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In 1980, Finnish singer Marion Rung won the Intervision Song Contest.

Born in the 1960s, Intervision was the Eastern Bloc’s answer to Eurovision. It ran until 1980, although in 2025 Russia’s President Vladimir Putin ordered its revival.

Finland, which maintained neutrality during the Cold War, was one of the few countries to participate in both competitions. Marion Rung achieved top 10 Eurovision finishes in 1962 and 1973 before winning Intervision. She speaks to Ben Henderson.

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(Photo: Marion Rung performing at the Intervision Song Contest in 1980. Credit: Juha Jormanainen/Shutterstock)