News Archives - Page 61 of 242

HaKokhav HaBa – Episode 29: Agam Hazan Is the Fourteenth Contestant Eliminated From the Show

January 11, 2026January 12, 2026 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Agam Hazan is the fourteenth contestant to bid farewell to HaKokhav HaBa. 7 contestants remain in the race, including Michael HarPaz, Alona Erez, Nave Levi, and Noam Bettan. Full recap of Episode 29. In 9 days, the grand finale of "HaKokhav HaBa for Eurovision 2026" will take place, featuring four finalists. The winner of the competition will represent Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, which will be held in Vienna, Austria, on May 12th, 14th, and 16th. 8 contestants remain in the competition so far, but by the end of tonight’s episode, only the top 7 will continue. The episode aired this evening was the second of two in the Shlomo Artzi special, in which each contestant chose a song by one of Israel’s leading singers, who also represented the country at Eurovision 1975 with his song "At VaAni". During the episode, the show’s judges performed Shlomo Artzi’s song “Lo Ozev Et Ha'Ir”. Toward the end of the episode, singer Amir Benayoun joined the judging panel, replacing Itay...

Yuval Raphael Reveals: “I Faced Hate from Every Direction”

January 11, 2026 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Yuval Raphael reveals everything: from online hate and death threats to winning the public vote and confronting global controversy face-to-face. Yuval Raphael — Israel’s representative at Eurovision 2025 — finished second with her song "New Day Will Rise". In an interview with "Daily Mail", she laid all her cards on the table - from her take on Nemo’s provocation and the trophy return to death threats and the emotional high of winning the public vote. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Love and Hate: Yuval Raphael’s Rollercoaster Yuval begins the interview with her heroic story from October 7th, describing how she survived in a shelter she calls “the bunker of death”, and how, just 18 months later, she found herself on the world’s biggest stage. She says that even there, pro-Palestinian activism followed her: “The love in my heart guided me, even when I was surrounded by hate from all sides—hate aimed at my people, rooted in a distorted perception...

Greece: “Sing for Greece 2026” Postponed to the Second Week of February

January 11, 2026 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); According to Greek media, "Sing For Greece 2026", originally set for February 3rd, 5th, and 7th, has been postponed by a week. Will Greece join the four shows held on Valentine’s Day? According to Greek media, "Sing For Greece 2026" - originally planned for February 3rd, 5th, and 7th - has been rescheduled to the following week. The national final will feature two semi-finals and a grand final, with the winner representing Greece at Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Greek media reported that the national broadcaster decided to delay the "Sing For Greece 2026" shows, which were originally scheduled for February 3rd, 5th, and 7th. According to the reports, organizers wanted to avoid holding the event on February 14th - Valentine’s Day - which already features four other national finals (Poland, Denmark, Latvia and Estonia), and to steer clear of the Greek holiday Tsiknopempti, which falls on that Thursday, February 12th....

Greece: “Sing for Greece 2026” Songs Will Be Revealed on January 17th & 18th

January 11, 2026 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); In the past hour, the Greek national broadcaster announced that the 28 competing songs in "Sing For Greece 2026" will be revealed on January 17th & 18th. In the past hour, the Greek national broadcaster ERT announced that the 28 songs competing in the country’s national selection "Sing For Greece 2026" will be officially presented on January 17th and 18th. The national final is expected to take place in early February and include two semi-finals and a grand final. The winner of the final will represent Greece at Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); According to the Greek national broadcaster, the 28 competing entries for the ticket to Vienna will be unveiled in two stages. On Saturday, January 17th, the first 14 songs - those taking part in the first semi-final - will be revealed. On Sunday, January 18th, the remaining 14 songs competing in the second semi-final will be presented. The...

HaKokhav HaBa – Episode 28: Tamir Levy Is the Thirteenth Contestant Eliminated From the Show

January 10, 2026January 12, 2026 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Tamir Levy is the thirteenth contestant to bid farewell to HaKokhav HaBa. 8 contestants remain in the race, including Shira Zloof, Gal De Paz, and Shaked Solomon. Full recap of Episode 28. In 10 days, the grand finale of "HaKokhav HaBa for Eurovision 2026" will take place, featuring four finalists. The winner of the competition will represent Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, which will be held in Vienna, Austria, on May 12th, 14th, and 16th. 9 contestants remain in the competition so far, but by the end of tonight’s episode, only the top 8 will continue. The episode aired this evening was the first of two in the Shlomo Artzi special, in which each contestant chose a song by one of Israel’s leading singers, who also represented the country at Eurovision 1975 with his song "At VaAni". Artzi himself took part in the show for the first time, and the contestants rehearsed before him. Before the elimination announcement, Artzi performed his...

Drama in Iceland: “Songvakeppnin 2026” is Canelled!

January 10, 2026January 12, 2026 by Rachel Geron Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Iceland’s national broadcaster RUV has announced the cancellation of "Söngvakeppnin 2026", saying there is no longer a need for an Icelandic entry for Eurovision 2026. What will replace it? During the weekend, Icelandic national broadcaster RÚV announced the cancellation of "Söngvakeppnin 2026", one month after confirming it would not participate in Eurovision 2026. In a message sent to songwriters who had submitted entries to the contest, RÚV stated that the conditions on which the competition was based – selecting Iceland’s Eurovision entry – were no longer relevant. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); A Late Announcement The decision to cancel Iceland’s national final did not come as a surprise – and perhaps even came late. Songwriters who had already submitted songs to the competition were left in uncertainty for the past month and only received official confirmation of the cancellation over the weekend. In the email sent by RÚV to all participants, the broadcaster wrote: “As you...

Denmark: Several Former Representatives May Return to “Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2026”

January 10, 2026 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); New reports on Denmark's "Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2026" - pointing to a series of well-known and beloved former representatives who may once again compete for the ticket to Eurovision 2026. Who are they? Eurovision's national finals season is heating up as countries begin to reveal contestant shortlists, featuring several familiar names in the Eurovision community hoping to return to the stage in Vienna, Austria. While the official lineup for “Dansk Melodi Grand Prix” is set to be unveiled only on January 22nd, rumors are abuzz about a number of former representatives possibly returning to compete for the Eurovision 2026 ticket. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Sissal Hansen, Denmark’s representative at Eurovision 2025 with the song “Hallucination”, hinted at a possible comeback during an interview on the morning show “Go’ morgen Danmark” (in English: “Good Morning Denmark”): “2026 might be bigger than 2025”. But Sissal is far from alone. According to the Danish Eurovision page Good Evening Europe, possible candidates include Anja Nissen,...

Graham Norton: “When People Are Booed – It’s Horrible”

January 10, 2026 by Neta Geffen Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); British commentator and host Graham Norton addresses the controversy surrounding Eurovision 2026 following Israel’s participation and calls for the contest to return to its original musical spirit. As Eurovision 2026 approaches, set to take place this May in Vienna, the controversy surrounding Israel’s participation continues to resonate across Europe. Now, one of the voices most closely associated with the contest has joined the discussion – British commentator and Eurovision 2023's grand final host Graham Norton, who publicly addressed the storm and the recent withdrawals of several countries. In an interview on the talk show hosted by Lorraine Kelly, Norton was asked about the fact that ahead of Eurovision 2026 “countries are withdrawing for various different reasons”. His response was clear: “That’s what it started as”, he said, referring to the contest’s original idea as a festival of joy, music, and unity, adding that it's “sad that we’re in this situation”. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Criticism...

Australia: Will Dami Im make a historic comeback in Eurovision 2026?

January 10, 2026 by Maor Heumann Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Australia's national broadcaster SBS considers Dami Im for Eurovision 2026. Ten years after "Sound of Silence", could the star return for victory? Speculation is reaching a fever pitch in Australia, suggesting the nation may play one of its strongest cards for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026. According to reports by the Greek website Eurovisionfun, the most prominent name currently under consideration is the woman who nearly secured a historic victory for the country: Dami Im. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The Journey to Close the Circle in Vienna Dami Im, one of Australia's most respected vocalists, remains etched in the memory of Eurovision fans for her unforgettable performance in Stockholm 2016 with the song "Sound of Silence". She finished in second place overall – Australia's highest achievement to date. Notably, she won the jury vote by a significant margin, and many enthusiasts still view her as the moral winner of that year. According to the report, the national broadcaster is seeking...

Italy: Madonna Rumoured to Guest Star at Sanremo 2026!

January 10, 2026 by Maor Heumann Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Will the Queen of Pop appear at Sanremo 2026? Reports suggest Madonna may guest star at Italy's Eurovision selection following her recent Italian cover In the past 24 hours, extensive speculation has surfaced regarding a possible guest appearance by pop singer Madonna at the Italian Eurovision selection, Sanremo 2026. This event will select the country's representative for Eurovision 2026, held in Vienna, Austria. These rumors emerged after she released a full Italian version of the beloved hit by singer Patty Pravo, "La Bambola". The singer, who is competing in the festival this year for the 11th time, published the cover for a campaign with the Italian fashion brand "Dolce&Gabbana", creating a reimagined interpretation of the famous 1968 song. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); According to the Italian news agency Adnkronos, the national broadcaster RAI is interested in hosting the singer. The proposal is currently on the desk of the festival's artistic director, Carlo Conti,...