Survivor of Massacre to Represent Israel at Eurovision

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Yuval Raphael, a survivor of the Nova Music Festival held in Israel on October 7, 2023, during which Hamas terrorists from the Gaza Strip caused the death, injury, or capture of hundreds, has been chosen to represent Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland in 2025.

A 24-year-old newcomer in the singing industry, with no prior professional experience, emerged as the champion of season 11 on “The Next Star (Ha’Kokhav Ha’Ba)”, a widely watched singing competition airing on Keshet 12, and was bestowed the prestigious opportunity to represent Israel at international platforms.

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In the absence of professional singing experience, a 24-year-old amateur singer won season 11 of “The Next Star (Ha’Kokhav Ha’Ba)”, a highly popular show on Keshet 12, and was granted the esteemed title to represent Israel at global events.

Previously, winners like Netta (who triumphed at Eurovision 2018) have been chosen by the show, leading it to broadcast the vibrant music event from Tel Aviv that year. More recently, homegrown talents such as Noa Kirel and Eden Golan placed third and fifth respectively in the competition over the past two years.

On Wednesday evening, Raphael played simplified versions of two popular songs: “Dancing Queen” by the internationally famous Swedish band ABBA (who won Eurovision in 1974 and went on to achieve global success) and a cover of Sam Smith’s Academy Award-winning track “Writing’s on The Wall” from the film Spectre.

Beyond her highly praised vocal skills impressing the competition judges, Raphael’s personal narrative also touched hearts early on. She bravely revealed her survival story from the tragic incident at the Nova Music Festival. In a desperate bid for safety, Raphael found refuge in a public bomb shelter outside Kibbutz Be’eri. Trapped in a small, cement space, she spent more than eight hours hiding in the corner amidst deceased bodies, pretending to be dead herself. Eventually, a compassionate father of another festival-goer rescued her and many others by venturing to that area to save his daughter’s life and those of others.

Each time we peered out, it became increasingly unclear to us why fewer and fewer individuals remained in the bomb shelter,” she recounted in March 2024 during her speech before the UN Human Rights Council on behalf of the Jerusalem Institute of Justice. “We assumed the attackers were removing the deceased. We failed to comprehend that they were detonating grenades, obliterating their bodies.

Raphael, who is proficient in English, French, and Hebrew (besides her mother tongue), has contributed to global advocacy initiatives for Israel during the past year. Since her November audition when she performed Demi Lovato’s “Anyone,” she has voiced her aspiration that her personal experiences and daily struggles be shared worldwide, so no one can dispute them.

Raphael, who speaks English, French, and Hebrew fluently along with her native language, played a role in international advocacy campaigns for Israel over the past year. Since her November audition (where she sang Demi Lovato’s “Anyone”), Raphael has expressed a wish that people around the globe would listen to her personal account of her experiences and challenges on a daily basis, so no one could claim otherwise.

She noted that “music is an incredibly expressive means of conveying a message” and “it seems like this competition was perfectly timed.

As Eurovision enters its 69th year, it’s recognized globally as the largest music spectacle, attracting over 200 million viewers from approximately 40 different countries. Last year, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) stood firm in supporting Israel’s participation amidst political opposition that aimed to exclude the country due to the conflict in Gaza. This controversy resulted in heightened security measures across Malmo, the city hosting the event, and some boos during singer Eden Golan’s performance of “Hurricane”. In June of last year, the EBU restated its position that Eurovision is a non-political occasion, and Israel’s participation aligns with other apolitical organizations like sports federations.

The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 will take place this May in Basel, Switzerland.

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2025-01-23 06:54