She competed in the Eurovision Song Contest 2000 finishing in second place. She also released her first English album in 2000. Alsou hosted the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 held in Moscow. On 7 July 2011 Alsou was appointed as a UNESCO Artist for Peace by Director-General Irina Bokova. She is a founder and organizer of the International Folk Music Festival of Peoples of the Volga River.