Start a song: there will be no "neighborhood" voting at Intervision
It's not the neighbor who will win, but the one who has a "hook", identity, charisma and work at a high professional level, says Igor Matvienko about the upcoming September 20 "Intervision", in which the producer and composer will represent Russia on the jury. According to him, the criteria for the international music competition are clearly formulated, independent control is provided, which excludes voting "out of friendship", as at Eurovision. But the competition is expected not only because of this, Russian stars told Izvestia.
"We evaluate the work, not the flag behind the performer's back"
Composition, vocals and artistry will be the evaluation criteria for the participants of the international music competition "Intervision", which will be held on September 20 in Moscow. The winner will be determined by a professional jury, in which Russia will be represented by producer Igor Matvienko. According to him, the approach excludes the controversial neighborhood principle of voting in the spirit of Eurovision, when scores are distributed geographically from year to year, in other words— by friendship. For example, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania traditionally support each other, Greece — Cyprus and vice versa, in another bundle — Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland.
Participants of the Russian folklore group "Buranovskie Babushki" perform in the finals of the international music contest "Eurovision 2012" on the stage of the Baku Crystal Hall complex in Baku
— According to the SMS voting, the Buranovsky Grandmothers were the first in 2012. 90% of the audience were for Russia. But the hidden vote of the Eurovision professional jury brought Lauren from Sweden to the winners," Ksenia Rubtsova, producer of the Buranovskiye Babushki, recalled in an interview with Izvestia.
In the final, Sweden received support from Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and a number of other countries, becoming the record holder for the number of 12-point ratings (18 pieces). "Buranovskie babushki" eventually took the second place.
— We have received high marks from our neighbors: Belarus, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Latvia, as well as Italy and San Marino. Grandmothers sang in Udmurt and English, and the same Finns and Estonians understood them and considered them their own. We received eight points each from these countries. Even the speaker of the Estonian Parliament, Ene Ergma, called on the people of her country to vote for the "Buranovskiye Babushki" at the Eurovision Song Contest. She explained her appeal by the kinship of the Udmurt and Estonian peoples," Rubtsova said.
In the case of Intervision, work will be important, not geographical affiliation, Igor Matvienko told Izvestia.
— Everything works differently with us. Firstly, the jury votes anonymously, the scores go directly to the system, where they are aggregated without any reference to the country. No one knows who you are giving points to — this completely excludes personal sympathies. Secondly, we have clear professional criteria: composition, vocals, production, originality, artistry. We evaluate the work, not the flag behind the performer's back. Plus, independent control: the calculation is conducted by a digital platform with an audit, and it is impossible to interfere in this process. And finally, an international and diverse jury. Composers, producers, sound engineers from different countries and genres — this excludes the influence of the geographical principle," explained Matvienko.
In the end, it's not the neighbor who wins, but the one with the hook, the charisma, and the job at a high professional level, the expert says.
— Of course, in any case, it will be a kind of subjective assessment based on personal tastes, preferences, and experience. For me, it's primarily sincerity, vocal skill, and some kind of identity. You need to understand that a competition is not a sport where the first runner wins. It is very important to see that an artist does not just perform a song, but lives it on stage. You know, it also happens that an artist may not have some kind of strong voice, but the act itself and, as the youth say, the vibe that comes from what is happening on stage, from, I'm not afraid of this word, a work of art, immediately chills you, and you realize that this is an application for victory," Matvienko told Izvestia.
"These countries are forming a new cultural identity"
Russia will be represented by SHAMAN. He will perform a song written by Maxim Fadeev.
Singer Shaman (Yaroslav Dronov)
— Maxim Fadeev is a recognized authority, a hitmaker. His songs usually win. Apparently, not the stupidest people advised SHAMAN to perform his composition. And he sings wonderfully, which is what it is," Larisa Rubalskaya, a poet and lyricist, told Izvestia.
Artists from almost two dozen more countries will compete for the victory. Among them are Belarus, Kazakhstan, China, Serbia, and Saudi Arabia. Ilya Bachurin, CEO of Mosconcert and producer, calls the participation of the United States a fundamentally important moment.
— It will be very, very interesting and important to follow this contest. These are the countries that really come together to form a new cultural identity. I am glad that the Americans will also participate. This suggests that the world has a chance if we look at this issue broadly enough. And that's exactly how I would look at him. Cancellations in culture are an extreme form of manifestation, not even of unfriendliness, but of unhealthy thinking. And such normal, friendly cultural ties, which do not oblige anyone to anything, either in politics or in anything else, confirm that we are civilized people and can communicate in the language of culture," says Ilya Bachurin.
"I remember Intervision, when we gathered in front of a black-and-white TV."
The ambassadors of the contest from among the domestic stars are also ready for dialogue. For example, the Bashkir band Ay Yola, which became famous in early 2025 thanks to the single Homay, does not exclude even future co—creation with foreign colleagues participating in Intervision.
Singer Ay Yola
— Our work is based entirely on the ancient Bashkir epic Ural-Batyr. Each song is a chapter from an epic. We use the traditional instruments of our region, and all the lyrics are in Bashkir. Therefore, it is extremely interesting for us to meet and hear artists from different parts of the world. You're looking at some kind of collaboration," Ruslan Sever, participant and music producer of Ay Yola, told Izvestia.
He added that the role of the ambassador of Intervision, a competition that originated in the Soviet era, is a great honor.
— These are not empty words. Just think about it — I remember "Intervision" very well, when the whole family gathered in front of a black-and-white TV to hear voices from different countries, new music, and experience a different culture. It was a very big competition. How many stars he gave in Soviet times! As a child, I could not even imagine that after almost 45 years, together with my friend Rinat Ramazanov and daughter Adele, I would be a part of this event. It doesn't fit in my head! — he told Izvestia.
Klava Coca became another ambassador of Intervision. She noted that the contest is an opportunity for the participants to express themselves.
Singer Klava Coca
— Artists can get to know each other, exchange experiences, and be heard not only in their own country, but also abroad. This is the perfect start for an international career," the singer told Izvestia. — Such projects create a space for an open exchange of cultures and help to break down stereotypes. It is through dialogue that new points of contact, creative collaborations and friendships appear.
One of the main musical events of the year is less than two weeks away — the competition will be held on the stage of the Live Arena.
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