Israel: X-Factor Israel first show's results

Sunday, 31 October 2021

Last evening the X-factor Israel show kicked off with the first six singers passing the auditions' stage.

Since 2015 the Israeli Eurovision representatives have been selected through the talent show 'The Next Star'. For the next edition of the contest the Israeli hopeful will be determined via the X-factor show which premiered on Israeli television in 2013 and continued for several seasons up to 2018.

Last evening the opening episode of the X-factor show was broadcast with the first auditions taking place before a jury which its members give a YES or NO for the candidate to continue in the next stage. A total of six acts pass the audition stage and advanced to the next phase of the show. Those are:
- Camila Kama (42 yo) – Netta, Miri, Ran and Margol voted Yes – Aviv voted No
- Ilai Almkeys (18 yo) – All judges voted Yes
- Michael Ben David (25 yo) – All judges voted Yes
- Anna Stephanie (25 yo) – Margol, Aviv, Miri and Netta voted Yes – Ran voted No
- Inbal Bibi (23 yo) – All judges voted Yes
- Elisha Nachmias (19 yo) – All judges voted Yes
The only act that didn't get the ticket for the next stage was Shri Adar the perfromance of whom got three yeses and two noes, which weren't enough to progress the act to the next stage.

X-factor's jury in this season's edition is formed by:
- Miri Mesika (Israeli singer and actress)
- Ran Danker (Israeli actor, singer and model)
- Netta Barzilai (Israeli singer & Eurovision 2018 winner)
- Margalit "Margol" Tzan'ani (Israeli singer and television personality)
- Aviv Geffen (Israeli rock musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, keyboardist, and guitarist)
The next audition episode will be broadcast on Monday, November 1, at 9:30 PM on Channel 13.

Israel in Eurovision

Israel has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 42 times since making its debut in 1973. Israel’s first appearance at the contest in 1973 was successful, with Ilanit finishing fourth. Israel has achieved 4 victories, in 1978 and 1979, with first two wins for Izhar Cohen and the Alphabeta, with the song “A-Ba-Ni-Bi” and Gali Atari and Milk and Honey, with “Hallelujah” .

Its third victory came in 1998, with Dana International and “Diva” and its fourth in ESC 2018 with Netta’s song Toy. The country’s best results apart from its victories were the second-place finishes for Avi Toledano in 1982 and Ofra Haza in 1983. Former winner Izhar Cohen returned to place fifth in 1985. Duo Datz finished third in 1991, before Israel achieved . Eden then finished fifth in 1999. Israel has hosted the contest three times, in 1979 and 1999, both in Jerusalem and in 2019 in Tel Aviv.

After the introduction of the semi-finals in 2004, Israel has failed to reach the final six times. In 2014, the country failed to qualify for the fourth consecutive year, when Mei Feingold finished 14th (out of 15) in the second semi final, despite being one of the favorites to qualify. In 2015, Israel reached the final for the first time in five years, with Nadav Guedj finishing ninth. The only Israeli entrant to achieve a better result in the 21st century before their 2018 win was Shiri Maimon in 2005, who gave the country its tenth top five result in the contest, finishing fourth. In 2019 Kobi Marimi winner of the Rising Star, rerpesented Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest on home soil with his entry Home.

Last year Eden Alene won the talent show “The next Star” and the ticket to Rotterdam where she was going to perform the nationally selected song Feker Libi. Due to the covid-19 pandemic the contest was cancelled interrupting Eden's Eurovision journey.

Nevertheless, Eden Alene had the chance to complete this year her Eurovision journey performing "Set Me Free" in the 12 position of the first semi final and after qualifying to the Grand final she finished 17th with a total of 93 points.

News Source: Euromix.co.il

Image: Euromix.co.il / X-factor Israel