HaKokhav HaBa – Episode 3: Five Contestants Advance to the Next Round

HaKokhav HaBa – Episode 3: Five Contestants Advance to the Next Round

by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); "HaKokhav HaBa" - Episode 3: Five contestants passed to the next round. The advancing contestants are Elior Shemesh, Ori Berko, Gal De Paz, Avi Assor, and Dorin Or. Tonight, the third episode of the reality show “HaKokhav HaBa" aired, through which Israel’s representative for Eurovision 2026 will be chosen. This evening featured six auditions, with five contestants succeeding and moving on to the next stage thanks to the support of the judges and the studio audience. One of them might go on to represent Israel in Eurovision this coming May. The panel once again included Assaf Amdursky, Keren Peles, Shiri Maimon, Eden Hasson, and Itay Levi. Each contestant must receive at least 70% of the votes to advance, and every judge contributes 12% to the total voting score. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Elior Shemesh Elior Shemesh, 25, from Rosh HaAyin, is a musician, producer, and songwriter. She comes from a religious home and once hid from her father the fact that she sings and attends auditions. She met her...
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Bulgaria: Eurovision 2026 Representative to Be Chosen on January 31st!

Bulgaria: Eurovision 2026 Representative to Be Chosen on January 31st!

by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The Bulgarian national broadcaster BNT announced that the country's Eurovision 2026 representative will be chosen on January 31st. How will the new selection process look like? Bulgaria is making a comeback to Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria, following a three-year break since 2022, as revealed at the end of October. The Greek Eurovision site Eurovisionfun has disclosed new details regarding Bulgaria’s selection process for their representative in Vienna. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); It appears Bulgaria is moving toward a mixed selection method in which the representative will be chosen through a TV show, while the song will later be selected by a professional jury. It was revealed that Bulgaria will hold one or several television broadcasts, through which the country’s representative will be chosen. The selection will take place on Saturday, January 31st, 2026. This year, BNT has decided to make a major change and let go of its exclusive right to select the country’s contestant, handing some of the decision-making power to...
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Pasha Parfeni Attacks: “I Won’t Take Part in Eurovision as Long as the Corrupt Management Remains in Place”

Pasha Parfeni Attacks: “I Won’t Take Part in Eurovision as Long as the Corrupt Management Remains in Place”

by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); As Moldova returns to Eurovision 2026, Pasha Parfeni launches a harsh attack against the Moldovan national broadcaster TRM, declaring he will not return until the current management is replaced. With Moldova’s return to Eurovision 2026 in Vienna after a one-year absence, Pasha Parfeni, one of the country’s most prominent artists who represented Moldova twice in 2012 and 2023, launched a strong attack against the Moldovan national broadcaster TRM. In an interview, he declared that he would not participate again in Eurovision unless the network’s current management is replaced. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); “They killed Eurovision” According to Parfeni, the public broadcaster is “unprofessional and even corrupted”, accusing it of ruining the contest’s reputation in the country. “I’m highly critical and dissatisfied. I’ve seen many bad things – I don’t even want to talk about them. They killed Eurovision like this”. Parfeni said. In the interview, he pointed out that the “Moldova 1” brand - the main TRM channel - has lost public and creative trust: “This brand no...
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ESC Top 250: The Annual Eurovision Chart for 2025 Is Now Open!

ESC Top 250: The Annual Eurovision Chart for 2025 Is Now Open!

by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); As every year, the international Eurovision chart “ESC Top 250” returns! Will Loreen reclaim first place once again? Voting is now open! What is the greatest Eurovision song of all time? Until 2021, Loreen repeatedly won first place in the annual fan vote of the ESC Top 250 chart with her song “Euphoria”. In 2022, for the first time in years, a new song topped the list, “SloMo” by Chanel. The following year, Käärijä from Finland was crowned the big winner with his massive European hit “Cha Cha Cha”. However, last year, Loreen made a triumphant return to the number-one spot. Every year, Eurovision fans rank their favorite songs of all time toward the end of the calendar year for the ESC Top 250 — a list compiled by the Belgian Eurovision website Songfestival.be in collaboration with the online Eurovision radio station EFR12Radio. Voting for this year’s chart has officially begun — and everyone is welcome to vote! (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Who Will...
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Lithuania: The Entry for Eurovision 2026 Will Be Selected on February 27th!

Lithuania: The Entry for Eurovision 2026 Will Be Selected on February 27th!

by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The submission window for "Eurovizija.LT" officially closed today. The Lithuanian national broadcaster LRT announced that the country’s entry will be chosen on February 27th in the grand final, live from Vilnius, Lithuania. The selection of Lithuania’s entry for Eurovision 2026 will once again take place through  “Eurovizija.LT.” Lithuania, which confirmed its participation in Eurovision 2026 on July 8th, officially closed the song submission window today (Wednesday). Now, the process of filtering and evaluating the entries begins and is expected to conclude by November 25th. At least 30 songs will be chosen for the competition. According to the national broadcaster LRT, recordings of the show will begin on January 14th, with five or six semi-finals planned depending on the final number of performing artists. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Support for Artists and First Arena Final LRT announced that each performing artist will receive €1,500 from the national broadcaster for song production and performance staging. It was also stated that the...
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HaKokhav HaBa – Episode 1: Five Contestants Advance to the Next Round

HaKokhav HaBa – Episode 1: Five Contestants Advance to the Next Round

by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); "HaKokhav HaBa" - Episode 1: The new season of "HaKokhav HaBa" for Eurovision 2026 began tonight. Five contestants passed to the next round. The advancing contestants are Alona Erez, Daniel Shevtsov, Gili Tsanaani, Tzahala Gazit, and Agam Hazan. "HaKokhav HaBa" for Eurovision 2026 - Here we start!!! The new season of "HaKokhav HaBa" officially kicked off tonight, bringing a wave of excitement both in the studio and among viewers at home. The season premiere promises once again to deliver the perfect blend of music, talent, and hope - to find Israel’s next Eurovision star, who might finally bring the long-awaited victory. The episode opened with a touching look back at Yuval Raphael’s journey to last year's Eurovision Song Contest. Raphael then took the stage to perform a short segment from her song, which captivated the international audience and secured Israel an impressive second place in Basel. This season’s well-known judges returned to the panel: Assaf Amdursky, Keren Peles, Shiri Maimon, Eden Hasson, and Itay Levi....
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CEO of ORF, Ronald Weissman in Jerusalem: “Israel Is an Integral Part of Eurovision”

CEO of ORF, Ronald Weissman in Jerusalem: “Israel Is an Integral Part of Eurovision”

by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); CEO of the Austrian national broadcaster ORF, Ronald Weissmann visits Jerusalem, met with President Herzog and expressed steadfast support for Israel's participation in Eurovision amid boycott threats and upcoming EBU deliberations. Vienna is set to host the 70th Eurovision celebration this spring, but prior to the event, diplomacy is once again in the spotlight. Austrian national broadcaster CEO Ronald Weissmann arrived in Israel not only to plan for Eurovision 2026 but also to expressly support Israel’s inclusion in the contest. During his visit to the President’s residence in Jerusalem, Weissmann met President Isaac Herzog, broadcaster CEO Golan Yochpaz, and legal advisor Ayala Mizrahi. All attendees highlighted the importance of free expression and cultural independence for public media organizations. Yokhpaz stated, “There is no justification for excluding Israel from Eurovision”, and underlined that the national broadcaster continues to comply with EBU regulations and will persist in doing so. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Austria Stands with Israel During...
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Sweden: Edward af Sillén Set to Write Song for Melodifestivalen for the First Time!

Sweden: Edward af Sillén Set to Write Song for Melodifestivalen for the First Time!

by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Swedish media reports reveal exciting new artists joining Melodifestivalen 2026, including Edward af Sillén as a writer for the contest for the first time! Melodifestivalen 2026, Sweden’s national final for Eurovision 2026, is already generating buzz across Europe as Swedish media reveal some of the artists expected to compete. Following reports of possible returns from familiar names such as Robin Bengtsson, Fröken Snusk, and Smash Into Pieces, local outlets now point to another exciting addition - an American K-pop star well-known to Eurovision fans. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Noll2 Noll2 - This pop duo, comprising Jakob Westerlund and Wilmer Öberg, both 23, met in school and began creating music together in 2022. According to Expressen, they are set to compete in Melodifestivalen for the first time. Their debut single "Maja" in 2023 garnered millions of Spotify streams and was praised by local music journalists. Brandsta City Släckers Brandsta City Släckers - Established in 1994, this Swedish group competed in Melodifestivalen 2002...
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A Storm Behind the Scenes: “Songvakeppnin” Stays Without a Date, Hosts, or Answers

A Storm Behind the Scenes: “Songvakeppnin” Stays Without a Date, Hosts, or Answers

by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Uncertainty surrounds Iceland’s Eurovision 2026 participation as the national broadcaster RUV, delays its song submission deadline, amid confusion caused by controversy over Israel’s participation. Rúnar Freyr Gíslason, director of Iceland’s national Eurovision selection and project manager at the national broadcaster, stated that as of now, no submission deadline has been set for Söngvakeppnin 2026. According to him, the matter is expected to be clarified in the coming days. The scheduling uncertainty emerged following the cancellation of the EBU vote on Israel’s participation in Eurovision, a vote initially planned for November. This decision led to further confusion regarding Iceland’s preparation for "Songvakeppnin 2026". (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Growing Uncertainty Behind the Scenes of "Songvakeppnin 2026" The Icelandic national broadcaster RUV opened the submission window for Eurovision entries at the end of August, initially setting the song submission deadline for September 23rd. In October, the process was paused - at least temporarily - postponing the final date...
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Poland: The Entry for Eurovision 2026 Will Be Chosen on February 14th!

Poland: The Entry for Eurovision 2026 Will Be Chosen on February 14th!

by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The Polish national broadcaster TVP revealed that the participants in "Poland Decides" will be announced on January 14th. One month later, Poland will select its entry for Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria. Laast Monday, the Polish national broadcaster TVP confirmed its participation in Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria. Poland is the 32nd country to express interest in taking part in Eurovision 2026. Today (Saturday), TVP has revealed that the contestants and songs for the Polish national final, "Poland Decides", will be published on January 14th. A month later, on February 14th, Poland’s entry for the upcoming contest will be chosen. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); "Poland Decides" Rules: Last Monday, the Polish national broadcaster TVP officially opened the submission window for "Poland Decides", thus confirming participation in Eurovision 2026. Creators and artists wishing to submit their songs to the local pre-selection could do so starting November 3rd. The submission window will close on November 24th at 23:59 CET. Songs must...
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