Israel can do it again! Noam Bettan will represent the country at ESC 2026

Israel can do it again! Noam Bettan will represent the country at ESC 2026

He is the man of the hour: Noam Bettan has been officially nominated as Israel's representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, which will soon take place in Vienna. The 27-year-old, who comes from Ra'anana, beat his competitors in the final show of the popular music show Hakochav Haba, also known as “The Next Star”. The big decision came in Neve Ilan, where the show was hosted by Assi Azar and Rotem Sela. With a mixture of public voting and jury verdict, each of which accounted for half of the votes, Bettan was able to convince and was thus chosen as Yuval Raphael's successor. After winning, he proudly announced: "I'm so excited! It's an incredible honor to represent the country." Deutschlandfunk Kultur reports that Bettan will represent the country with this participation after a long series of debates that have previously taken place over Israel's participation in the competition.

And all this in a year that brings with it some major challenges. A group of countries, including Spain, Ireland, Iceland, the Netherlands and Slovenia, have officially declared their boycott of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in protest against Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip over the past few months. In the midst of these political tensions, Bettan feels like he is going into the “lion’s den,” but the anticipation of the May performance prevails.

A new musical chapter

His musical journey has already started promisingly. Bettan, whose parents are from France, is fluent in French, Hebrew and English. In 2018 he took part in the music show Aviv or Eyal and took third place there. Two years later, in 2021, he released his first single and achieved local success with the songs "Buba" and "Madam". Bettan is not a blank slate and brings with him an exciting mix of influences and experiences.

For his appearance at the ESC, the intern team will already be working on a song that will be sung in French, Hebrew and English. The anticipation for the competition is great not only among Bettan himself, but also among his fans. While Israel has competed in the ESC 46 times since its debut in 1973, winning four times, Bettan aims to continue the country's impressive record at this great event.

A look at the history of the competition

Israel has made a remarkable history in the Eurovision Song Contest in the past. The country has never finished last and has managed to reach the Grand Final 13 times out of 20 since semi-finals were introduced in 2004. This speaks for the musical strength and commitment of the artists. Bettan is now ready to continue this tradition and present himself to the international audience.

Whether it's the political situation or the exciting competitive atmosphere - one thing is certain: Bettan will do everything in his power to delight the audience in Vienna and present Israel's musical culture in the best light. Eurovision World follows the career of the artist who now wants to shine on the big ESC stage.