There are just 60 days left before the Eurovision 2019 shows kick off and Israeli broadcaster KAN remains tight-lipped about much of the  contest — especially when it comes to the interval acts for all three shows.

Last week we published details that Madonna might not perform owing to creative differences about her “controversial” song choice. But no details have emerged since then.

Putting the Material Girl to the side, it seems that Israel has plenty of other big plans. According to reports in Israeli media, all of Israel’s former Eurovision winners are set to take part in Tel Aviv. It’s not clear whether this will happen during the Semi-Finals, Grand Final or both. It’s also uncertain when in the show they will perform. It’s heavily rumoured that Dana International will open the Grand Final on 18 May.

It’s led the media to openly speculate whether this buffet of winners will happen on top of Madonna’s appearance or whether it’s to fill the gap created by Madonna’s potential withdrawal.

Israel’s Eurovision winners

For those of you who aren’t familiar with Israel’s winning history in the contest, here’s a rundown.

  • Izhar Cohen represented Israel in Paris in 1978 and brought home its first trophy only six years after Israel debuted in the contest.
  • Israel hosted the song contest in Jerusalem a year later and won again with Milk & Honey and Gali Atari, who still has a very active career.
  • Twenty years later in 1998, it was the unforgettable “Diva” Dana International who brought Israel its third victory in Birmingham.
  • Last but not least was Netta, who blew off the roof in the Altice Arena to bring Eurovision to the holy land after another twenty years.

Do you want to see this medley of Eurovision winners? Or would you rather just have Madonna? Let us know down below. 

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AngieP
AngieP
4 years ago

Great news!Watch all winners perform!
I’m really looking forward to the older ones, Izhar Cohen and Milk & Honey and Gali Atari.

julie fleat
julie fleat
4 years ago

If Madonna did not preform at the Grand Finals, I think that it would be a great shame for the show and performer’s. Madonna should be aloud to sing what she wants as it’s only ever done to make people think ?. Give her a chance.

Natalie
Natalie
4 years ago

I wish they could do something to honor Ofra Haza. A beautiful voice and soul gone too soon

Jonas
Jonas
4 years ago
Reply to  Natalie

I agree, especially as it is in her hometown for the first time.

It's me
It's me
4 years ago

You guys remember Isaura from last year’s Portugal? A bit off topic, but I found her new song, and it’s AWESOME! What do you think? Here’s the link https://youtu.be/1y86Arl69ig

beccaboo1212
4 years ago

I found out on Wikipedia that Madonna currently lives in Portugal. If she’s not the interval act at Eurovision, maybe she can watch it on Portuguese TV. Vamos descobrir! 🙂 (Portuguese for ‘Let’s find out’)

Sandrine
Sandrine
4 years ago

That would be historic! I am for it and can’t wait until May 2019. Israel will create a great show to remember!!

Darren
Darren
4 years ago

Im more excited about this than Madonna if I’m honest, simply because they are actually Israeli, showcasing the music of the host country AND part of Israeli Eurovision history.
Dana better sing Diva.
I know he didn’t win, but I also want to see Imri Ziv and Nadav make some kind of appearance.

La Signora
La Signora
4 years ago

Dana MUST be part of the show

Joe
Joe
4 years ago

All good stuff, even if we already knew Dana International and, of course, Netta would be returning.

So many good Israeli acts over the years. If only they brought back Datner and Kushnir. Now THERE’S an Israeli act to remember. I imagine most of them will at least be present to varying degrees (I get the feeling that Kaveret and Shlomo Artzi might pass). Tragic shame that Israel’s very best, Ofra Haza, won’t be around to celebrate. What a legend.

Joe
Joe
4 years ago
Reply to  Joe

Also, does anyone else like “Ole Ole” better than “A-Ba-Ni-Bi”? Can’t just be me.

Raoul
Raoul
4 years ago
Reply to  Joe

Me 😉

Jonas
Jonas
4 years ago
Reply to  Joe

Me too! It’s from the man who wrote Hallelujah, so how could it be bad?

Roy Moreno
Roy Moreno
4 years ago
Reply to  Joe

Maybe they could do something like Vienna 2015?
Showcasing Udo on screen, then same with Ofra or even better – a hologram!

Maya G
Maya G
4 years ago
Reply to  Joe

I bet Yardena Arazi, Daphna Dekel, Duo Datz (they’re still in good terms and perform together occasionally) and Ilanit will hang there, they’re all still musically active and ESC is a huge landmark in their careers. I’m sure they’ll perform at the Eurovillage. I wouldn’t rule out a ‘Chocolate, Menta, Mastik’ either.
Harel Skaat and Shiri Maimon will probably be there too. Shlomo Arzi and Kaveret are indeed too big to be bothered, Rita too probably.
And I’m sure they’ll include Nadav and “let me show you Tel Aviv” in some form.

Joe
Joe
4 years ago
Reply to  Maya G

I’d also put money on Liora, our hosting trio from 1999 (I know Yigal and Daphna are still pretty active) and the last handful of contestants (I don’t think anyone from 2013-2017 is too big to turn down that invitation). And hey, we’re all forgetting the best one: PingPong!

Rita’s case is so funny, ‘cuz she became a huge name in Israeli music…and she barely cracked the top twenty in 1990. (Shame, too. It was good.)

Maya G
Maya G
4 years ago
Reply to  Joe

Yeah, Liora will likely be there. Moran, Mei, Imri and Hovi too. I don’t see PingPong reuniting, though. But almost every time I walk around the center of Tel Aviv for over than 30 minutes I happen to see Chicky from PingPong, for some strange reason. So Keep your eyes peeled for him. The hosting trio from 1999 are all active to some degree. Daphna mostly in musical theater, Sigal hosts a morning talk show about girly things and Yigal has a radio show. They recently reunited in the 1979 and 1999 venue for a news segment on the hosts… Read more »

Joe
Joe
4 years ago
Reply to  Maya G

So, the only ones to rule out totally are:
Kaveret (broke up, too big anyway)
Shlomo Artzi (too big)
Hakol Over Habibi (at least all together)
Ofra Haza (RIP)
Gili and Galit (unless they’re still around I had no idea)
Rita (too big)
Shiru Group (again, at least all together)
PingPong (lord have mercy)
I feel like the rest’ll be there to some degree. Heck, if I run into Sarai Tzuriel, I can tell her how much I appreciated Shalom Sesame as a kid!

keith mawson
keith mawson
4 years ago
Reply to  Maya G

Loved Hovi Star, hope they include him.

TheDrMistery
TheDrMistery
4 years ago

1978-1973=5 years, not 6.

I hope that all members of Milk and Honey will get to perform and not only Gali Atari. That would be a slap in the face, given that they were also forgotten in 1999 with spotlight on her when she was the one to leave the group in the first place.

Joe
Joe
4 years ago
Reply to  TheDrMistery

Milk and Honey were kinda slapped together for the sake of Eurovision. They didn’t really have any kind of lasting career outside of that, although they did try in the Israeli national finals a few times (with Lea Lupatim filling in for Gali when necessary). Gali, on the other hand, is legit and has a career of her own.

Now, if they reunite Duo Datz? THAT I’d be impressed with. Heck, “Kan” is the name of Israel’s broadcaster now. It just makes sense!

Maya G
Maya G
4 years ago
Reply to  Joe

It’s true that Milk and Honey were slapped together for Eurovision. The Song was originally intended for Habibi (Israel 1981) who submitted it for the 1978 National Final, but they were rejected. in 1979 they weren’t interested anymore so their manager put together a similar group. The lead singer was Yardena Arazi, but when she was offered the ESC hosting gig she withdrew and was replaced by Gali Atari. The group did have a few good years and some of their hits are still well known and occasionally played on the Radio in Israel (e.g. this one – https://youtu.be/8DSk7pOBiaA), even… Read more »

Jonas
Jonas
4 years ago
Reply to  Maya G

Well, that’s certainly interesting, but a little one-sided. From I’ve read (on WikiPedia probably), Gali Atari was the one treated unfairly. She was not paid what she was owed, contracts were reneged on, she was replaced by another singer who then got the credit for Gali’s vocals – so perhaps she has good reason for bad feeling. Not to mention that she sued them, so of course any woman who stands her ground and fights for what’s rightfully due to her is labelled a difficult b*itch. If she was really such a terrible person, she would not have been able… Read more »

TheDrMistery
TheDrMistery
4 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

From what I read Atari left the group before their debut album was released, essentially preventing the guys from international breakthrough they could have achieved with “Goodbye, New York”. She was the only one present in 1999 so I believe this theory of her stating “it’s me or them” which isn’t fair because no matter what they won together.

Joe
Joe
4 years ago
Reply to  TheDrMistery

The thing is, Gali had a career before Eurovision (she even competed in the Israeli NF the year before), so she probably just didn’t want to get permanently placed into a group when she was happier solo.

Maya G
Maya G
4 years ago
Reply to  Joe

Well, she went and joined a musical group despite having a career as a soloist, and they won as a group. Elisabeth Andreassen still joins Hanne Krog for ESC related events and it takes nothing from her success as a solo artist, I think hogging the spotlight at the expense of others is unkind.
This is the interview with the Milk & Honey men about Gali Atari’s refusal to perform with them. Unhappy as they are, the person who seems most devastated by it is the host >> https://youtu.be/0AeU6EfzIzQ

Maya G
Maya G
4 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

I don’t know her personally so I haven’t a clue what she’s really like, I only know what I’ve read in newspapers and saw on TV. I don’t think anyone has a problem with her standing her ground, at least I never heard anyone refer to her as a difficult B regarding her legal battles with her former mangers. However, if she is indeed consistently blocking her former partners (who, as far as I know, weren’t involved in the financial mistreatment she endured) from enjoying the fruits of their Eurovision victory, then I would agree that it’s mean and spiteful… Read more »

Roy Moreno
Roy Moreno
4 years ago
Reply to  TheDrMistery

1978 was Israel’s 6th year in the contest, they probably meant that

Izzy
Izzy
4 years ago
Reply to  Roy Moreno

Exactly:)

Nicolas
Nicolas
4 years ago

Get rid of endless boring interval acts. Instead the songs of the contest should go until 3min30s for a more enjoyable listening cause 3 min is too short and hurts many songs.

Nicky91
Nicky91
4 years ago
Reply to  Nicolas

i like interval acts, it adds to the overall show quality

3 min for a song is decent, honestly we also had some songs which took less than 3 min recently, portugal last year for example only took 2min30s

TheDrMistery
TheDrMistery
4 years ago
Reply to  Nicky91

I felt like that performance was 6 minutes long.

Nicolas
Nicolas
4 years ago
Reply to  Nicky91

That’s why they finished dead last. Nobody remembered it, was too short.

Frisian esc
4 years ago
Reply to  Nicolas

Interval acts are needed for the televote. If you lengthen the songs to 3:30 the interval act gap would still exist.

Darren
Darren
4 years ago
Reply to  Nicolas

I like interval acts, it gives us an insight into the music, heritage and culture of the host country.

Which is what hosting ESC should be about.

Kim
Kim
4 years ago

I hope they perform their winning songs and not new material.

Roy Moreno
Roy Moreno
4 years ago

Yaaasss
Eurovision winners should always be appreciated in Eurovision!
They all deserve to perform again!

Nicky91
Nicky91
4 years ago

YASSSSSSSS Fab News, has been on my wishlist if israel hosted eurovision again, i wanted dana international as interval act

esc stan
esc stan
4 years ago

This is great news! This is what people wanted, not some washed up american star stealing the show

Nicky91
Nicky91
4 years ago
Reply to  esc stan

and Shalva Band for semi final, is also a good vocal group as interval act, heard a song from them recently, when i googled them but they are quite good 🙂