Politics, Media and Music. Cancel Culture and the Eurovision Song Contest
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.60060/MLg.2026.19.150-166Keywords:
politics, cancel culture, pop music, Eurovision, IntervisionAbstract
The hypothesis that motivated the choice of the topic of this text is that the Eurovision Song Contest today is like a wrestling mat for geopolitical fights. Does Intervision, the Russian alternative to the European music contest, revived after yet another “cancelation”, give rise to new heights in musical art or does it continue the geopolitical “game” in a mirror image, “in a Eurasian” or “in a Russian” way?
Sources
24 chasa (2026) Dara obmislya da se otkazhe ot uchastie v “Evrovizia”, 02.02. Dostapen ot: https://www.24chasa.bg/ozhivlenie/article/22209068 (Pregledan: 15.06.2026).
BNT (2022) Roni Romero v otvoreno pismo do mediite: Obvineniyata kam men sa absolyutno neverni, BNT 1 Novini, 17.01. Dostapen ot: https://bntnews.bg/news/roni-romero-v-otvoreno-pismo-do-mediite-obvineniyata-kam-men-sa-absolyutno-neverni-1182077news.html (Pregledan: 01.02.2026).
Brenner, Andrey (2025) Voskreshenie „Intervidenia“. Vspomnili dazhe Pugachevu, DW, Kulytura, 20.09. Dostapen ot: https://www.dw.com/ru/voskresenie-intervidenia-vspomnili-daze-allu-pugacevu/a-74070212 (Pregledan: 01.02.2026).
Carroll, Rory (2026) How did Eurovision go from sequins and flares to geopolitical slugfest?, The Guardian, 16.05. Available: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/may/16/eurovision-boycott-protest-history (Accessed: 15.06.2026).
Christou, Costa (2022) Rosa Linn’s “Snap” becomes most-streamed Eurovision 2022 entry, ESCXTRA, 29.08. Available: https://escxtra.com/2022/08/29/rosa-linns-snap-becomes-most-streamed-eurovision-2022-entry/ (Accessed: 15.06.2026).
ЕU 2025/2240 (2026) Report on a European parliament recommendation to the Council concerning the EU priorities for the 70th session of the un commission on the status of women Ref.no a10-0010/2026. Available: https://oeil.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/en/procedure-file?reference=2025/2240(INI) (Accessed: 15.06.2026).
Eurovision Song Contest (2021) Eurovision Explained By “Culture” – Part 4 [YouTube]. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OhPS1Ro44o (Accessed: 15.06.2026).
Eurovision Song Contest Rules (2026) Public Summary of Rules – Vienna 2026. Available: https://www.eurovision.com/newsroom/rules-of-the-contest/ (Accessed: 15.06.2026).
Kolchagova, Boryana (2026) Evrovizia 2026: boykoti i bitka za trofeya vav Viena, Standart, 15.05. Dostapen ot: https://www.standartnews.com/kultura/evroviziya-2026-boykoti-skandali-i-bitka-za-trofeya-vav-viena-633782.html (Pregledan: 15.06.2026).
Kritichno (2026) Klimatat sreshtu parzholata: Frantsia prizova za po-malko meso, 15.02. Dostapen ot: https://kritichno.bg/evropa/klimatat-sreshtu-parzholata-francia-po-malko-meso/ (Pregledan: 01.02.2026).
Meduza (2025) V Moskve proshlo “Intervidenie” — pesennыy konkurs s “raditsionnыmi tsennostyami”, kotorыm Kremly popыtalsya zamenity “Evrovidenie” Uchastniki iz SShA ne priehali, a Shaman otkazalsya borotysya za pobedu (no vse ravno vыstupil), 21.09. Dostapen ot: https://meduza.io/feature/2025/09/21/v-moskve-proshlo-intervidenie-pesennyy-konkurs-s-traditsionnymi-tsennostyami-kotorym-kreml-popytalsya-zamenit-evrovidenie (Pregledan: 15.06.2026).
Mihantyeva, Maria (2022) Rossiyu otstranili ot uchastia v “Evrovidenii” iz-za voennoy operatsii na Ukraine, Forbes.ru, 25.02. Dostapen ot: https://www.forbes.ru/forbeslife/457157-rossiu-otstranili-ot-ucastia-v-evrovidenii-iz-za-voennoj-operacii-na-ukraine?ysclid=mhaq2c5oeh323707876 (Pregledan: 26.02.2026).
Pavlov, Nikola (2026) ES GLASUVA: Ne samo zhenite mogat da razhdat, Evrokom, 16.01. Dostapen na: https://eurocom.bg/2026/02/16/es-glasuva-ne-samo-zhenite-mogat-da-razhdat/ (Pregledan: 15.06.2026).
Skandal (2025) Dara shte uchastva v Evrovizia vapreki publichnia linch, 03.02. Dostapen ot: https://skandal.bg/news/17701005985098/dara-shte-uchastva-v-evroviziya-vapreki-publichniya-linch (Pregledan: 15.06.2026).
Tsveyn, Iliyan (2026) Amsterdam zabranyava ulichnata reklama na produkti ot meso i avtomobili, otdelyashti vredni emisii, BTA, 23.01. Dostapen ot: https://www.bta.bg/bg/news/1049825-amsterdam-zabranyava-ulichnata-reklama-na-produkti-ot-meso-i-avtomobili-otdelya (Pregledan: 01.02.2026).
Regulations on International Music Contest Intervision (2025) Available: https://intervision.world/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/14_04_Regulations_Intervision.pdf (Accessed: 15.06.2026).
Velev, Nikolay (2025) “Intervizia” – ruskata alternativa na pesennia konkurs “Evrovizia”, be otkrita s rech na Vladimir Putin, posvetena na tsennostite, BTA, 21.09. Dostapen ot: https://www.bta.bg/bg/news/world/971460--interviziya-ruskata-alternativa-na-pesenniya-konkurs-evroviziya-be-otkrit (Pregledan: 15.06.2026).
Vorobjovas-Pinta, Oscar (2026) How public voting has turned Eurovision from a song contest into a political platform, The Conversation, 15.05. Available: https://theconversation.com/how-public-voting-has-turned-eurovision-from-a-song-contest-into-a-political-platform-282733 (Accessed: 15.06.2026).
Wikipedia (2026) Russia–Ukraine relations in the Eurovision Song Contest. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia%E2%80%93Ukraine_relations_in_the_Eurovision_Song_Contest (Accessed: 13.06.2026).
York, Joanna (2025) Soft power: Russia revives the Intervision song contest, Cold War rival to Eurovision, France 24, 20.09. Available: https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20250920-soft-power-russia-revives-the-intervision-song-contest-cold-war-rival-to-eurovision (Accessed: 15.06.2026).
References
Асафов, Александр (2024) „Культура отмены“ как механизм политического давления неоколониализма для поддержания однополярного мироустройства. Москва: Медиагород.
Рустамова, Лейли, Иванова, Дарья (2023) „Культура отмены“ в отношении России и способы борьбы с ней, Вестник Российского университета дружбы народов, Серия: Политология, т. 25, №2, с. 434–444. Достъпен от: https://doi.org/10.22363/2313-1438-2023-25-2-434-444 Прегледан: 14.06.2026.
Стефанова, Нели (2020) Евроскептицизъм срещу евроинтеграция – политически тези на разделението, в: Балова, Стоянка (съст.) Политическият език на разделението в България, с. 85–111. София: Институт за социална интеграция, Фондация „Фридрих Еберт“.
Adams, Oliver (2020) A critical assessment of the importance of music at the Eurovision Song Contest. Available: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/344058853_A_critical_assessment_of_the_importance_of_music_at_the_Eurovision_Song_Contest (Accessed: 15.06.2026).
Alpatova, Oksana (2022) “A Song for Europe”: Music or Politics?, Journal of Globalization Studies, vol. 13, №2/November, pp. 105–118. Available: https://www.sociostudies.org/journal/jogs/archive/2022_2/ (Accessed: 15.06.2026).
Baker, Catherine, Atkinson, David, Grabher, Barbara, Howcroft, Michael (2024) Soft power, cultural relations and conflict through Eurovision and other mega-events: a literature review. British Council. Available: doi.org/10.57884/MB1H-DT68 (Accessed: 15.06.2026).
Clark, Meredith (2020) DRAG THEM: A brief etymology of so-called “cancel culture”, Communication and the Public, vol. 5 (3-4), pp. 88–92.
Dayan, Daniel, Katz, Elihu (1992) Media Events: The Live Broadcasting of History. Cambridge, London: Harvard University Press.
Jordan, Paul (2014) The Modern Fairy Tale: Nation Branding, National Identity and the Eurovision Song Contest in Estonia, Politics and Society in the Baltic Sea Region. Tartu: University of Tartu. Available: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353866894_The_Modern_Fairy_Tale_Nation_Branding_National_Identity_and_the_Eurovision_Song_Contest_in_Estonia (Accessed: 15.06.2026).
Merriam-Webster Dictionary (2026) [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/queer (Accessed: 15.06.2026).
Noelle-Neumann, Elisabeth (1974) The spiral of silence: a theory of public opinion, Journal of Communication, 24 (2), pp. 43–51.
Rabouin, Thibault (2021) “Cancel culture”, a rhetorical construction. Generation for Rights Over the World, Growthinktank.org, August. Available: https://www.growthinktank.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Cancel-culture-a-rhetorical-construction-.pdf (Accessed: 15.06.2026).
Velasco, Joseph (2020) You are Cancelled: Virtual Collective Consciousness and the Emergence of Cancel Culture as Ideological Purging, Rupkatha Journal on Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities. Special Conference Issue, vol. 12, no. 5, pp. 1–7. Available: https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v12n5.rioc1s21n2 (Accessed: 15.06.2026).
Vuletic, Dean (2019) Postwar Europe and the Eurovision Song Contest. London, New York: Bloomsbury Academic.
---------------------------
Adams, Oliver (2020) A critical assessment of the importance of music at the Eurovision Song Contest. Available: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/344058853_A_critical_assessment_of_the_importance_of_music_at_the_Eurovision_Song_Contest (Accessed: 15.06.2026).
Alpatova, Oksana (2022) “A Song for Europe”: Music or Politics?, Journal of Globalization Studies, vol. 13, №2/November, pp. 105–118. Available: https://www.sociostudies.org/journal/jogs/archive/2022_2/ (Accessed: 15.06.2026).
Asafov, Aleksandr (2024). “Kulytura otmenay” kak mehanizm politicheskogo davleniya neokolonializma dlya podderzhaniya odnopolyarnogo miroustroystva. Moskva: Mediagorod.
Baker, Catherine, Atkinson, David, Grabher, Barbara, Howcroft, Michael (2024) Soft power, cultural relations and conflict through Eurovision and other mega-events: a literature review. British Council. Available: doi.org/10.57884/MB1H-DT68 (Accessed: 15.06.2026).
Clark, Meredith (2020) DRAG THEM: A brief etymology of so-called “cancel culture”, Communication and the Public, vol. 5 (3-4), pp. 88–92.
Dayan, Daniel, Katz, Elihu (1992) Media Events: The Live Broadcasting of History. Cambridge, London: Harvard University Press.
Jordan, Paul (2014) The Modern Fairy Tale: Nation Branding, National Identity and the Eurovision Song Contest in Estonia, Politics and Society in the Baltic Sea Region. Tartu: University of Tartu. Available: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353866894_The_Modern_Fairy_Tale_Nation_Branding_National_Identity_and_the_Eurovision_Song_Contest_in_Estonia (Accessed: 15.06.2026).
Merriam-Webster Dictionary (2026) [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/queer (Accessed: 15.06.2026).
Noelle-Neumann, Elisabeth (1974) The spiral of silence: a theory of public opinion, Journal of Communication, 24 (2), pp. 43–51.
Rabouin, Thibault (2021) “Cancel culture”, a rhetorical construction. Generation for Rights Over the World, Growthinktank.org, August. Available: https://www.growthinktank.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Cancel-culture-a-rhetorical-construction-.pdf (Accessed: 15.06.2026).
Rustamova, Leyli, Ivanova, Daryya (2023) “Kulytura otmenы” v otnoshenii Rossii i sposobы borybы s ney, Vestnik Rossiyskogo universiteta druzhbы narodov, Seria: Politologia, t. 25, №2, s. 434–444. Dostapen ot: https://doi.org/10.22363/2313-1438-2023-25-2-434-444 Pregledan: 14.06.2026.
Stefanova, Neli (2020) Evroskeptitsizam sreshtu evrointegratsia – politicheski tezi na razdelenieto, v: Balova, Stoyanka (sast.) Politicheskiyat ezik na razdelenieto v Bulgaria, s. 85–111. Sofia: Institut za sotsialna integratsia, Fondatsia “Fridrih Ebert”.
Velasco, Joseph (2020) You are Cancelled: Virtual Collective Consciousness and the Emergence of Cancel Culture as Ideological Purging, Rupkatha Journal on Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities. Special Conference Issue, vol. 12, no. 5, pp. 1–7. Available: https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v12n5.rioc1s21n2 (Accessed: 15.06.2026).
Vuletic, Dean (2019) Postwar Europe and the Eurovision Song Contest. London, New York: Bloomsbury Academic.
