Doron Medalie — the “Toy” composer who drew the ire of Israeli Eurovision fans and songwriters after suggesting he had won Eurovision with Netta simply along for the ride — has officially and publicly apologised.

Doron opened up to Netta — and indeed Israel’s broader music industry — at a special ceremony held by ACUM, the organisation of the country’s authors, composers and music publishers.

While pushing the blame partly on the Israeli media, he sought forgiveness for being sloppy with his language.

“I had a slip of the tongue,” he said, according to Y Net. “My words were taken out of context, I was tricked and made easy prey for haters who are waiting in every corner of this crazy country.”

“I’m guilty of everything. I ask you, Netta, forgive me. I know you do not want me to apologise to you, but I apologise for all of this.”

Not everyone was impressed. Dana Weiss, one of Israel’s top political analysts and the anchor of “Saturday Night with Dana Weiss” on Channel 2, clearly thought Doron was sloppy for a second time.

“Instead of saying that he was taken out of context and led astray, it would be better if he were satisfied with telling the truth and said, ‘I was wrong – I apologise.'”

Speaking at the ceremony, Netta was more gracious.

“I’m not used to standing up and talking, but at these moments I really like improvising,” she said. “As always, I’ll talk from the heart, and I thought to teach everyone a lesson I learned on this journey.”

“When we won [The Next Star for Eurovision], I realised that I could do something very good for people, there was a man who had dreamed of winning the Eurovision Song Contest for ten years, and we aimed to write a song, and then came the jolt you were singing against 200 million people.”

“I thought to myself, ‘If I sing something that has nothing of me, I will not be able to win with it.’ ” And we went on a pretty crazy journey of openness and working together on ‘Toy’. It is one of the most collaborative [learning experiences]. That’s winning.”

What started the spat to begin with?

The drama stemmed from Doron’s recent interview with Mako.

In that interview Doron, who took Israel back to the Top 10 with “Golden Boy” in 2015, spoke openly about Netta’s dislike for the song on first listen. He also suggested it was very difficult to work with her.

“It was like taking a wild horse and putting it into a luxurious stable,” he said. “It is very normal that the horse will try to resist.”

Although Doron made it clear that Netta was crucial to victory, he also suggested that his victory was of greater significance.

“I feel like I won more, in my point of view,” he said. “The victory was something I had dreamed of, for many years, whereas Netta was thrown into it.”

Doron has a history of shooting straight from the hip and speaking his mind.

Speaking about Eurovision 2018 jury vote winner César Sampson, he said:

“He had an amazing song. The juries are manipulative people that want to sink strong countries so they don’t give them points and choose a good song that is not a threat.”

“The problem this year was that all the juries made the same decision without knowing one about the other, so he got so many points. We were happy since we knew he won’t get that many points from the audience.”

Read more Israel Eurovision news

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Fatima
Fatima
5 years ago

We need a British Doron Medalie to improve the UK’s fortunes

dgdhfghbcv
dgdhfghbcv
5 years ago

Spain should’ve won. Israel’s performance sucked.

LeGrand
LeGrand
5 years ago
Reply to  dgdhfghbcv

I love Spain and think they usually deliver good songs (ie Pestora 2012), but honestly, this year was very cheesy and the male singer was out of tune.

ESCaddict
ESCaddict
5 years ago
Reply to  dgdhfghbcv

Spain entered a beautiful & touching song this year. Their result should have been much better.
I have nothing to add about Israel’s entry.

Gav
Gav
5 years ago

I placed a bet on Nette to win before I heard the song after hearing how amazing she was and unique. This guy got lucky to work with her.

Anita
Anita
5 years ago
Tully
Tully
5 years ago

This story is so boring. I mean, the man has hoped and worked for this win for years and he finally made it, let him have his celebration. Other people who have worked with him this year haven’t been on this journey as long as he has so he’s got a point. Regardless, it does seem like he was disrespectfull but I’m sure the media made it look worse than it actually was. And who cares anyway? It doesn’t make it true, everyone understands it was a team effort

Danny
Danny
5 years ago
Reply to  Tully

If his celebration is to be a total d*ck to everyone, then no, he can’t have it.

rosbifnl
rosbifnl
5 years ago

How ungracious. He’s saying that Austria won the jury vote by default because their song wasn’t good enough to be seen as a threat. What a way to pour cold water on Cesár a day after he reached out on Instagram to clarify things.

LILIA
LILIA
5 years ago
Reply to  rosbifnl

who say this nonsense?

James
James
5 years ago

I think there was something refreshingly honest with the way Netta responded. She acknowledged he had a life-long dream to win eurovision, and the tensions between his dream and her journey, she spoke of the difficulties in performing a song she did not feel was “hers” initially and the long process of overcoming that. Most remarkably she spoke of victory as a victory over one’s own ego and boundaries – over her own sense that the song has to be entirely “hers”, and that this was the most valuable lesson. I appreciate that they are not trying to portray any… Read more »

Miguel
Miguel
5 years ago

Netta is a Lady, while Doron… he should keep his mouth shut… and work with Salvador, they would get along quite well.

He tried to apologize but he came out as an arrogant person, once again. He basically says he was taken out of context, that the hatters took advantage of the situation and that he is apologizing even if he really doesn’t mean it, and even Netta asked him not to do it…

ESCaddict
ESCaddict
5 years ago
Reply to  Miguel

The hatters are mad.

Anita
Anita
5 years ago

All whom it may concern – you can watch Eugent Bushpepa live now – here: https://www.facebook.com/ErionVeliaj/videos/10156482384221926/UzpfSTQ3Njc1MjkxNDY5OjEwMTU1MzI5MjM4MTY2NDcw/

Matt
Matt
5 years ago

I think this was the guy that pushed Cesár away from Netta when she won the contest.

NoGeoblocks
NoGeoblocks
5 years ago
Reply to  Matt

Please read Cesar respond to the incident. He did not push him away whatsoever

Talentina Monetta
Talentina Monetta
5 years ago

This is what I call a storm in a teacup

boi
boi
5 years ago

At least unlike salvador and waylon he appologized!

LLila
LLila
5 years ago
Reply to  boi

Agree ..Salvador is So arrogant and think his music is the best well he is so wrong!
I was so happy to watch him give the trofy to Netta ..it was a great moment lol.

ESCaddict
ESCaddict
5 years ago
Reply to  boi

They have nothing to apologise for. They are entitled to voice an opinion.

LLila
LLila
5 years ago

Doron is living in lalalend..without Netta Israel would never have won !! And Doron forgat he did not wrote the song alone..Netta and Stav beger wrote it with him..

Thiago
Thiago
5 years ago
Reply to  LLila

Well… we don’t know what “would” have happened or not happened. All we know is what “did” happen. 🙂

LeGrand
LeGrand
5 years ago
Reply to  LLila

check your English – ” forgot”; “had written”

ESCaddict
ESCaddict
5 years ago
Reply to  LLila

I think Netta’s funny faces won. The song is do-do.

Boycott Jerusalem 2019
Boycott Jerusalem 2019
5 years ago

Pretty sure he made another “slip of tongue” there by calling his own country crazy….

boi
boi
5 years ago

Now what you did is taking his words out of context……

Roy Moreno
Roy Moreno
5 years ago

Nah… We are crazy

James
James
5 years ago

Not really. As an Israeli I can attest that most Israelis would call their country crazy. It’s quite common here… 🙂

Kris
Kris
5 years ago

Well if I were battling multiple countries , trying to apparently pacify protesters and have so much international pressure and still have the audacity to defy, I’d go crazy too