Israel: All the highlights from the 30th episode of HaKokhav Haba!

Last night, Tuesday 14th of January, the 30th episode of HaKokhav Haba, the song contest through which Israel will select its entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, which will take place in Basel, Switzerland, on May 13, 15 and 17, 2025, was broadcast.

The 30th episode of HaKokhav Haba was held with six artists. The three artists who achieved the lowest percentage were also candidates for elimination, with the jury deciding who would bid farewell to the music competition. In this episode, the contestants performed songs by the legendary Israeli singer Rita, who was on the jury for this occasion.

Hosts and Judges

Rotem Sela continues as the host of the show, alongside Assi Azar, one of the hosts of Eurovision 2019. Azar has been a host since the first season of HaKokhav Haba in 2013, while Rotem Sela began hosting from the second season, a role she still holds today.

The judging panel includes:

• Assaf Amdursky
• Keren Peles
• Shiri Maimon
• Eden Hason
• Ran Danker
• Itay Levi

The performances

Moran Aharoni and Red Band

Moran and Red opened the night with Rita’s song “Cry.” They performed the song in its English version. All members of the jury voted positively, and thus this special duo achieved an 88% score.

Dolev Mandelbaum

Dolev performed “Shir Ahuvat HaSapan” and dedicated the song to his late stepbrother, Drew, who was tragically murdered in the United States. The judges also voted positively for this performance, and thus Dolev achieved an 89% score, securing a place in the semifinals.

Yuval Gold

Yuval chose to perform “Mechaka,” with a unique arrangement that reflected his unique vocal style. However, the jury’s assessment was mixed, and thus he was limited to 72%.

Daniel Wais

Daniel performed “Ani Chaya Mul HaMayim” sitting on the floor, with a performance that immediately evoked strong emotions. Despite one jury member voting negatively, his score reached 81%, securing a spot in the semi-finals.

Valerie Hamaty

Valerie chose to sing “Machol Metoraf,” showcasing her unique voice and confidence. However, three judges voted negatevily, leaving Valerie with 63%.

Yuval Rephael

Yuval performed “Ani Chaya Li MiYom LeYom” in a ballad version that perfectly suited her vocal tone. All jury members voted yes, and Yuval achieved 95%, securing a spot in the semi-finals.

By the end of the competitive part, the jury decided that Yuval Gold would leave the competition.

Last year’s winner of HaKokhav Haba and thus the country’s representative at Eurovision 2024 was Eden Golan. Eden Golan, with her song “Hurricane”, finished in fifth place in the final ranking.

Source: euromix

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