Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Israel's selection show HakokHav Haba or Rising Star for the Eurovision song contest 2026 artist came to conclusion last week and was won by Noam Bettan. The selections and eliminations startd in November 2025 and a total of 21 singers took part in the televized shows this time. The final was a foursome with Noam Bettan, Gal De Paz, Shira Sloof and Alona Erez.. As usual only the artist was chosen and the song he will perform in Vienna on behalf of Kan is revealed later, on March 5, 2026 Noam (27) comes from a French Jewish family and grew up in Israel. He has already experience from other talent shows and has released his debut album and several singles and scored some hits, too.  Update: His song Michelle was published March 5, 2026: Below are some of his songs and covers for your enjoyment along with his Rising star performances:

Israel is choosing HaKokhav HaBa once again to select its entrant for Eurovision song contest 2025 in Basel. The shows started in October 2024. Apparently thousands of artists, unknown and known ones applied to take part while Eurovision 2019 host Assi Azar is hosting the selection with Rotem Sela. Among the judges an Eurovision veteran Shiri Maimon. The artists sing covers of their choice and only four will reach the final and the entry for Basel will then searched by an internal panel. The artists have been eliminated one by one, or two at occasion until the four finalists were left for the final on January 22, 2025 to select the artist. The song for Basel will then we selected internally to the chosen artist and will be revealed later. The finalists are Daniel Weiss, Red Band & Moran Aharoni, Yuval Raphael and Valery Hamati. Red Band is made of puppets with 20 years of experience already, Yuval is a Nova survivor and Valery Hamati seems to be the favorite to beat being, a Christ...

Eden Alene (19) won the long HaKokhav Haba selection process after winning already the X Factor Israel two years ago. Then the song hunt started for her and the songs were made public in due time. Last night the final took place and unlike someone else she showed extreme professionalism and neutralism performing each and every song with right enthuasism and energy. Combined jury (60%) and televotes (40%) determined the winner that is Feker libi, a joyous song in English, Amharic (making an Eurovision debut), Hebrew and Arabic and filled with African and Oriental sounds with a pop beat. It was also this blogger's favorite along with Rakata. Saviour of sound was also great showcasing her warm vocals and Roots wasn't bad either despite the annoying bits.... Feker libi echoes nicely Ofra Haza's bangers and is written by Doron Medalie ( Golden boy, Made of stars, Toy ) and legendary Idan Raichel.  Check out the performance and enjoy Eden's fabulous voice below: ...

  The Israeli marathon show to select their Next Star for Eurovision has managed to cut down to 12 the artists still in the running. This was one done direct duels, and then two more off the drop outs were awarded a wild card by the judges to keep trying for the ticket to Lisbon. The elimination and marathng continues..... Rinat Bar vs. Riki Ben Ari 77-82 Jonathan Mergui vs. Axum 88-74 Tal Mizrahi vs. Netta Barzilai 49-79 Ravit Batashili vs. Ofir Harush 82-68 Chen Aharoni vs. Shir Barush 80-30 The Choice vs. Sarit Hativa 56-60 Eden Meiri vs. Shir Gadasi 63-26 Yamanz vs. Adna Omer 71-49 Jaki Gaforov vs. Jose Steinberg 52-63 Howie Danao vs. Gal Yakobi 56-36 and the wildcards went to Rinat Bar and Adna Omer ... and before these 12 they were more. ....

Israel is using again the marathonesque The Next Star (HaKokhav HaBa) to select their artist for the Eurovision. The audition round is over after ten shows that started in early December and we are left with 32 acts. There are Orthodox rappers, drag queens, (anti?) gay songs and Israeli Idols and a girl named Marlboro. Yet it's still early to say anything about the outcome. Last year Nadav Guedj won and took his Golden boy and Israel to the Eurovision final for the first time in five years and even finished in Top-10. Let's see how it goes for 2016.....  After the jump are the qualified acts and their scores in the auditions. Now the serious stuff starts.... 

May 10 is the Israeli Memorial day Yom Hazikarom that starts at sunset of May 10 and ends with the sunset of May 11. Every now and then it clashes with the Eurovision. That's the case also in 2016 when the semifinal one will be on right at the date. Problem solved as IBA has asked and EBU  has granted that Israel takes part directly in the second semifinal making everybody happy. In the past Israel has had to withdraw or rather not take part at all when this hasn't been possible but that was in the 1980's....  Meanwhile Israel wil use again the succesful reality talent show HaKokhav HaBa that gave us Golden boy Nadav Guedj and their first final place in four years and even a top-10 finish. 15 episodes to find the singer and then internal choice of the song like for 2015. Hopefully they can keep up the Good vibes with this method..... PS: No word yet how Denmark and Norway will be separated for the semifinals like in Malmö? It's surely going to happen again........

Israeli Justin Timberlake. So he is called. He is the third youngest artist this year, and one of the most inexprienced as he just came to the spotlight a few months ago when participating (and winning) a talent show in his homecountry Nadav turned 16 only last November. But he and his team has managed to create him a full package: a catchy song Golden boy , and an image to match, even with a slogan from the song that went viral after the song was released: Before I leave, let me show you Tel Aviv . For the first time Israel also drops any Hebrew parts in the song and goes full English version. The song itself is a real cocktail of old and new, Mediterranean and global styles in three minutes but strangely it all works!

Israel chose 16-year-old Nadav Guedj as the winner of The Next Star and therefor the Israeli entrant for the Vienna 2015 Eurovision. Now his song has been chosen, titled Golden boy . It's written by Doron Medali. For the first time Israel will be singing 100% English as the rule that half the song at least should be in Hebrew has been thrown out of the window.... 

Time has come to Israel to pick up its artist for the Vienna 2015 Eurovision. The selecting process has been long, I mean loooooong, but we are left with four artists. Apparently the selection marathon as a mixture of talent show and reality tv has been a success in Israel so all they need is a worthy winner and a good song. It seems we won't hear their entries tonight, only pick up the artist. Israel, once the Eurovision superpower, hasn't reached the final since 2010. We have in the running still Iki Levy & Rasta Hebrew Men , a group of nine people it seems. In case of victory some of them has to sit in the audience. Nadav Guedj has been labeled the Israel Justin Timberlake and he's more confortable singing in English so if he wins the Israel entry will be for sure in English. Avia Shoshani seems to be the biggest favorite, and she already has Eurovision experience as Moran Mazor's backing singer. Sari Nachmias is considered the weakest link of the final b...

The second super weekend is here and Eurovision fans are going to be very busy. Denmark has its final while Finland, Sweden, Estonia kick off their selections. Menawhile in Lithuania, Latvia. Iceland, Hungary and Israel the shows go on.... Are you ready? I will once again add a link to the results on this page, too, and ipdate with necessary also for tomorrow. Enjoy! Saturday, February 7, 2015 Denmark - Dansk Melodi Grand Prix - FINAL 20.00 CET - Watch live here - Read more here   RESULTS Finland - #UMK15 - First semifinal 20.00 CET - Watch live here - Read more here   RESULTS Sweden - Melodifestivalen - First semifinal 20.00 CET - Watch live here - Read more here   RESULTS Lithuania - Eurovizijos - Elimination round 20.00 CET - Watch live here - Read more here   RESULTS Hungary - A Dal - Third semifinal 20.25 CET - Watch live here - Read more here   RESULTS Estonia - Eesti laul - First semifinal 20.35 ...

The Israeli selection has been going on for week and months and there are still six artists left (and no trace of their eventual Eurovision songs...). So, who do we still have? A 16-year-old rapper and Israeli Justin Timberlake Nadav Guedj , and  Iki Levy & The Hebrew Rasta Men , a reggae band. Then there is a cool chick Sari Nachmias , the Israeli Beyoncè Orit Biansay , a soul touching Avia Shoshani and another rapper, this time sensitive (whatever that means) Sa'ar Rusty Davidov . Orit was close to elimination last episode. This Sunday two artists will be kicked out an we have only four left before the final on February 15. Who knows, maybe they will bring out their entries already? UPDATE: And they were four: Orit and Sa'ar we voted out so we have our four finalists. Meanwhile the final has been changed for February 17 at 20.00 CET. ou can watch it here . Apparently the song will be chosen internally once the winner is out. 

The Israeli selection has cut down to the ten finalists.  One of them will be The Next Star and will represent Israel in Vienna 2015 Eurovision. The selection process started in early December and first the artists were 45, then in next stages to these ten.  Asif Ziberman Avia Shoshani Iki Levi & The Rasta Hebrew Men Lirose Balas Nadav Gadej Nava Tehila Walker Orit Binsay Sa’ar “Rusty” Davidov Sari Nachmias Yifi & Osher Aricha Update: Three acts have been eliminated the in the next heat and seven remain. 

Israel has been running a marathon of their own since early December and now when there are only 16 artists left in the HaKokhav Haba or The Next Star it's maybe time to play closer attention. The show continues Sundays and Tuesdays. The show has been a combination of The Voice, Idols and X Factor. It all started with blind auditions and watchers have had a say all along even if there are also the judges. One day, hopefully before mid-March this will end and we will have the winner that goes to Vienna 2015 Eurovision.... Evyatar Adir Yefi & Osher Aricha Lirose Balas Orit Biansey Sa’ar “Rusty” Davidov Tzadok Garame Nadav Guedj Eva Al Keneresh Iki Levy & The Rasta Hebrew Men David Maman Sari Nachmias Almog Nashawi Random Dogs Avia Shoshani Nava Tehila Walker Asif Zilberman