“HaKokhav HaBa” – Episode 14: Last four contestants passed to the next round. The advancing contestants are Noam Pinto, Odelia Baranes, Ziv Bossidan and Omri Fils.
Tonight, the fourteenth episode of the reality show “HaKokhav HaBa” aired, through which Israel’s representative for Eurovision 2026 will be chosen. So far, 64 contestants have secured their place in the competition, and This was the final audition episode of the season. During tonight’s episode, four additional contestants advanced to the next stage thanks to the votes of the judges and the studio audience – One of them might go on to represent Israel in Eurovision this coming May. On Friday, the intimate audition phase will begin, after which 21 contestants will be chosen to form the main lineup.
The panel once again included Assaf Amdursky, Keren Peles, Shiri Maimon, Eden Hasson, and Itay Levi. Joining them this time were Netta Barzilai, who won Eurovision 2018 with the song “Toy“, and Dana International, who won Eurovision 1998 with the song “Diva“.
Noam Pinto
Noam, 18, is from the northern community of Neve Ziv. Over the past two years, amid war and anxiety, he underwent a process of returning to religious observance, saying that faith helped him reshape his outlook and provided a firm anchor. Noam comes to the show with a sense of mission, hoping to represent Israel at Eurovision and show the world what he can bring. For his audition, he chose the song “Hayom Kamti Same’ach” (originally by Hanan Ben Ari). His voice is very pleasant, and his performance feels distinctly “Israeli,” blending Mediterranean-style ornamentation with classic Israeli old music. He hits the notes accurately, though he still needs to adjust to the show’s format and cameras, as he frequently looked down during the performance. Overall, it was a vocally strong and confident audition.
Assaf began:
“You sang beautifully. You have a powerful voice with a lot of shine and intention, and you have presence. You start off very quietly, but it draws you in.
Shiri added:
“You’re absolutely a professional. You’re a singer, and you’ll sing your whole life. Now the question is how you differentiate yourself so the audience at home remembers you too, and not just us.”
All judges voted in favor. Noam received 83% and advanced to the next round.
Odelia Baranes
Odelia, 44, from Or Yehuda, has been singing since the age of five and previously sang with the judge Shiri Maimon in a singing class. She has performed in bands in Israel and abroad, and later chose to focus on raising her five children. In recent years, she realized she wanted to continue her musical career, and her daughters signed her up for the show. For her audition, Odelia chose the song “Ani Boche” (originally by Itay Levi). She exudes confidence on stage, with years of performance experience clearly evident. Her vocal delivery is accurate, and her ornamentation is impressive, though at certain moments her voice sounded slightly less controlled or lacking a truly unique tone.
Keren commented:
“This comes so naturally to you. You’re totally at ease with singing. There’s nothing more to say – you’re an excellent singer, and all credit to your daughter for signing you up.”
Assaf, more cautious, said:
“We need to think about how a woman your age fits into a pop competition. In my opinion, there’s an age and an expiry date for this format. It needs to be approached with full awareness. You reminded me of a Spanish vibe; musically, the song suits you very well, but it needs strong stage packaging.”
All judges voted in favor. Odelia received 74% and advanced to the next round.
Idan Ari
Idan, 22, from Givat Ada, has dreamed of being both an actor and singer for as long as he can remember and is a fan of R&B and pop. His parents divorced when he was nine, and one day his father disappeared and never returned. His mother raised and supported the family alone. Idan hopes that when his father sees him on the show, he will feel the weight of what he missed. For his audition, Idan performed “Mercy” (originally by Shawn Mendes). Eurovision 1998 winner Dana International joined the panel for this performance. Idan has a natural charisma that could easily draw in viewers, but his voice did not always sound fully stable during the song. He may well succeed as an actor in Israel and could return to the show more polished in future seasons.
Keren remarked:
“The show is going to lose a lot of young female viewers with this result. Regardless, you sing very well, and you have charisma.”
Dana added:
“You’ve got the attitude, the body language, the look, but you sound more like a very good karaoke singer than someone we should send to Eurovision.”
Assaf said:
“You look fantastic, you light up the screen, you’re incredibly handsome. But if you have a burning passion to sing and fulfill your calling, go study, work, perform, improve, and come back in a year or two. You might even end up winning Eurovision.”
Dana and Itay voted against him. Idan received 58% and did not advance.
Ziv Bossidan
Ziv, 17, from Ben Shemen Youth Village, rides horses and works in equine therapy. He has three older sisters. He said he is deeply moved to participate in the show and sees it as an honor to stand proudly on stage. For his audition, he chose the song “HaMedumyan” (originally by Peer Tasi). Ziv’s voice sounds strong and steady, and he reaches the higher notes well. For future performances, he will need to focus on stage presence and emotional delivery. He clearly captivated the studio audience, earning the second-highest audience score of the season, just behind contestant Noam Betan.
Eden said:
“You gave us goosebumps and made me really listen to the lyrics. You never got in the way of the song. It was so pleasant to hear both the text and you as a singer. I’m stunned by your age and how well you deliver such a beautiful song.”
Shiri added:
“Your age does show. You sang a fantastic song and performed it very well, but there’s still something raw in your voice. For your next performances, think about how you stand out.”
Assaf explained his vote:
“You’re likable and pleasant, but I don’t think that’s enough. We’re looking for star qualities that can win over many countries – even those hostile to us – and I’m not sure you’ve reached that level of star power yet.”
Assaf voted against. Ziv received 85% and advanced to the next round.
Avishag Atia
Avishag, 20, from Jerusalem, is a singer, model, and hip-hop dancer. She said she is combining the things she loves most and intends to pursue them with full force. Her father has been a singer for many years, so she comes from a strongly musical home. For her audition, she chose “Wildflower” (originally by Billie Eilish). Eurovision winners Dana International and Netta Barzilai joined the judging panel for her performance. Avishag sounds very international, with a deep, intriguing voice, and she surprises with subtle ornamentation throughout the song. She clearly connects emotionally to the piece, though the pressure of the moment affects her pitch at times. Her potential is enormous, and with more focused work she could become a major star. The judges, however, let a big opportunity slip by.
Shiri said:
“Your tone is amazing. You chose a very interesting song, you look wonderful on screen, but you were really off-pitch – in a way that became unforgivable.”
Netta added:
“I think you’re in the middle of developing something very delicate and very much your own, and you’ve arrived at a very early stage in that journey. I saw the camera fall in love with you, your presence, and your stunning vocal color – it’s all so special. You were very nervous, but I still voted ‘yes’ for your potential. I truly believe you’re going to be something huge. Go work with good producers and the right people.”
Assaf voted against, and Shiri did not vote. Avishag received 57% and did not advance.
Omri Fils
Omri, 31, from Givatayim, is a singer-songwriter. After the outbreak of the war, he began running musical safe spaces for survivors of the Nova festival, looking for ways to support and heal through music. In those spaces, he mentored Yuval Raphael, who came there seeking recovery and later joined as a guest judge for his audition. Omri shared that Yuval knew she sang beautifully but did not realize how powerful her voice was; when she debated auditioning for the show last year, he told her the victory was “already in her pocket.” Inspired by her journey, Omri decided to audition himself. For his performance, he chose “Brosh” (originally by Ariel Zilber). Omri is a particularly unique artist; he sits barefoot on the floor, playing a transparent guitar, and completely reinterprets the song with his own arrangement. He even surprises with trumpet-like sounds produced using only his voice. The result is deeply moving and stands out as one of the strongest performances of the season.
Keren commented:
“I’m not surprised you devoted the last two years to healing and used your voice and talent for that purpose. Even now, it’s clear you want to give light, hope, and healing. Despite the changes you made to the song – or maybe because of them – I really loved it, and I’m excited you’re with us.”
Assaf explained his vote:
“We’re not in a therapy space here; this is a stage geared towards Eurovision. The way you presented the song didn’t fully honor the context and didn’t yet show me who you are as a performer. You still left me a bit in the dark.”
Yuval praised him and reflected on their special bond:
“Many people can sing well, but what you did for my heart is rare. Your voice healed so many parts of me and gave me incredible strength. You kept repeating these mantras every day, and they did something inexplicable to everyone’s soul. You have superpowers – every time I heard you, it felt like a prayer. There’s so much power in you.”
Assaf voted against. Omri received exactly 70% and advanced to the next round.
“HaKokhav HaBa” for Eurovision
Ahead of Eurovision 2026, the Israeli national broadcaster decided to continue its collaboration with Keshet 12 in selecting the next Israeli representative for the contest. This partnership between the broadcaster and Keshet has brought Israel seven consecutive qualifications to the Grand Final, highlighted by Netta Barzilai’s victory with the song “Toy”, which brought Eurovision to Israel.
We’ll be here throughout the entire season, reporting on all the latest news, updates, and predictions – stay tuned!
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Israel at Eurovision 2025
“New Day Will Rise” is the song performed by Yuval Raphael, who was chosen to represent Israel after winning the 11th season of “HaKokhav HaBa”. Israel advanced to the final after winning the second semi-final with 203 points and finished second overall with 357 points in the grand final. Israel ranked first in the public vote but only 14th with the jury. This marks the third consecutive year that Israel has reached the top five – an unprecedented achievement.
Eurovision 2026: This will be Israel’s 48th participation in Eurovision. Israel joined the contest in 1973 and has won four times. Its most recent victory was at Eurovision 2018 with the song “Toy”, performed by singer Netta Barzilai.
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Tal Dahan – Journalist, radio broadcaster, and Eurovision content creator.
Tal Dahan is an Israeli journalist and editor specializing in the Eurovision Song Contest, working with the EuroMix editorial team for four years. Since 2022, she has provided regular on-site coverage of Eurovision from the host city, and from 2023 has also reported directly from the press room—offering the Israeli audience live updates, exclusive interviews, and in-depth commentary.
Tal is a member of the Eurovision tribute and parody band “EuroFalsh,” a radio broadcaster, and a student of political science and communications.
She is considered one of Israel’s leading young Eurovision experts. In addition to covering the main contest, Tal has reported from Eurovision pre-parties and national selection events across Europe (in Thessaloniki, Stockholm, Madrid, and more), been interviewed by major media outlets in Israel and internationally, and presented Eurovision-themed podcasts and radio shows.
