The host nation, Russia, chose one of its most recognizable and prolific contemporary singers, SHAMAN (real name Yaroslav Dronov), to represent the country. His participation was one of the most highly anticipated moments of Intervision 2025, culminating in an unprecedented finale to his competitive journey.
The Road to Intervision: A Rise to National Stardom
SHAMAN's career trajectory saw a meteoric rise, largely fueled by a series of powerful and widely popular patriotic songs. Since 2022, tracks like "Ya Russkiy" ("I'm Russian") and "Vstanem" ("Get up") cemented his status as a major figure in Russian pop music.
Known for his powerful voice, dramatic stage presence, and unique musical philosophy, SHAMAN has cultivated a massive following, performing to huge audiences across Russia. His selection for Intervision was meant to position him as the face of the country’s cultural dialogue on the international stage.
Selection and The Song's Core Message
SHAMAN was internally selected to represent the host country. His song for the contest was the Russian-language track "Pryamo po serdtsu" (translated as "Straight to the Heart").
The song was a notable collaboration with veteran Russian composer and producer Maxim Fadeev. For the music video of the song, SHAMAN articulated a universal theme:
SHAMAN's Statement on "Straight to the Heart":
"This video is an attempt to find the meaning of life... But the answer is simple: love. The visuals are cinematic, with a cosmic feel. It’s as if we captured the whole universe in one frame." He also commented on his collaboration with Fadeev, saying the composer's works "always exist at the boundary between the real world and the divine."
The Unprecedented Intervision Result
Though SHAMAN's Grand Final performance was a major spectacle, his competitive run concluded in a powerful symbolic gesture. Directly addressing the international jury, he invoked the laws of hospitality, stating he could not compete for victory and formally requesting they refrain from scoring his entry. This unprecedented act meant that despite performing, Russia's entry was officially excluded from the final rankings, resulting in the host country recording zero points.
Life After Intervision
Following the contest, SHAMAN continued his career as one of Russia's most prominent artists, focusing on concert tours and further music releases. His self-removal from the final scoring became a key talking point of the contest as the ultimate gesture of "hospitality" from the host nation.
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