A Star Is Born as Israeli Singer, in Stunning Turn, Reaches Eurovision Finals

Israeli singer Eden Golan’s securing enough votes in Thursday’s semi-final to punch her a ticket to compete in the Eurovision finals next week will signal that the opponents to the Jewish state’s inclusion in the contest have done little to sway voters’ favor from the 20-year-old pop-star darling. Ms. Golan sang her hit song “Hurricane” at the Eurovision stadium at Malmö as thousands were gathered outside of the venue to protest Israel’s participation in the competition. A day before the semi-final performance, Ms. Golan and her dancers were booed during a dress rehearsal and a crowd of thousands menaced her outside her hotel. The Sun reports that the city has become a hotbed of antisemitism. The pop-star, though, remained undeterred, delivering an impassioned but poised performance that evidently tugged the heartstrings of viewers whose votes brought her one step closer to victory. That would be Israel’s fourth triumph. Its contestant last year, Noa Kirel, finished third. Thursday’s semifinal was just one of three live broadcasts that comprise the Eurovision competition. The two semi-finals include all competing countries aside from that year’s host country and the “Big Five” countries — France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom — who buy themselves an automatic spot in the finals. The 10 highest scoring countries in each semi-final session qualify for the final. The scores are based on public votes cast through the official Eurovision Song Contest application or via SMS. Viewers in participating countries can only vote in the semi-final that their country takes place in, but viewers watching in eligible countries not participating in the contest can vote in each of the two semi-finals. Ms. Golan’s qualification for the final at the hand of public support suggests that those who oppose her participation in the competition, though loud and obstructive, are a minority, and evidently can do little to curb the young singer’s success. The Israeli singer’s victory is yet another surprise show of support for the Jewish state in even the most unlikely of environments. Whether the votes for Ms. Golan came from a silent pro-Israel majority or people just admire her talent is up for debate. Eligible voters hail from Europe and beyond, including numerous Arab countries. In any event, Ms. Golan has raked in the votes to send her to Friday’s final. Just hours after the semi-final, Ms. Golan was asked in an interview with StandWithUS whether she thinks she can win the entire competition, at a time of headwinds for the Jewish state. “Anything can happen,” the star sang in response.

A Star Is Born as Israeli Singer, in Stunning Turn, Reaches Eurovision Finals

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