Earlier this summer she took over Times Square in New York when her song ‘Toy’ was featured on its iconic video screens and electronic billboards.

And on Tuesday July 24th Netta Barzilai will make a real-life appearance in the city when she performs on Today — one of the most-watched morning breakfast shows in the United States.

The Eurovision 2018 winner made the announcement on Twitter.

During the second quarter of 2018, Today nabbed around 3.9 million viewers. Along with Good Morning America on rival network ABC, it helps set the news agenda for the day and can be a huge boon to a performer’s career.

Artists who have performed on the show recently include Shawn Mendes, Meghan Trainor, Little Mix and Harry Styles.

Israeli Eurovision legend Ofra Haza performed on the show in 1983 (the same year she finished as runner-up at ESC). When she was given the honour she’d already had breakout hits in the United States.

Netta shoots down ‘Toy’ plagiarism accusations

Netta recently gave a wide-ranging interview in which she discussed, among other things, accusations that her songwriter Doron Medalie had plagiarised parts of The White Stripes’ hit “Seven Nation Army”.

As you’ll recall, Universal Music Group recently sent a threatening letter to Doron, claiming that rhythms and beats were heavily borrowed.

Well Netta isn’t having any of it.

“When [the song] came to me I could not ignore how fresh and innovative it was,” she said. “It didn’t sound like anything else.”

Netta also defended Doron in another context. Earlier this summer he got into a bit of trouble at home when he suggested that he deserved the victory more than Netta did, since he’s been a lifelong fan of Eurovision and tried to win on multiple occasions as a songwriter.

“Doron has been done a great injustice, it’s really injustice.”

“Doron is one of the most unique and amazing people I’ve ever met. He dreamed of the Eurovision Song Contest for 10 years, and he said I was in a situation — I was in a situation.”

“He wrote this song and he told me, ‘You are invited to join our win at the Eurovision Song Contest.”

And what does she think about the ongoing race to become host city of Eurovision 2019?

“The distance between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv is only 30 minutes, and all the events that surround the contest can take place anywhere in the country.”

“It will be amazing in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem or Haifa. The important thing is that the Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Israel — we’re just making noise.”

Are you going to watch Netta on Today? What do you make of her defence of her songwriter? Let us know down below!

Comments on this post are now closed.

43 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Alex
Alex
5 years ago

Bibi is considered as a mainstream center-right politician.

Charles
Charles
5 years ago

The fact that Ofra Haza (RIP) was mentioned here is my true highlight … nevertheless I hope Netta enjoy these one-hit-wonder-15-minutes-of-fame moments in the US.

Laura
Laura
5 years ago
Reply to  Charles

And we Charles, enjoyed your “one-hit-comment” -15 seconds of fame moment in Wiwibloggs!! Enrich your sheer ignorance by reading JohnD’s comment (just below). Netta is so far more then just TOY (as I pleasantly discovered as well).

JohnD
JohnD
5 years ago

Netta (unlike Eleni: a singer/great performer) is not only a singer and a performer – but also composes (!!) music (e.g. a FULL package artist). A taste of her capabilities in the link (the lyrics are also quite substantial, provided in the video comments):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UlnAZtdIW8

Ramon
Ramon
5 years ago
Reply to  JohnD

Wow!! Simply brilliant! Netta is even much better than I thought. Thank you for the link

ESC US
ESC US
5 years ago
Reply to  JohnD

People don’t realize just how creative Netta really is

Latvian
Latvian
5 years ago
Reply to  JohnD

It would win in any year.

Eastman
Eastman
5 years ago

It bewilders me why for so many people it’s Toy vs Fuego, Netta vs Eleni. It is possible to like and support both songs, both artists. It’s not like there’s only enough room in the music industry for one Eurovision star each year. Fake conflict between female singers generated by so-called fans is tiresome.

Anita
Anita
5 years ago
Reply to  Eastman

Listen to Doron Medalie talking about working for both artists (he answers in English): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1IEgAhANZY

Ana
Ana
5 years ago
Reply to  Eastman

Why? Because those are 2 women involved in the same thing. There is a general tendency to present women as competitors and even enemies while constantly comparing between them. Kate Midelton vs Maegan Merkel (just because they both married to princes),Britney vs Aguilera, Ofra Haza vs Yardena Arazi etc. etc . Why nobody really compared between Kristian Kostov and Salvador? They are just like Eleni and Netta.. Because they are men, it’s assumed that women are nasty b*tches that compete and hate each other while men just doing their thing. Pure subconscious chauvinism.

Maria
Maria
5 years ago

I do love Fuego for what it is: a generic but very catchy summer song, i’ve even learnt the choreography, i dance and sing along whenever it plays. BUT im so tired of greek media, esc fans and wiwi trying to make it seem like ‘toy may have won but fuego is the one making an impact and being successful post esc’, which is far from the truth. Toy has made it further and out to New York. I have the impression that Wiwi has been inventing articles just to show how “successful” Fuego is, but at least they bothered… Read more »

Josh Kennon
Josh Kennon
5 years ago

Hopefully this will mean a new era of Eurovision artists coming to the US and finding success!

Yellowman96
Yellowman96
5 years ago
Reply to  Josh Kennon

It’s not gonna happen dear. Eurovision in the US is like the word “Fetch”, not gonna happen

Victor
Victor
5 years ago

Why it’s so important to perform or be recognized in USA? Been already in Eurovision is amazing. I’m from México and i love eurovision. I don’t think that Netta needs to perform in USA, she is already fabulous.

NoGeoblocks
NoGeoblocks
5 years ago

Go Netta!

Also – Ofra was amazing! what a voice.

Gorilla716
Gorilla716
5 years ago

I am not happy about Netta performing on American television whatsoever because I’m sure when the American people discover Netta, there’s going to be put off by the chicken noises and think that Eurovision is some sort of freakshow. I feel like if the Today Show had invited some other Eurovision winner like Loreen or Mans Zelmerlow then Americans would have a much more positive and serious attitude towards Eurovision and recognize that it is a show full of good quality music rather than a show full of joke acts or anything ridiculous.

Lemon
Lemon
5 years ago
Reply to  Gorilla716

I’m pretty sure that America is going to fall in love with Netta

biglevo
biglevo
5 years ago
Reply to  Gorilla716

I don’t think a woman who looks like she crawled out of the well in the ring doing the MC Hammer across the stage in her pajamas is a whole lot more normalized for american audiences. Eurovision is full of good quality music, it also has ridiculous things in it. Toy is a good song, it’s catchy, it’s fun, that’s why it won. Even if people completely miss the rest of the point of the song, “I’m not your toy // you stupid boy” will already resonate with the legion of housewives that generally tune into stuff like the Today… Read more »

Yellowman96
Yellowman96
5 years ago
Reply to  Gorilla716

Honestly I feel like that was just pure bluff from Loreen and Mans to make it seem like they were being recognized here. On the other hand Netta managed to climb the top 200 iTunes chart with Toy.

Juan Cena
Juan Cena
5 years ago
Reply to  Yellowman96

“Toy” has been climbing on the Billboard dance charts (Attention, William!) for the past few weeks, so it might start getting more traction in the US.

Crystal
5 years ago
Reply to  Juan Cena

As of the most recent update on Billboard’s website, “Toy” is currently #19 on the Top Dance Club Songs chart! (Up from #26 the previous week.)

Pancake
Pancake
5 years ago
Reply to  Gorilla716

Toy is already in the US Billboard Dance Chart, so you’re wrong there. The US will fall in love with Netta.

Michael
Michael
5 years ago

Why couldn’t it have been Eleni? Fuego has been so much more successful than Toy, and I see far more of a star in her than Netta. I wonder if it’s only going on Today because of the message.

Ana
Ana
5 years ago
Reply to  Michael

You know why nobody was giving a single f*ck about Fuego before Eurovision? Because songs like that pop out every summer in millions, there is absolutely 0 creativity in this one. Eurofans were looking for the underdog to make the competition interesting (nobody wants to know the end of the movie 2 months before the premiere. So Eleny was chosen to be the underdog, her 2nd place is really enough for her template of a song.

Idan Cohen
Idan Cohen
5 years ago
Reply to  Ana

Wow, you explained it perfectly.

sevzch
sevzch
5 years ago
Reply to  Michael

These Fuego fans are getting annoying….. If we look at numbers and appeal… Toy is more successful then Fuego she has Much more views and like more then twice the likes Fuego has… in addition she has much more spotify and apple music listening numbers…. only eurovision fans consider Fuego to be more successful but its just false… wake up from your esc buble because ur comment even if not intended is full of hate toards Netta and you should be ashamed of urself!!!!

Michael
Michael
5 years ago
Reply to  sevzch

sevzch You’re wrong. While it’s true that Toy has more views on Youtube, if you look at the like/dislike bar, it’s clear that it’s success isn’t due to positive ratings. I wouldn’t be proud of getting a 71% like/dislike ratio on Youtube. But it’s wrong that Toy has “much” more spotify. Toy has 20M, Fuego has 25M, so it’s more successful there. I don’t know about Apple Music, but I can’t imagine it would be much different. I don’t even like Fuego that much, I just think it’s a catchy, summer song. On the other hand, Toy is incredibly annoying,… Read more »

sevzch
sevzch
5 years ago
Reply to  Michael

whatever… Eleni wasnt mentioned in this article once you bringing her in just because u r jealos that she isnt going to the US like Netta is just a pity

Jo.
Jo.
5 years ago
Reply to  Michael

Fuego’s moment has come and gone.

Shanfa Chai
Shanfa Chai
5 years ago
Reply to  Michael

As much as I love Fuego, I think it’s too generic (compared to Toy). I can totally see why Toy appealed more to the US.

I wouldn’t be surprised seeing Toy having much more “US-successes” compared to other recent Eurovision winners (or entries). The song just screams “worldwide hit” for me.

Denis
Denis
5 years ago
Reply to  Michael

They already have Beyoncé. Why invite Walmart knock- off?

Yellowman96
Yellowman96
5 years ago
Reply to  Michael

It’s not just about the song, it was also Eleni trying to emulate Beyoncé. But even Beyoncé has tried to get away from that image and song style that made her well-known in the 2000’s in favor for a more dark style/hip hop trap showcasing her African-American roots.

Randy
Randy
5 years ago

Hello! The name is OFRA HAZA and she performed in 1989 not in 1983, the fact she was on the Today Show has nothing to do with Eurovision but simply because she was promoting her (then) new album “Desert Wind”, she released the previous year (1987-88) a worldwide hit called “Im Nin’ Alu”.

Maya G
Maya G
5 years ago

She indeed competed in the 1983 ESC, but was on the today show only 6 years later. You clearly wrote that both appearances were on the same year:
“Israeli Eurovision legend Ofra Haza performed on the show in 1983 (the same year she finished as runner-up at ESC).”

Apple
Apple
5 years ago
Reply to  Randy

She *literally* performed in 1983 though…

Joe
Joe
5 years ago

Yay! Coming to my city!

Lemon
Lemon
5 years ago
Reply to  Joe

Love Netta, love your city and I really hope that NYC will love Netta too.

Nelly
Nelly
5 years ago

Jesus, is Eurovision that famous worldwide?? I’m impressed!

Yellowman96
Yellowman96
5 years ago
Reply to  Nelly

Depends. Here in the US it’s already been acknowledged by our late night hosts but just like Gretchen and “fetch”, Eurovision is and will not be relevant here

Juan Cena
Juan Cena
5 years ago
Reply to  Nelly

Interest in Eurovision in the US is growing, I would say.

Joe
Joe
5 years ago
Reply to  Juan Cena

Will Ferrell’s gonna help that, I think. It’s definitely growing with each edition since we started showing it.