Israel’s First Rehearsal: A Whole Lot of Man on Stage

Ahead of his first rehearsal, Harel Skaat told eurovision.tv that “this is the moment I’ve been waiting for.” Given his undeniable good looks, it’s the moment women (and men) all across Europe have been waiting for, too.

WATCH:

Harel’s producers wanted his act to focus on the music, so spectacle has been put aside. The singer stands front-and-center, backed by two male vocalists. There is no glitter. There are no feathers. And the only explosion comes when Harel hits the chorus. It’s worth the wait.

Harel is obviously invested in this emotionally. From the 1:00 minute mark he looks seriously upset. His lyrics capture the pain of a breakup:

You’ve left me nothing but words, shelter in the shadows
Tidy books and in between the rooms
You’ve left me nothing but words, a wreath of locks
Oh God, you’ve left me nothing but words

Harel told reporters that the song moves him for other reasons, too.

This song touches me deeply. My grandfather passed just days before the selections in Israel, and this gives me a very deep feeling for this. I feel that I’m really singing this song for him. He wanted me to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest for five years, and then he got to hear that I was going to take part in the national selection before he passed,

Wiwi has been ignoring Harel and focusing on Azerbaijan, Armenia and Romania. But after watching this I might have to rethink my televote! I’ve only got one small note. Harel, love: please remove that gaudy ring during the first semi-final. It casts a glare and is kind of distracting during the close-ups.