ISTANBUL

The first Intervision international song contest in Moscow concluded Saturday night with all 23 delegations performing the song A Million Voices in multiple languages, after a night shaped by Vietnam winning the top prize, Russia’s entry withdrawing, and the singer representing the US being blocked from taking the stage.

Duc Phuc won the top honors with the song Phu Dong Thien Vuong, inspired by a Vietnamese folktale, blending rap and dubstep with traditional themes.

He got a prize of 30 million rubles (around $360,000). According to organizers, he secured 422 points from the international jury, ahead of the Kyrgyz trio NOMAD with 373 and Qatar’s Dana Al-Meer with 369 points.

Russia was represented by Yaroslav Dronov, known as Shaman, who performed his selection before asking the jury to exclude him, saying it would be unfair for the host country to win.

The contest – billed as a more inclusive, traditional alternative to Eurovision – was also marked by the withdrawal of singer Vasiliki Karagiorgos, better known as Vassy, who was due to represent the United States.

Organizers said she was prevented from appearing due to “pressure” from Australian authorities, though Canberra has denied involvement. Vassy, who holds both Australian and US citizenship, said she was “still in shock” after being forced to step aside.

Other headline acts included Madagascar’s Denise and D-Lain, South Africa’s Mzansi Jikelele, Colombia’s Nidia Gongora, and Uzbekistan’s Shokhrukh Ganiev, who performed before his mother in the audience.

Qatar’s Dana Al-Mir shared her tradition of collecting guitars during tours and was presented with a Russian balalaika on stage.

The show at Live Arena featured augmented reality avatars, giant screens, and elaborate lighting. Performances were broadcast live on Russia’s Channel One and streamed internationally, with organizers claiming a potential audience of over 4 billion.

In a video message for the competition, Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed the importance of preserving national identity. Jury chair Igor Matvienko said folk traditions underpin contemporary music, while Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who attended, announced Saudi Arabia as host of the 2026 edition.

The contest closed with Russian artists including Dima Bilan and Polina Gagarina performing a medley of songs, followed by all delegations joining on stage to sing A Million Voices, originally Gagarina’s 2015 Eurovision entry, in several languages.

Russia was banned from the Eurovision Song Contest in 2022 after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin signed a decree earlier this year establishing Intervision as a permanent alternative.