After a marathon selection that resulted in him being crowned Israel’s Next Star Kobi Marimi has been going full pelt. And this evening KAN, the Israeli broadcaster, revealed that Mr Marimi will sing “Home” at the next Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv. It’s rather fitting for the singer from the host nation, isn’t it?

“Home” was written and composed by Ohad Shragai and Inbar Vaizman, and it’s described as “a touching ballad that will be perfect for Kobi’s powerful voice.”

As we saw on The Next Star, Kobi has absolutely aced this style of song from day one. His audition, a remake of Beyonce’s “Sweet Dream”, gathered national headlines and endeared him to millions.

Speaking of his song, Kobi said: “When I first heard the song I was very moved by it, and I immediately connected to it. Thank you to the committee for choosing a song that fits me perfectly.”

The host country’s song was selected from around 200 submissions, which is reported to be around 30% more than in previous years. Marimi recorded several of the favoured choices, so that a six-member judging team could determine which was best suited for his vocals and style. Precision! 

KAN has not revealed further details, but since the title is in English, one can guess that “Home” will include English — fully or partially — as Israel’s past entries have. During his time on The Next Star, Kobi only performed songs in English.

“Home” will be presented to the public in March 10th, and as the host entry, will be performed in the Grand Final on May 18th.

What do you think? Do you feel the host country’s chances are looking up? What do you think “Home” will be like? Let us know in the comments below!

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AngieP
AngieP
5 years ago

Another ballad…I think ballads are more and more…

Owl
Owl
5 years ago

Hi Pablo :V

yom124
yom124
5 years ago

As long as Israel can avoid coming last in the Final I think its a win for them given how some other hosts have done

Maya
Maya
5 years ago

Keren Peles wrote a song for Kobi that apparently was not picked. I think that this perfect song of her can work for Kobi – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4g9mJjJ9WU0

Matthew
Matthew
5 years ago

Yeah I really want there to be some Hebrew in this, I also really need some of the songs from internal selections to start dropping, I can’t wait much longer!

La Signora
La Signora
5 years ago

Come on, I want something between Milim and Hasheket Shenishar. I pretend some Hebrew in it and it has to be wow even if simple

jessica
jessica
5 years ago

hoping this can be as great as milim (one of my favorite eurovision songs ever) or even better. let’s go israel!

Idan Cohen
Idan Cohen
5 years ago

Unfortunately, when it comes to my country, Eurovision ballads can be hit or miss. We know how to write ballads, just listen to ‘adayin rek’ by Nathan Goshen or ‘kol hatziporim’ by harel skaat . But when it comes to Eurovision? Israelis lose their mind and try to compose the cheesiest songs. Made of stars is a good example – it’s trying to ‘hit’ the Eurovision style rather than going back to basics. It can be a hit, it can be a miss. I do know the Israeli delegation has become much more competitive as years go by. This is… Read more »

zeev
zeev
5 years ago
Reply to  Idan Cohen

this year the public went somting more Traditional and relaxed.

MrBrightside
MrBrightside
5 years ago
Reply to  Idan Cohen

Hey, ‘Made of stars’ was a really nice entry!

Idan Cohen
Idan Cohen
5 years ago
Reply to  MrBrightside

It’s a nice ballad. But we’re not interested in nice things. We’re interested in wow things.

La Signora
La Signora
5 years ago
Reply to  Idan Cohen

That’s why I love Israel

zeev
zeev
5 years ago

we have to whit and see. i think Israel this year want to send diffrant thing than toy
Because we are the hosts, they wanted to match the song to an audience that also does not see every day the eurovision, in our country to love the event. Therefore, “Kobi” was chosen in my opinion and not in any other singer, and by a large majority.

Frisian esc
Frisian esc
5 years ago

I don’t know why everybody is acting so pissed off right now. I mean you all followed the next star right? Then you guys knew already that kobi mostly sings ballads and wouldn’t do anything uptempo so why the big fuzz about him singing an “emotional ballad”? We all knew he would. That doesn’t mean it will necessarily be boring, we’ve had lots of amazing emotional ballads like molitva, nije ljubav stvar, when the music dies, quedate conmigo et cetera

Sal
Sal
5 years ago

It’s gonna be a boring English-language ballad!
Why Israel, why??? We could have had soeneone else singing a Mizrachi pop song or at least Ketreyah singing a ballad in Hebrew :/

Katariina
Katariina
5 years ago

“Home” sounds like it may have some nationalist undertones…hope not.

Sal
Sal
5 years ago
Reply to  Katariina

What like Malta 2014?
Yeah…

Pancake
Pancake
5 years ago

That better be a Freddie Mercury like ballad!

Loin dici
5 years ago

It’s March 10, isn’t it? 17 days to go, I’ll wait.

srulik
srulik
5 years ago

We couldn’t expect anything but a ballad once kobi won the next star. I hope it is a grand ballad with a bit of opera notes to suit his voice. While I’m not a kobi fan, i don’t get those who slam this choice but praise the rumors of a grand ballad for sergey lazerev…..

Gurl
Gurl
5 years ago

Fans are ridiculous with this irrational fear of ballads, seriously if you wanna dance just go to the club.

avner
avner
5 years ago

Worry not – this is not going to be a “same old” ballad. This is a song by
Ohad Shragai who co-wrote Home for Kobi:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4zoH44CbDQ

An American ESC Fan
An American ESC Fan
5 years ago

I hope they add some Hebrew in there, I love Israel’s past Hebrew ballads <3

Idan Cohen
Idan Cohen
5 years ago

Don’t hold your breath on this.
I don’t think Israel will ever send a Hebrew ballad again, considering the ‘success’ of the previous ones.

Jusice for milim.

Gurl
Gurl
5 years ago
Reply to  Idan Cohen

“Milim” is amazing, one of my favourite entries ever

poe-tay-toe-chips
poe-tay-toe-chips
5 years ago

http://micetimes.asia/verka-serduchka-will-perform-at-the-eurovision-song-contest-in-2019-in-israel/

idk where to put this but did you guys hear about verka performing as a guest?

Tasha
Tasha
5 years ago

Danylko himself confirmed it, he said “they invited us and we agreed”
so Verka Serduchka will perform as a guest star in Tel Aviv

Joe
Joe
5 years ago
Reply to  Tasha

Works for me! The more Verka, the merrier.

avner
avner
5 years ago
Reply to  Joe

I find it hard to imagine they will give him a prime spot – what is the connection to IL? I can def see him as part of the Euro village celebrations…

Matthew
Matthew
5 years ago
Reply to  avner

It’s likely to maybe me a cameo appearance or something, nothing major, she might be part of a skit.

LawStudent
LawStudent
5 years ago

Within a month Israel dropped from the 10th place to the 30th in the odds. The bookies are certainly not feeling the Kobi vibes — and they have good reasons to worry. It smells like another “Made of Stars” year, or worse.

Gili
Gili
5 years ago
Reply to  LawStudent

Are you serious???(: Once they will hear kobi and his song trust me he will jump very fast to top 5

TLV
TLV
5 years ago
Reply to  LawStudent

How ridiculous is to predict the placing of a song that wasn’t heard yet by no one. Mind you and the bookies Israel can’t finish any lower than 26!

Roy Moreno
Roy Moreno
5 years ago
Reply to  LawStudent

I’m not feeling it either, Kobi is a bit exaggerating with his voice
We’ll have to wait for the song to judge it completely but I’m not feeling it so far
Definitely not top 5 as Gili thinks… But obviously not 30th as it’s simply impossible xD

Gili
Gili
5 years ago
Reply to  Roy Moreno

Will see about the top 5….

Jo.
Jo.
5 years ago

Norway 2010 vibezz

Gili
Gili
5 years ago
Reply to  Jo.

It’s Israel 2019 vibes…and it’s a winner vibe, this is the amazing Kobi vibes

Gili
Gili
5 years ago
Reply to  Jo.

The singer of this song is embarrassing comparison to kobi, you can might compare kobi to Freddie Mercury but not to this singer, we are talking different levels here ..I guess you didn’t understand yet which is kobi….it will come, no worries(:

Roy Moreno
Roy Moreno
5 years ago
Reply to  Gili

Please chill, you’re over supporting kobi like Spanish fans supported their entries every year…
Kobi is not a winner xDDD
And he definitely doesn’t sound like Freddie Mercury…
I’ll just wait for the 18th of May to see your reaction to Kobi’s placing at Eurovision 🙂

Gili
Gili
5 years ago
Reply to  Roy Moreno

Don’t tell me what to do…I support kobi because I think, and not only myself, that he is amazing …you are loser that’s why you think he will not finish high…kobi unlike you is a winner

Thomas
Thomas
5 years ago

I wish Host nations would take more risks. Since 2015 most hosts have been really safe. Austria with a rather chill ballad with blues undertones. 2017 was a risk for Ukraine but they didn’t choose a real vote grabber, Tayanna would have played to Strengths where as Melovin would have been a risk too, 2018 was a chill electronic ballad sung beautifully. Sadly passed on in the final. But a majority are pretty safe, with Sweden being the recent exception. Israel is following the ballad route, if its a Hovi ballad it will be favored by juries at least.

Gili
Gili
5 years ago
Reply to  Thomas

Kobi it’s totally not safe just because of who he is…he is everything but the usual singer…and when he sings a ballad it’s not something you have seen before..I suggest to wait…kobi is routing for a win, not less

Esc1234
Esc1234
5 years ago

With so many ballads, Tamta Will stand out. People will be very bored with all those experimental-sleepy sounds

bungaseroja
bungaseroja
5 years ago

Isreali broadcaster be like “what is the exact opposite of last year? Ballad”

Skiwalko
Skiwalko
5 years ago

I think we cannot draw conclusions based just on the term “touching ballad”. Of course it can be a very typical one, but maybe KAN will surprise us – there’s just so many possibilties, that I would rather wait till May 10th.

Gili
Gili
5 years ago
Reply to  Skiwalko

Opposite personality they chose but both netta and kobi are something you just don’t see every day…you gonna be surprised…

Jake
Jake
5 years ago

Title sounds cliché and cheesy, but I’ve got faith that it will be more interesting.

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
5 years ago

zzz…. i hate it when the host country plays it safe, but i guess this guy couldn’t sing a different type of song. i miss shefita

Gili
Gili
5 years ago

Selecting Kobi it’s not playing safe..he is unique artist you don’t see every day…it is playing for the win again because kobi is one of a kind, no jokes here

Joe
Joe
5 years ago

I figured it’d be a ballad. Dude can sing, so I’m very interested.

Yuvaly
Yuvaly
5 years ago

Oh god, this doesn’t sound good. 🙁

Gili
Gili
5 years ago
Reply to  Yuvaly

Sounds excellent(:

poe-tay-toe-chips
poe-tay-toe-chips
5 years ago

Hmmm…I’m thinking right-hand side unfortunately…

poe-tay-toe-chips
poe-tay-toe-chips
5 years ago

It’d be the third year in a row that that happens to the host nation…

Gili
Gili
5 years ago

No dude, this is King kobi marimi and he comes to win again…we are talking about real super star here…wait and see

Jingo
Jingo
5 years ago

A touching ballad= A boring ballad with high notes

Gili
Gili
5 years ago
Reply to  Jingo

This is kobi marimi, it can’t be boring…..soon everybody will understand what an amazing talent is coming to eurovision this year…one of a kind. Super star not just a star…

Frisian esc
Frisian esc
5 years ago
Reply to  Jingo

There are lots of great ballads, you just need to avoid that the lyrics become too cheesy and stuff like that.