Israel’s Yuval Raphael reaches Eurovision Grand Final
Israeli singer Yuval Raphael has advanced to the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 Grand Final, following a powerful and emotionally resonant performance of her ballad “New Day Will Rise” during Thursday night’s second semifinal in Basel, Switzerland.
Raphael, 24, who survived the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas massacre at the Supernova music festival, took the stage under heightened political tension, with audible boos from some in the audience protesting Israel’s participation. Despite the hostility, her performance was met with widespread praise and applause.
The ballad, blending English, Hebrew and French, was written by Keren Peles and produced by Tomer Biran, and thematically centres on resilience, memory and hope.
After leaving the stage, Raphael recounted an emotional moment when she recognised fellow survivors in the crowd—individuals who, like her, had endured the horrors of Oct. 7. On that day, she hid for hours beneath corpses in a roadside bomb shelter before being rescued.
She said spotting her friends in the audience gave her unexpected strength and comfort during a high-pressure performance, a detail she shared in a post-show video published by Kan, Israel’s public broadcaster.
Raphael will now be joined in the final by contestants from Latvia, Lithuania, Armenia, Denmark, Austria, Luxembourg, Finland, Malta and Greece. The Grand Final is scheduled for Saturday night in Basel, with Israel performing fourth out of 26 countries.
Her road to Eurovision began with a January victory on “HaKokhav HaBa” (“The Next Star”), Israel’s televised singing competition. Her journey has become a symbol of national pride and personal strength in a year shadowed by trauma.
Raphael enters the final with growing international attention. According to odds aggregated by EurovisionWorld.com, Israel is ranked sixth among the contenders for the 2025 title, with Sweden and Austria the favourites.
JNS
