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Israel: Everything That Happened in the 29th Episode of HaKokhav HaBa!

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Last night, the 29th episode of HaKokhav HaBa, Israel’s selection process for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, aired. This popular TV show determines the artist who will represent Israel in the competition.

The Format

As the competition progresses, the judges have chosen a total of 21 contestants. In each episode, several of them perform on The Next Star stage, with the contestant receiving the lowest score of the evening being eliminated.

Out of the initial 21 contestants, 13 have already been eliminated, leaving eight still in the race to represent Israel in Basel.

With eight contestants advancing, this stage of HaKokhav HaBa featured duel challenges. Four pairs competed in the latest episode, with two contestants eliminated by the end of the evening.

Hosts and Judges

The show continues to be hosted by Rotem Sela and Assi Azar, one of the presenters of Eurovision 2019. Assi has been hosting since the show’s first season in 2013, while Rotem joined in the second season and remains a key part of the program.

Judges Panel:

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

Contestants and Performances

In last night’s episode of The Next Star, eight contestants took the stage. Here’s a recap of their performances and scores:

Duel 1: Dolev Mandelbaum vs. Yuval Raphael

  • Dolev Mandelbaum: Performed “Toxic” (Britney Spears), impressing with vocal range and stage presence. Score: 86%.
  • Yuval Raphael: Dedicated “Talking to the Moon” (Bruno Mars) to hostages held by Hamas. Score: 96%, advancing to the quarterfinals.

Duel 2: Moran Aharoni and Red Band vs. Yuval Gold

  • Moran Aharoni and Red Band: Performed “Hallelujah” (Leonard Cohen), scoring 82% and moving on to the quarterfinals.
  • Yuval Gold: Performed “Wake Me Up When September Ends” (Green Day), dedicating it to a friend lost in the Nova Festival massacre. Score: 71%, eliminated.

Duel 3: Amit Sade vs. Daniel Wais

  • Amit Sade: Performed “Skyfall” (Adele). Score: 60%, eliminated.
  • Daniel Wais: Performed “Rise Up” (Andra Day). Score: 65%, advancing to the quarterfinals.

Duel 4: Ido Malka vs. Valerie Hamaty

  • Ido Malka: Performed “The Story of My Life” (One Direction). Score: 75%, eliminated.
  • Valerie Hamaty: Performed “Rise Like a Phoenix” (Conchita Wurst), captivating the audience. Score: 83%, advancing to the quarterfinals.

The Eliminations

At the end of the night, the nominees for elimination were Dolev Mandelbaum, Yuval Gold, Amit Sade, and Ido Malka. The judges ultimately decided that Yuval Gold and Ido Malka would be leaving the competition.

Past Success

Last year’s winner of HaKokhav HaBa and Israel’s representative for Eurovision 2024 was Eden Golan. Her song, “Hurricane”, finished in 5th place in the final rankings.

Stay tuned to EurovisionFun for all the latest updates!

Source: euromix.il