Eurovision 2020 is still 5 months away, but Israeli broadcaster has already confirmed their participation as well as their selection method for 2021.
Big plans for 2021
KAN 11, the main channel of public broadcaster KAN, will host the national selection which will choose both artist and song for 2021. However, the format for the new show has not been decided yet, as KAN has launched a call for production companies to submit their bids. One thing that is already certain, however, is that Lucy Ayoub, one of the hosts of Eurovision 2019, will be presenting KANs’ new show.
For 2020, Israel will still be using their current method, the talent show “HaKokhav Haba L’Eurovizion”. This method has been used since 2015 and brought them great results. Since then, Israel never missed a final and also won in 2018, with Netta and her song “Toy”.
Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest
Israel has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 41 times since making its debut in 1973. The country has won the contest four times (1978, 1979, 1998, 2018), and has hosted the contest three times (1979, 1999 and 2019).
Since the introduction of the semi-finals in 2004, Israel has failed to reach the final six times. In 2005, Shiri Maimon gave the country its tenth top five result with “HaSheket SheNish’ar”, finishing fourth. Having failed to qualify for the final for four consecutive years (2011–2014), Israel reached the final with Nadav Guedj’s “Golden Boy” in 2015. Since Nadav’s ninth-place finish, Israel has qualified for every Grand Final.
Last year, Netta brought Israel it’s fourth victory, 20 years after its previous win. Her song won the televote and placed 3rd in the jury vote, amassing 529 points. The 2019 edition of the contest was hosted in Tel Aviv. Performing on home soil, Kobi Marimi’s “Home” didn’t quite reach the heights of its predecessor, placing 21st with 35 points.
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