Roll on national selection season!
Local media has confirmed that Israeli broadcaster KAN and production company Keshet will once again collaborate on The Next Star for Eurovision — the wildly successful programme used to selection Israel’s song contest singer.
This will be the fifth year in a row that Israel uses the format, which has resulted in four consecutive qualifications, two top 10s and one victory.
But there will be a big change for 2019. In most previous editions of The Next Star, the show has only chosen the singer, while the song has been internally selected. In 2016, the song — “Made of Stars” — was also chosen along with the winning singer Hovi Star, but it was substantially revamped before being entered.
For 2019, the song for the winning singer will be selected in an extra show. This will ensure that the song selection is kept separate from the selection of the artist. It appears that Israel is serious about defending their crown and isn’t worried about another back-t0-back win situation.
In 2015 The Next Star for Eurovision was a turning point, getting Israel back to the Eurovision final after four straight eliminations. In 2018, of course, the show more than justified its existence and expense as it resulted in Netta winning Eurovision. That despite the fact the audience eliminated her in a crucial battle round in the final.
Who will host Eurovision 2019?
The rumour mill is still spinning, and it’s spit out names including model Bar Refaeli and Natalie Portman. But perhaps the most credible rumours centre around two former hosts of The Next Star.
Erez Tal, 57, is one of Israel’s most respected TV and radio personalities. Tal is the leading candidate, as he was the commentator during Eurovision 2018 and received incredibly positive feedback. In fact, he is the one who called on Israelis to “forget about work” and go to Kikar Rabin to celebrate the nation’s fourth victory (as they did when Dana International won in 1998).
But according to Israel Hayom newspaper, Assi Azar is also a possible candidate, having reportedly had a secret meeting with KAN’s CEO earlier this month. Azar, 39, has been the co-host of The Next Star since 2015 (alongside Rotem Sella, whose candidacy has also been unofficially rumoured as well). Azar previously co-hosted the Israeli version of the Big Brother with Erez Tal for six seasons between 2010 and 2015, before leaving to host The Next Star. Could they be chosen to host together again?
Read more Israel Eurovision news
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I don’t know where to watch “Rising Star”, so I just looked through every picture and video on the Instagram of Harel Skaat, Static and Ben El Tavori, Assi Azar, Imri and others to find every fragments of “Rising Star”. I love the show. Really hope I can watch the whole episodes.
All episods of all seasons are avilable on Mako TV. https://www.mako.co.il/mako-vod-keshet/the-next-star-S-5/VOD-2318632122f8161006.htm?Partner=autoComplete
Mergi is a great talent.
Sasha Baron Cohen would be an amazing host!
Assi also created “Beauty & The Baker” – with Rotem as the beauty…https://www.channel4.com/programmes/walter-presents/videos/all/walter-presents-beauty-and-the-baker/5095268096001
The people chose Mergi, but Netta was saved few times by the production of the show. They wanted her .. Who will have the last word this year ???? not clear… have a look https://www.mako.co.il/tv-the-next-star/video?subChannelId=337072418a1c0610VgnVCM2000002a0c10acRCRD&vcmid=1d87d2226a2c0610VgnVCM2000002a0c10acRCRD
People also voted for Bibi.
Sometimes you need professionals to save you from yourself..
Mergi is a great talent. He will go far with or without the compeition
“The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter”. Winston Churchill
She was only saved once, and good for them for selecting her because sending a pretty boy for the 4th time is a snooze. They made the right call.
4th time? That would be a second time. With all the respect to Nadav and Hovy, they are not the “pretty boy” type. I am sure that the low ranking of Imri the year before made the judges choose Netta, wich was apparently a very smart move.
pretty boy ????? He is a star in all meanings !!! go to the link above & watch his cover to “Roar”. He is much more than a “pretty boy” !!!
Well Imri kinda sucked in the final performance. you’d expect a singer to perform better than the semi, which he was extremely good! (considering what fans kept ranting about during the rehearsals) .
He sang most of the song off key in the final. had he sung the song correctly, I predict he would’ve placed higher (15 – 12).
Choosing Netta wasn’t because of Imri, she was just phenomenal during HaKokhav HaBa without a doubt. I have never seen something like her in any singing-reality-show ANYWHERE.
She was saved twice. it’s ALOT
Are you referring to her win as a save? if so, you’re right. It’s true that if they made the audience decide without any jury points she would’ve gotten 2nd place, she said it herself. But with the type of music she makes it’s a wonder she made it far (judges influence not). Her music and artistic interpretations of songs are just too much for the average viewer to appreciate, all they want is a pretty face with a pretty voice, they want to sing along. Netta doesn’t care about those things, she’d take a song and mix the hell… Read more »
Netta was saved once during the finale. Riky sang “Proud Mary” and Netta sang her own version of “Ktzat Meshuga’at”. that was the only time Netta lost to another contender In HaKokhav Haba and In Eurovision itself.
By the way, In ideal world, Her interpretation of “Ktzat meshuga’at” (a little bit crazy) would’ve won a Grammy , it’s just that Israelis lack any sophistication in music.
I agree! That version blew my mind, it’s one of my favorite performances of her. Like her interpretation of What Is Love, she bought meaning to the words she sang. It wasn’t just a cover, it was a whole new song; she screamed with the lyrics, drummed with her voice, made it sound soothing, powerful (and a little bit crazy) all at once. When judges in reality shows say “you’ve made that song yours” they say it to singers that add a little twist to how the song is being sang. Netta doesn’t add little twists, she makes a whole… Read more »
For months I’ve tried to figure out the genre she transformed the song into, and I got to the conclusion that her version is an Electronic-Jazz-Rock-Grunge version of the original (Mizrakhi-Pop). What I like about this performance that she’s not singing – she’s getting into the character. she sings about being crazy and not caring about it and it’s exactly what we felt on stage. she’s not a singer, she’s an artist. When all Israelis want to listen to is Electro-Pop or Mizrakhi music, no wonder they didn’t like it. We were such a musical empire in the 90’s and… Read more »
Yeah, a total artist. I have trouble picking a favorite part from that performance, but that bit of her singing “I know everybody thinks I’m a little bit jdfggdsdfgs” is so cleverly hilarious. She admits she’s crazy by removing the word and turning it to nonsense by the end of the song. It’s amazing how much thought was put into that interpretation of the lyrics. She’s truly one of a kind. I share your opinion about Israeli music. I don’t think Netta’s career has a future here, Israel just isn’t the right crowd for her type of music (though I’d… Read more »
She was saved twice. Once when she lost to Riky Ben Ari “Proud Mary”- see here. https://www.mako.co.il/tv-the-next-star/video?subChannelId=337072418a1c0610VgnVCM2000002a0c10acRCRD&vcmid=1d87d2226a2c0610VgnVCM2000002a0c10acRCRD The 2nd time was when people chose Mergi and he won the voices of the people. No one else was saved.. It’s a lot of saving…
No one else was saved? I just checked the wiki page. Mergui was put up for elimination twice. Ricky also lost two duels. Both were saved and continued to finals.
It was NOT the same. Netta was already eliminated after Riky’s cover to “Proud Mary” . The judges used their special power (only once) and brought her back. NO ONE was saved that way. Mergi was the winner by the people in the final result.
She wasn’t eliminated. Those that lost their duels in the finale had a chance to come back. Netta and Hen lost to Ricky and Mergui, judges chose to bring back Netta. I don’t see a problem with it since her competition was put up for elimination twice before.
You forgot to mention that there will be a preselction for the winner this time, with the audience choosing the song, unlike last time when there was an internal selection.
Not sure thst happen. Acordig what i hard kan dident decied if thsy what wip be or the song wil choden interly and the the speicel show wil be to revile thr song
I mean, if it ain’t broke…