The stage is set for Intervision 2025, a revival of the Soviet-era music spectacle that is positioning itself as a cultural counterweight to Eurovision. Scheduled for September 20, 2025, the contest will take place at the Live Arena in Novoivanovskoye, on the outskirts of Moscow.
This year’s event has attracted performers from across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. For Kenya, the honor falls on celebrated singer-songwriter Sanaipei Tande, who will represent the country with her track “Flavour”, performed in both English and Swahili. The song blends East African rhythms with soulful pop, making Kenya one of the most distinctive voices in this year’s line-up.
Intervision is not new. Originally created during the Cold War as the Eastern bloc’s response to Eurovision, it provided a stage for socialist nations to showcase their music. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the competition faded into obscurity. Russia’s renewed interest in Intervision follows its exclusion from Eurovision in 2022. With Intervision 2025, Moscow is attempting to rebrand the event as a global celebration of culture among countries aligned or friendly with Russia.
Organizers, including Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and state broadcaster Channel One, have emphasized “music in the heart of your country” as the guiding theme. They insist the contest is free of political messaging, though the emphasis on “traditional values” has drawn mixed reactions abroad. Still, the event has attracted participation from more than a dozen countries, including China, Brazil, Ethiopia, and Kenya.
While Kenyan artists are no strangers to international competitions and festivals, this marks the country’s debut on the Intervision stage.
Sanaipei, affectionately known as Sana, first rose to prominence after winning the East African Coca-Cola Popstars talent search in the early 2000s. Since then, she has built a career as a singer, songwriter, actress, and radio personality. Her catalogue spans soulful ballads, Afropop hits, and Swahili classics.
Russia, the host, will be represented by pop star SHAMAN with the song “Straight to the Heart.” Other notable acts include Brazil’s Luciano Calazans and Thais Nader with “Pipoca com Amor”, Ethiopia’s Netsanet Sultan with “Halaala”, and China’s Wang Xi with “Zài lùshàng.” The diversity of genres — from Latin pop and Amharic ballads to Chinese folk-infused tunes — gives Intervision 2025 a distinctly international feel, even as it is shaped by Russian cultural diplomacy.
The format differs from Eurovision: instead of televoting, results will be decided by an international jury, with each participating country providing one juror. Organizers argue this system ensures fairness, though some observers expect politics could still influence outcomes. The winner will receive a crystal cup and a cash prize of 30 million rubles (about Sh 50 million).