venue for the spectacle. The stage and visual effects were impressive, using new technologies and solutions that contributed to a modern look.

However, many noted that the quality of the songs was uneven. While some performers offered refreshing and creative entries, critics observed that a significant portion of the songs was generic and lacked a strong identity. Nevertheless, given that this was the first edition of the revived Intervision, expectations are that the quality of the music will grow in the coming years as the competition attracts more renowned artists.

The winner of the competition was chosen exclusively by the vote of an international jury. Each participating country had one representative on the jury, who was a recognized professional from the music industry, such as a producer, composer, or musician.

Each jury member ranked all songs from 1st to 23rd place, and points were awarded based on this ranking. First place received 29 points, second 25, third 22, fourth 20, fifth 18, while the remaining places received points in descending order, down to 1 point.

It is interesting to note that the Russian representative, SHAMAN, asked the jury not to rank him, stating that he wanted to give other participants a chance, while the US representative, Vassy, had to withdraw at the last minute due to political pressure, which added extra drama to the final.

Serbia debuts at Intervision

Serbia debuted at Intervision this year, with Slobodan Trkulja and Balkanopolis representing the country with the composition „Tri ružice“ (Three Little Roses).

The song is inspired by Slobodan’s three daughters and is dedicated to their coming of age. The lyrics focus on young girls who, although raised with traditional values, seek their place in the modern world. Like three roses, they look up to the sky, searching for their guiding star, while standing firmly on the shoulders of their ancestors, metaphorically represented by pine trees. The character of each girl is reflected in the lyrics and the song’s three different sonic textures.

Trkulja performed alone on stage, singing an emotional song, occasionally joined by another band member playing the flute. In line with his distinctive style, Slobodan performed the song using a throat singing technique.

On the large LED screen in the background, graphics of three roses alternated with scenes of Serbian nature, mountains, and pine trees, which further emphasized the authenticity of the performance and the richness of the national culture. Trkulja took 14th place with 236 points, which is a solid result in tough competition.

No USA representative after all

Despite the announced participation of the USA, their representative, singer Vassy, did not perform in the final.

The organizers announced that the singer, who holds dual Australian and US citizenship, had to withdraw due to „unprecedented political pressure“ from the Australian government, which even sent her an official note. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov commented on the event, stressing that Russia does not seek any political effect and that it wants to promote free contacts and spiritual values through the competition.

Although Vassy did not perform, the USA was still represented at Intervision, as their representative, former Deep Purple singer Joe Lynn Turner, was a member of the international jury.

What does the guture hold?

Intervision 2025 has shown that Russia intends to create a global cultural platform to counter Western influence. However, the competition offered much more than a mere geopolitical alternative. Viewers had the opportunity to see a blend of different cultures and musical styles from parts of the world that are often neglected in Western media, especially in the music industry. It was interesting to hear and see different musical trends from Africa and Asia, which contributed to the richness and diversity of the event itself.

Although it may not yet rival Eurovision in the quality of the songs themselves, Intervision has proven that it can seriously compete in terms of production and organization.

The next edition, which will be held in Saudi Arabia, is attracting special attention. As an extremely wealthy country, Saudi Arabia certainly has the resources to organize a world-class spectacle, which promises an interesting and powerful competition. The decision for that country to be the next host clearly shows a deliberate expansion of influence and the attraction of countries that are ideologically aligned.

Will Intervision succeed in establishing itself as a serious rival to Eurovision, or will it remain merely a geopolitical project?

Time will tell, but one thing is certain—music is no longer just an art form, but also a powerful tool in international relations.

The entire broadcast of Intervision 2025 is available in the video below, and you can find Serbia’s performance at 2:23:20.

Intervizija 2025