by Nitsan Eliraz Comment Closed




Yuval Raphael’s double at the stand-in rehearsals shares a behind-the-scenes message from Eurovision 2025 hall in Basel. Could the photo taken reveal an intriguing glimpse of what awaits us on stage soon?

In about a week, the Israeli delegation will head to Basel, Switzerland, accompanied by Yuval Raphael, Israel’s representative for Eurovision 2025. She will perform the song “New Day Will Rise” as the 14th act in the running order of the second semi-final, scheduled for May 15. While intensive preparations continue in Israel, rehearsals in Basel have already begun, starting last week with the stand-in rehearsals. These rehearsals are conducted under strict secrecy, sparking fresh speculation about the upcoming performances.



A Message with a Hint

The artist chosen to portray Yuval Raphael during the stand-in performance at St. Jakobshalle is actress Debby Gerber. She has been sharing her behind-the-scenes experiences on her Instagram account. Among her posts, Debby uploaded a story describing her excitement about participating in preparations on Basel’s grand stage, especially for Yuval Raphael’s performance: “On stage for Israel, part of the song is in Hebrew and I have a tattoo in Hebrew: Jehovah Jireh”.

Sharp-eyed observers will notice that the photo features a black, glittering dress, which could hint at the main motif of the costume Yuval Raphael will wear during the actual contest. It’s important to note that the outfits worn by artists during stand-in rehearsals are their personal clothes. However, in some cases, they are inspired by the final stage costume design for the country’s representative.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Debby Gerber (@debbygerber)

What Are Stand-In Rehearsals?

Stand-in rehearsals are sessions in which a local stand-in simulates the artist’s stage performance, following the staging video submitted by each delegation to the production team. This process is designed to verify how the planned performance appears on the large stage, with efforts to replicate the choreography, staging, and sometimes even the costumes of the competing country’s act.

The simulation by stand-ins takes place while the actual contestants remain in their home countries. Only at a later stage will the artists have the chance to request changes during the technical rehearsals at the contest venue.




Eurovision 2025: Dates and Time

The Eurovision Song Contest for 2025 will take place in May, as per tradition. Here are the exact dates:

The Israeli Eurovision Song for 2025 – All the Details

The Israeli Eurovision song was revealed during a festive broadcast aired on the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation “KAN”, during which the creators of the song and the members of the committee who chose the song for the competition appeared. The broadcast was hosted by Hila Korach, and during it, Yuval Raphael performed alongside Israel’s Eurovision 2024 representative, Eden Golan, and together they performed the song “Hurricane.” At the end of the broadcast, the official music video for the Israeli Eurovision song was revealed.

Listen to the Israel’s Eurovision 2025 song, performed by Yuval Raphael:

 

 




Yuval Raphael – Who are you?

Photo: Avi Zaikaner

Yuval, 24, from Ra’anana, lived in Geneva, Switzerland, during her childhood. She disclosed that she escaped from a Hamas terror attack on October 7th, during which grenades were thrown and shots were fired at a party. Many around her were killed, and she had to pretend to be dead to survive. What strengthens Yuval is music and advocacy for Israel. She has spoken in front of world leaders, met influential people, and even spoke at a Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva. She has become a focal point for international advocacy, presenting the true face of Israel and correcting the false image portrayed in the global arena. Her insistence on presenting the truth has made her a central and influential figure in both Israeli and global culture.

Yuval has never sung professionally and only started performing in front of audiences in recent months. The echoes of her performances quickly spread on social media, garnering warm praise and responses from viewers.

Yuval won first place in the TV show “HaKokhav HaBa for Eurovision 2025” after being chosen by the panel of judges and the home audience. She will represent Israel in Eurovision 2025, to be held in Basel on May 13, 15, and 17, in hopes of bringing Israel its fifth win in the competition.

Eurovision 2025: This is Israel’s 47th participation in Eurovision. Israel joined the competition in 1973 and has won it four times over the years. Israel’s last victory was at Eurovision 2018 with the song “Toy” performed by singer Netta Barzilai.