Gili Tsanaani is the seventh contestant to bid farewell to HaKokhav HaBa. 14 contestants remain in the race, including Dorin Or, Daniel Azar, Shira Zloof, and Gal De Paz. Full recap of Episode 22.

14 contestants remain at this stage in “HaKokhav HaBa for Eurovision 2026“. with the grand winner set to represent Israel at Eurovision 2026, which will take place in Vienna, Austria, on May 12th, 14th, and 16th.

The next stage is the “Duels”. Eight contestants were divided into pairs and faced off against one another. The contestant who received the higher score advanced to the next stage, while the loser of each duel was nominated for elimination. At the end of the evening, the judges had to say goodbye to one contestant out of the four who lost their duels.

Portrait Band

Portrait Band chose to perform the song “Ata Chayav Lamut Alay” (originally by the band Hamsa, which competed on the show last year). They have plenty of experience and bring great energy to the stage. However, their performances aren’t particularly captivating or emotionally moving — everything sounds the same. Maybe their musical style simply doesn’t fit Eurovision, it’s too outdated and unlikely to be appreciated by a European audience.

Itay began:

“You bring joy to my soul. I don’t remember ever imagining in my life that this song would sound like this”.

Eden responded:

“That was amazing! The original production of the song suited the era when it was released, but today it’s not that cool. You managed to make it sound so cool”.

Assaf said:

“Vocally, I don’t think it was the best vocal performance. But the band and the groove completely stood the test of time”.

All five judges voted in their favor. Portrait received 77%, setting the bar for Dorin — hoping she scores lower.

Dorin Or

Dorin Or chose to perform the song “Nais Balamo” (originally by Eleni Vitali) and needed to score at least 78% to secure her place in the next round. Wow — what a surprising and brave choice to sing in Greek! Dorin began her performance seated on the stage, delivering the song in a deeply touching and emotional way. She was joined by a dancer whose presence significantly enhanced the performance. Let’s admit that, until now, we didn’t fully understand the excitement around her — but wow, she’s so unique! We did miss a bit of a wow moment, yet she brings something truly different and special to the show.

Shiri began:

“Something about this song didn’t quite appeal to me, but you absolutely did. You are perfect for Eurovision, no doubt. I don’t want to let you go at this stage, so this time I’ll vote in your favor”.

Itay responded:

“This is a very difficult song, you took on something big. Just for your courage in choosing such a song, I think you deserve to continue”.

Assaf said:

“All this stage presence screams Eurovision, it’s impossible to ignore it. You have power, you’re magnetic. It’s strong, it’s unique, and it was very, very beautiful”.

All five judges voted in her favor. Dorin received 81% and advanced to the next round. Portrait stand at risk of elimination.

Eitan Aharon

Eitan Aharon chose to sing the song “Tni Li Yad” (originally by Boaz Sharabi). There’s no doubt that Eitan has a very special and moving voice. His performance was beautiful and powerful, featuring impressive vocal ornaments and standout moments. However, it’s still not entirely known if he would fit in or stand out in a large-scale competition like Eurovision.

Assaf began:

“Well done, Eitan. You sang amazingly, so clear. You took Nurit Hirsch’s simple and clean melody and delivered it in such a pure way — there’s nothing like it”.

Eden commented:

“It’s impossible to remain indifferent to your performance. Everyone here is watching in awe. Whoever helps you choose your songs and arrange them is doing an incredible job”.

Itay said:

“There are moments when it sounds inhuman — simply beyond nature. You’re pure, clear like wine. Kudos, that was a perfect, perfect, perfect performance”.

Shiri concluded:

“There’s really nothing to add. You brought an amazing performance. We’re proud of you, and it’s such a joy having you here”.

All five judges voted in his favor. Eitan received 87% setting the bar for Shaked — hoping he scores lower.

Shaked Solomon

Shaked Solomon chose to perform the song “Kol Kakh Mukar” (originally by Margalit Tsanani) and needed to score at least 88% to secure his place in the next round. Wow, surprising — a very different performance from his previous ones on the show. Shaked stepped out of his comfort zone and made a bold choice, but personally, it didn’t completely work. The style didn’t quite fit him. During the performance, he panicked and forgot some lyrics but quickly regained control like a true professional.

Shiri began:

“You lifted the studio! I really enjoyed your performance, and those vocal runs were insane. You proved yourself as an amazing singer, but in your ballads, you deliver even better. I really, really don’t want you to be eliminated today”.

Eden commented:

“I think you’re a great singer with wow-level abilities, but this time I voted against you because I felt it lacked a bit of spice — you were a bit too sweet”.

Itay said:

“You tried to do too much. Sometimes you just have to hold back a little and not overdo the vocal runs”.

Assaf and Eden voted against him. Shaked received 67% and stands at risk of elimination. Eitan advanced to the next round.

Gili Tsanaani

Gili Tsanaani chose to sing the song “Me Too” (originally by Meghan Trainor). Wow — It wasn’t expected at all! A performance completely different from her previous ones, she moved with full confidence despite her social anxiety background. The performance started off intriguing and interesting but gradually became vocally monotonous, and she couldn’t fully maintain her singing while dancing. This style probably doesn’t suit her as well. A great stage performance, but vocally, it fell short.

Shiri began:

“First of all, you move amazingly! The potential is clear. Pop singers usually perform this style with full playback, and you sang it live and handled it beautifully. That really surprised me; I truly enjoyed you”.

Eden commented:

“Wow, you surprised me big time. The way you look and the way you carried it — it totally blew me away. However, there’s a big ‘but.’ Because you focused so much on delivering a strong stage show, the musical and vocal aspects somewhat held you back. Pay attention to how to balance that next time”.

Assaf said:

“Rhythm is essential in pop music. You photograph and move gracefully, but the rhythmic element was problematic”.

Four judges voted in her favor, Assaf voted against. Gili received 64% setting the bar for Gal — hoping she scores lower.

Gal De Paz

Gal De Paz chose to perform the song “Vampire” (originally by Olivia Rodrigo) and needed to score at least 65% to secure her place in the next round. The stage filled with candles that beautifully complemented the performance. It began very quietly — unusual for Gal — but after about thirty seconds, she removed the top part of her dress, started moving, and took full command of the stage. She’s so unique and talented, every performance she gives is surprising and original. We loved how, this time, she didn’t explode immediately but built up the energy gradually and intelligently.

Keren began:

“I want to be strict with you, but there’s no point — you simply do what you do better than anyone else. In a world full of templates, you insist on being yourself. You stand out in the best way, and I’m totally crazy about you”.

Shiri responded:

“I’m crazy about you too! You’re simply a true artist. That’s how you perform a song, that’s how you tell its story — that’s how you build a number!”

Assaf said:

“Of all your performances during the show, vocally this one wasn’t the best. There were weaknesses, some dull moments, and your high notes were a bit unstable. Personally, I didn’t enjoy this number”.

Four judges voted in her favor, Assaf voted against. Gal received 77% and advanced to the next round. Gili stand at risk of elimination.

Daniel Azar

Daniel Azar chose to sing the song “Matanot” (originally by Evyatar Banai). Wow — he’s really good and manages to surprise me every time. His vocals are excellent, and he delivers stunning vocal phrasing throughout the performance. It’s still unknown if this style suits Eurovision, but there’s no doubt it was one of the strongest performances of the episode, and he absolutely deserves to continue in the competition.

Shiri began:

“You’re such a magical kid, simply an amazing singer. I love hearing you sing and play. However, while the number started very nicely, for the type of event we’re preparing for, it bored me a little”.

Assaf commented:

“Stage-wise, it wasn’t strong enough. You lost some confidence in the middle of the song. This definitely wasn’t a Eurovision-level performance. I would’ve expected to see a different interpretation and another angle from you”.

Keren said:

“You sang it and held it beautifully. You’re such a talented boy. You’re very close to my heart”.

Assaf and Shiri voted against. Daniel received 61% setting the bar for Shira — hoping she scores lower.

Shira Zloof

Shira Zloof chose to sing her own song “Ma’ariv LeNoar” and needed to score at least 62% to secure her place in the next round. Shira explained that the song is about never feeling whole as a teenager and struggling to accept herself as she is. She’s simply so talented and special — a wonderful and gifted creator. You can see how emotionally connected she is to her song, it was an intoxicatingly powerful and moving performance. Shira revealed a different, unexpected side of herself that I didn’t even know existed. Without a doubt, this was the best performance of the episode. She absolutely has to make it to the show’s final!

Assaf began:

“First of all, well done. You’re so brave, and that bravery is an asset. You have an incredible talent for placing words in a way that constantly draws the listener in. You have a language in your writing and a language in your performance”.

Keren commented:

“I think this is the most ‘Eurovision’ thing possible — pure, raw talent that doesn’t imitate anything else. I want to tell you that I have tears in my eyes just from sitting here and being exposed to your talent”.

Shiri concluded:

“What’s most powerful about you is that your words come from deep within you. The message you’ve expressed is extraordinary and so important. You’re phenomenal, and it’s truly a gift that you came to this show. I believe you’ll go as far as possible”.

All five judges voted in her favor. Shira received 83% and advanced to the next round. Daniel stands at risk of elimination.

Gili Tsanaani, who lost her duel to Gal De Paz, became the seventh contestant eliminated from the show.

“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.