Russia Archives

Martin Green: Russia Could Theoretically Return to Eurovision

May 16, 2026 by Noy Yehoyada Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Eurovision Executive Supervisor Martin Green faces backlash from UK MPs Tom Gordon and Josh Newbury over potential Russia return. A new storm hits Eurovision just hours before the Grand Final. Contest Executive Supervisor Martin Green confirmed that the country could “theoretically” be allowed back into the contest, in a bombshell interview ahead of the 2026 contest in Vienna. The dramatic statement sparked furious reactions from Members of Parliament in the United Kingdom, who were quick to label his words as “moral cowardice.” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); "Theoretically, Yes" - Why Russia Was Excluded in the First Place In an interview with the British network LBC, Green clarified that Russia’s exclusion from the contest was based solely on the conduct of Russia’s state broadcaster, VGTRK, which could not be proven to be independent from the Kremlin, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) determined. When asked if Russia could return to the contest as long as its broadcaster met membership rules, Green...

YouTube’s Silent Boycott: Eurovision Ignores Russia’s 2008 Victory in New Branding

March 4, 2026 by Roie Ben Hoor Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The Eurovision official YouTube channel upgraded thumbnails for all winners with shiny new branding - but skipped Russia's 2008 victory. Political revenge or a human error? Sometimes a single small image on YouTube can ignite a full political storm. Over the past day, social media networks and fan groups have been buzzing over what appears to be a quiet yet defiant political move by the EBU against Russia. The arena: the official YouTube channel of the Eurovision Song Contest. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); New Branding for All Winners – Except One This year, to mark 70 years of Eurovision, a decision was made to refresh the contest's branding. Managers of the official Eurovision YouTube channel embarked on a comprehensive project to update the aesthetics in the video archive. All performance videos of contest winners over the years received a new, designed, and uniform Thumbnail. The festive and shiny branding features a golden background, a large heart containing the flag...

Intervision 2025: Vietnam Crowned Winner of the Contest!

September 21, 2025September 21, 2025 by Aviad Berger Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Vietnam wins Intervision 2025 with a stunning performance. Full results and highlights from Moscow’s show in the article Vietnam emerged as the grand winner of Intervision 2025. For the first time since 1980, the competition took place in Moscow, featuring artists from 23 countries around the globe. The victor was singer Duc Phuc, with his song “Phu Dong Thien Vuong” (translated: “Phu Dong the Heavenly King”), declared the night’s top entry. Just before the judges’ votes ended, a special AI-powered segment revealed that Saudi Arabia would host Intervision 2026. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Alternative Eurovision Stars and Unique Voting Unlike Eurovision, results in Intervision 2025 were determined solely by the judges under a special format. Each judge from the 23 participating nations awarded points, with first place receiving 29, second place 25, third place 22, and so forth, down to last place with one point. Judges were strictly prohibited from voting for their own countries. Vietnam triumphed with a decisive 50-point lead,...

Tonight at 19:00 CEST: The First Edition of the Renewed Intervision, Live from Moscow!

September 20, 2025September 20, 2025 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Watch: Tonight at 19:00 CEST, the first renewed edition of the Intervision Song Contest will take place live from Moscow, the capital of Russia! 23 countries will compete tonight for first place in the new competition! A link to watch the broadcast - Below. Tonight at 19:00 CEST, the Intervision Song Contest returns for the first time since 2008, Russia’s alternative to the Eurovision, following the country’s expulsion from Eurovision in 2022. Russia, the state that conceived the competition, is the first to host it on its own territory. The contest will be streamed on VK Video, while broadcast on the Russian national broadcaster Channel 1 will begin 30 minutes later. This year, 23 countries will compete for first place: Belarus, Brazil, China, Colombia, Cuba, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, South Africa, Tajikistan, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, and the host nation – Russia. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); During...

The Fall of Philipp Kirkorov: The Moment That Shocked Thousands of Fans

August 23, 2025 by Maor Heumann Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Philipp Kirkorov collapsed mid-performance in Russia, alarming fans and raising concerns about his health. The incident has reignited discussions about the singer’s ongoing struggles with diabetes. A single moment of imbalance managed to shake the hearts of thousands of fans in the hall – and perhaps also millions of viewers in Russia and beyond. Philipp Kirkorov, “the Russian King of Pop” and one of the most influential figures in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest, fell during his performance at the New Wave music festival in Kazan, Russia. The fall, broadcast live before the audience, became an unforgettable moment – one that raises troubling questions not only about the artist’s health but also evokes concern among his supporters and colleagues. Kirkorov, 58, captivated the crowd in the opening moments of his show – until drama struck. Media reports that quickly emerged described how physical weakness overcame the star, who for months has been battling Type 2 diabetes....

Duncan Laurence Breaks Record: “Arcade” Is Eurovision’s Most-Streamed Song

July 23, 2025July 30, 2025 by Noy Yehoyada Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); With over 1.4 billion Spotify streams, "Arcade" leads Eurovision’s all-time charts - discover the the top songs dominating global Spotify and YouTube play counts. The song "Arcade" by Dutch artist Duncan Laurence, the Eurovision 2019 winner, has become the most-streamed song in Eurovision Song Contest history, exceeding 1.4 billion Spotify streams. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); From TV Event to Streaming Powerhouse: The Evolution of Eurovision Recent data confirm Eurovision’s transformation from a contest evaluated by juries and public voting into an international sensation measured by streams, views, Instagram Reels, and TikTok content. For nearly a decade, releasing a Eurovision song has been a full-scale digital marketing endeavor - Spotify plays, Instagram trends, and YouTube views now play a role as significant as the live performance itself. Duncan Laurence has set an almost unreachable standard for future contestants. Close behind is "Snap" by Armenian artist Rosa Linn, which has accumulated more than 1.2 billion Spotify streams - even though it finished only 20th in...

Unwelcome: Three Former Russian Eurovision Representatives Added to Ukraine’s Blacklist

July 22, 2025 by Noy Yehoyada Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Three members of the group Buranovskiye Babushki that represented the country at Eurovision, were blacklisted by Ukraine due to performances in Crimea and Donbas, reflecting ongoing cultural and political tensions. Three members of the Russian folk group Buranovskiye Babushki, who represented Russia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 and finished in an impressive second place with the song "Party For Everybody," have been added to Ukraine's blacklist of artists banned from performing in the country. Although recently reported by several news outlets, the decision was originally made in 2020. It is part of Ukraine's broader policy to block Russian artists who are perceived as supporting the Russian state's actions against Ukraine or who have performed in contested territories, as a means of upholding cultural and political security. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Another former Eurovision representative now on the list is Julia Samoylova, who represented Russia at Eurovision in 2018. Samoylova had originally been selected to represent Russia in 2017, but...

Manizha Accused of Being a “Foreign Agent”?

July 5, 2025 by Tal Dahan Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Manizha, Russia’s 2021 Eurovision representative, returned to Moscow, sparking controversy: calls for prosecution, political accusations, and questions about freedom of speech in Russia. The singer Manizha Sangin, who represented Russia in the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Russian Woman," has found herself at the center of a new political storm. After reports emerged that she had returned to Russia and was set to perform in Moscow, there were calls within Russia to prosecute her and declare her a "foreign agent." The criticism stems from her previous political stances, including her opposition to the invasion of Ukraine and her alleged positions regarding the attack at Crocus City Hall. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); “Manizha should be recognized as a foreign agent” "The singer Manizha Sangin should be recognized as a foreign agent, and criminal proceedings should be initiated against her," said Vitaly Borodin, head of the "Federal Project for Security and Anti-Corruption" in the city of Mytishchi, Moscow region, in an interview...

It’s Official: t.A.T.u., Russia’s Eurovision 2003 Representatives Duo, Reunite!

July 5, 2025 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The girl group t.A.T.u., remembered for their early 2000s hits and Eurovision 2003 appearance, reunite 15 years after their breakup. Will this comeback endure? After more than a decade of distance and speculation, Russian pop duo t.A.T.u. is back: Elena Katina and Yulia Volkova have officially announced their reunion - 15 years after the group’s split, which made history with their Eurovision 2003 performance of “Ne Ver', Ne Boisia” (in English: “Don’t Believe, Don’t Be Afraid”), earning third place. The news came via a joint social media post, accompanied by a photo of the two together. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); A Nostalgic Comeback - With Economic Implications The significance of the reunion goes beyond music. It is a carefully planned financial move: a joint performance by the duo now commands around 15 million rubals (approximately 162,000 euros), compared to just 10,000–11,300 euroys for each member solo. Amid Russia’s deep economic crisis and against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Ukraine, many...

Little Big? How Russia’s Eurovision 2020 Representatives Are Trying to Circumvent Russian Law

May 2, 2025 by Guy Solo Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Back to business: Russian Eurovision 2020 representatives Little Big seek ways to bypass Russian law amid the ongoing war with Ukraine. Is the next scandal on the horizon? In 2020, the band Little Big was on the verge of conquering Europe. With their song "Uno" (translated as: "One"), the band became a top favorite to win according to betting odds, until Eurovision was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, despite their growing success, the band declined to participate again, and singer Manizha represented Russia instead. Nevertheless, Little Big continued building a massive international fan base. It has now been revealed that the band is attempting to sidestep Russian law and resume profiting within Russia amid the war in Ukraine. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Relocating to the U.S. and Conflict with the Russian Regime At the start of the Ukraine war, the band did not hide their stance: on their social media pages, they posted an image with...