A few days before the grand finale of HaKokhav HaBa for Eurovision 2025: Euromix team presents a special series of articles about the final four of “HaKokhav HaBa for Eurovision” This time: Why should Moran Aharoni and Red Band represent Israel at Eurovision 2025?

Six contestants were left at this stage in the competition for “HaKokhav HaBa for Eurovision 2025,” with the winner representing Israel at Eurovision 2025 to be held in Basel on May 13, 15, and 17. Among them are Moran Aharoni and Red Band, one of the most prominent contestants in “HaKochav HaBa for Eurovision 2025”, due to their successful vocal combination and support from the judging panel, and because they are both well-known singers in the Israeli music world.

Red Band are an Israeli puppet band formed in 2005 by Ari Pepper, Micha Doman, and Ami Wiesel, combining unique music and comedy. The band includes puppet characters like lead singer Red Orbach, guitarist Poncho, and keyboardist Lefty, and had their own TV show called “Red Band”.

Joining the band is Moran Aharoni, a singer-songwriter who participated in the fourth season of the TV show “Kochav Nolad”. After about 14 years, she participated in “HaKochav HaBa for Eurovision 2020” and was eliminated in the semi-finals. In both shows, Aharoni stood out due to her wide vocal range and left heart-stirring performances. Moran Aharoni brings the drama and the big voice, while Red Band brings the rock and comedy.

From Lukewarm Start to Powerful Contenders

Moran Aharoni and Red Band’s start was tepid, receiving 82% in their first audition with an excellent vocal performance. However, beyond that, the pairing seemed artificial, and it appeared they wouldn’t go far. While the judges loved them, the audience repeatedly failed to connect. Moran seemingly wanted to make room for Red Band to show their place, which was evident in performances where Moran, a great singer with an incredible vocal range, wasn’t dominant.

Growing Chemistry and Breakthrough Performances

At some point in the show, the chemistry between the two began to balance out. Moran started taking more dominant parts in the performances and showcasing her impressive vocal abilities. Their development began with their performance of “I See Red” (originally by Everybody Loves An Outlaw) in the duets stage, alongside Amit Sade, and continued with their rendition of “One” (originally by U2). However, the real breakthrough came with their performance of “Hallelujah” (originally by Leonard Cohen), where they brought the chemistry required for Eurovision and Moran Aharoni’s vocals in full glory.

A Unique Eurovision Package

Since then, the duo has continued their journey towards the final, performing songs with perfect balance and offering a stunning vocal and visual performance, beyond the puppet gimmick that demands attention. The two have years of stage experience, a good vocal range, great chemistry with each other, and most importantly, a certain stability required for Eurovision. While the other finalists also offer good vocals, such a Eurovision performance from Israel would be unforgettable, and would be remembered as a great contrast to last year’s (also good) performance.

Unlike previous attempts to bring a puppet to the Eurovision stage (for example, Dustin the Turkey from 2008), here we have a talented singer behind the puppet, who has proven throughout the season that he can deliver serious performances with great charm as well (for example, Rita‘s “Livkot”).

There’s no reason for their performance to be overly comical; they are capable of bringing much more than that, and a song from almost any genre could be tailored for them! Additionally, Moran Aharoni and Red Band can represent Israel well as spokespersons to the press. Both are fluent in English, and they could be quite good ambassadors for Israel at this time.

Moran Aharoni and Red Band are not just a singer-and-puppet gimmick; they are a complete package – one of the best vocalists in Israel and a purple puppet that also sings very well, collaborating. This is something never seen before at Eurovision and could become the official refresher of the year!

Israel in Eurovision 2024

“Hurricane” is the name of the song performed by singer Eden Golan, who was chosen to represent Israel after winning the tenth season of “HaKokhav Haba“. Israel advanced to the final after winning the second semi-final with 194 points, and in the grand final reached fifth place with 375 points. In the public vote, Israel came in second place, just 14 points behind the first place.

This is the second consecutive time that Israel has reached the top five, an achievement it had not attained since its streak of successes in 1998-1999.