Dana International Diva Eurovision 1998 Israel

Social media was abuzz with #EurovisionAgain on Saturday, as Eurovision fans settled in for an evening rewatching yet another song contest from the vaults. This time, it was the turn of Eurovision 1998.

And for the first time in three weeks, viewers decided to stick with the existing winner — Israel’s Dana International with “Diva”.

Scroll down to watch Eurovision 1998

Dana International wins #EurovisionAgain 1998

Listed below are the results for #EurovisionAgain 1998. The rankings are based on the votes of those who decided to vote for their favourites while rewatching the Eurovision 1998 grand final on Saturday 9 May.

In brackets, we’ve included the differences between the new fan vote and the original result from 22 years ago.

And there wasn’t much change! Several acts stayed in the same position while many only rose or fell a handful of places.

The biggest climber was France, up 11 spots compared to its original placing in Birmingham. The biggest losers were Turkey and Spain who both fell six places.

#EurovisionAgain 1998 results

  1. Israel: Dana International “Diva” (=)
  2. United Kingdom Imaani “Where Are You?” (=)
  3. Netherlands: Edsilia “Hemel en aarde” (+1)
  4. Germany: Guildo Horn “Guildo hat euch lieb!” (+3)
  5. Malta: Chiara “The One That I Love” (-2)
  6. Norway: Lars Fredriksen “Alltid sommer” (+2)
  7. Croatia: Danijela “Neka mi ne svane” (-2)
  8. Cyprus: Michael Hajiyanni “Genesis” (+3)
  9. Ireland: Dawn Martin “Is Always Over Now?” (=)
  10. Belgium: Mélanie Cohl “Dis oui” (-4)
  11. Sweden: Jill Johnson “Kärleken är” (-1)
  12. Portugal: Alma Lusa “Se eu te pudesse abraçar” (=)
  13. France Marie Line “Où taller” (+11)
  14. Estonia: Koit Toome “Mere lapsed” (-2)
  15. Poland: Sixteen “To takie proste” (+2)
  16. Finland: Edea “Aava” (+1)
  17. Slovakia: Katarína Hasprová “Modlitba” (+4)
  18. Romania: Mălina Olinescu “Eu cred” (+4)
  19. Switzerland: Gunvor “Lass ihn” (+6)
  20. Turkey: Tüzmen “Unutamazsın” (-6)
  21.  Greece: Thalassa “Mia Krifi Evesthisia” (-1)
  22. Spain Mikel Herzog “¿Qué voy a hacer sin ti?” (-6)
  23. Slovenia: Vili Resnik “Naj bogovi slišijo” (-4)
  24. FYR Macedonia: Vlado Janevski “Ne zori, zoro” (-5)
  25. Hungary: Charlie “A holnap már nem lesz szomorú” (-2)

https://twitter.com/EurovisionAgain/status/1259403654429319169/photo/1

Watch Eurovision 1998 online

#EurovisionAgain 1998 may be over but the Eurovision 1998 grand final remains online… for now. You can watch the full show on the official Eurovision YouTube channel.

However, it is only available for an unspecified “limited time”.

But why? Before 2004, the copyright for each show belonged to the respective broadcasters. In the case of 1998, that’s Britain’s BBC. For now, the UK network has opted to make the show available only temporarily.

From 2004, the rules changed with the EBU taking over ownership of the rights. Hence, the uploads of contests from 2004 onwards have remained online.

Due to Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light taking place next Saturday, #EurovisionAgain will return on Sunday 17 May at 21:00 CEST.

What is #EurovisionAgain

For the past several weeks, since the COVID-19 pandemic first took hold, the Eurovision Again team has been organising mass rewatchings of classic contests on Saturday evenings. The EBU soon came on board and began publishing previously unavailable entire show uploads on its YouTube channel.

As well as organising rewatches, the Eurovision Again team has also added a fundraising element for various LGBTQ+ charities. Details can be found here.

What do you think? Did Dana deserve to win yet again? Has “Diva” aged better than the rest? Let us know in the comments.

Follow all of our Israel Eurovision news.

32 Comments
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Naomi Stone
Naomi Stone
3 years ago

It doesn’t matter, but in the eurovision fandom there will always be those who will find something nasty to say about the winners (regardless the year). How can anyone dispute Dana International’s win? Was she the best singer? Of course no. Was she the best dancer? Of course no. Were there other great songs in ESC 1998? Of course yes. But all of the above doesn’t matter! This win started a movement. I think it is the most important win in the eurovision history. Not based on its quality (although it is my personal winner from that year), but based… Read more »

gilpgilp
gilpgilp
3 years ago
Reply to  Naomi Stone

Well put.

JDS
JDS
3 years ago
Reply to  Naomi Stone

It does worry me slightly how it seems anyone who makes a less than positive comment on Dana International in various fora for various reasons (not the best singer, not the best song, didn’t deserve to won etc, but not linked to her transition), gets accusations from others of being nasty and transphobic. Just because someone thinks other songs and singers were more deserving of the win doesn’t mean they’re being transphobic.

JDS
JDS
3 years ago
Reply to  JDS

Of course, I wasn’t suggesting she was. My point is though, following the upload of the 1998 there’s a lot of contemporary reviews of ’98 going around. A lot of people seem to be job the view Dana International was the best singer in ’98, `Diva was the best song in ’98 etc. and anyone who disagreed was branded nasty, transphobic etc. Just because Dana International is MtF, should not make her immune from any criticism. She most definitely was not the best singer in ’98.

Alex
Alex
3 years ago

I really enjoy Diva as a song. Enjoyable tune. And Dana clearly gave the winning performance. (only that walk on was screaming winner)
Sometimes you watch a performance and you just feel that winning vibe

HarpyDarper
HarpyDarper
3 years ago
Reply to  Alex

That walk on is shown via these transition effects. The Greek director complained that he couldn’t have a similar effect for their entry, and felt Dana was given favouritism. I can see his point.

Carlos
Carlos
3 years ago

If we are gonna do 1999 and Croatia doesn’t bag it I will die!

Roy Moreno
Roy Moreno
3 years ago

I’ve just watched it and, not biased, Dana was simply the best that year
I would, however, put The Netherlands probably at second and definitely taking Romania higher
Others were good as well, such as Croatia, Malta and UK
These were my favourites for sure

PP77
PP77
3 years ago

For me that year deserve to won UK or The Netherlands.
UK lost that thanks to Ireland, Germany and Slovakia thank to 1 point from all 3.
Israel, Belgium, Malta, Turkey was overrated that year.
Switzerland (one of most underrated Zero points) ,Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Finland, France underrated that year.
My TOP 3 that year was also now
1.United Kingdom
2.The Netherlands
3.Croatia
also like Romania, Ireland, Germany ,Sweden, Cyprus, Slovenia, Slovakia , Switzerland, France, Estonia

Milan
Milan
3 years ago
Reply to  PP77

Agree with practically everything!

PP77
PP77
3 years ago
Reply to  PP77

Mistake Ireland gave 5 points to UK. With 12 from Ireland UK would had one poit more than Israel-

Marc
Marc
3 years ago
Reply to  PP77

Israel gave 12 to UK
UK gave 5 to Israel
4 countries voted with juries (2 of them) gave 12 tp UK. With pure televote, Israel won that fair and square

Bella
Bella
3 years ago

Where can I find the list of all EurovisionAgain results? Like, for all years, not just 1998. I think I read that Loic Nottet won 2015 and Dami Im 2016, but not sure about the rest.

kohen
kohen
3 years ago
Reply to  Bella

Ukraine won the 2007 edition
The UK won 1997
Norway won 2009
Australia won 2016
Sweden won 2015
thats all I remember

Patrick
Patrick
3 years ago

Thank you for given Gunvor a better place!

1TruSeer
1TruSeer
3 years ago

Wonder who owns 1999 now that IBA no longer exists? Did Kan inherit it? As far as I’m aware Kan isn’t the legal successor to IBA in the way that UA:PBC is to NTU, or HRT is to RTV Zagreb etc. IBA actually closed and ceased existing, and Kan was created later, separately as a replacement. Not sure it would therefore inherit IBA’s copyright.

Joe
Joe
3 years ago

Israel deserved it, but my pick for the best song of the night was, is, and always will be the Netherlands’ Edsilia with “Hemel en aarde.” Close to the best song the Dutch have ever sent (now there’s “Calm After the Storm” and “Arcade” to challenge it), but man does it hold up, and it was one of the last really triumphant moments of the orchestra, ’98 has a bunch of very good songs, including a very strong top ten and a few underrated gems outside of it (Romania and Slovakia in particular), but sadly also a lot of very… Read more »

JDS
JDS
3 years ago

I’m just going to repeat here what i wrote on YouTube: Held on 9/May 1998, so exactly 22 years ago tonight! As expected a top-notch job done by the BBC, with quite a few new things introduced that stay with the contest to this day, i.e., the name of the performing country in the bottom left hand corner, a more dynamic scoreboard which did more tricks. One new gimmick which didn’t last was the presenter of the previous year appearing on screen to wish the current hosts good luck. I do recall being a little disappointed with the stage design… Read more »

HarpyDarper
HarpyDarper
3 years ago
Reply to  JDS

The stage was designed by Andrew Howe-Davies, who was involved with shows like Mr. Bean, Vicar of Dibley and designed the famously ugly Parochial House from Father Ted. He also designed the (deliberately) tacky Eurosong stage from the MLH episode. A few tiny similerities with his actually stage!

The NIA is an arena, though Wigan mentions there’s a crowd of 4000. Seems more than that!

JDS
JDS
3 years ago
Reply to  HarpyDarper

True, though 4,000 (though I agree it looks like more as well) is still a long way from the 16,000 in the Globen that night two years later.

Does anyone know why so effort was paid to the logo? They literally took the EBU logo, added a star and a weird mix of large and small cap letters with the host city and year. So lazy. Something similar happened the following year with the 1999 logo, just a derivative of the EBU logo.

AndersP
AndersP
3 years ago
Reply to  JDS

No social media, no YouTube, very basic internet and websites, no contest CD, no real need for a logo other than for a few seconds on TV.

JDS
JDS
3 years ago
Reply to  AndersP

Fair enough, but the previous contests and host broadcasters didn’t seem to mind this when they created original logos.

HarpyDarper
HarpyDarper
3 years ago
Reply to  JDS

I’ve read that Cardiff was considered as a host city, but it’s arena (now called the Motorpoint) would have been too small even then. It’s in an awkward location too (opposite a big Toys R Us in 1998!). I’m Welsh and would love to see us host a contest, but we don’t have the venue

JDS
JDS
3 years ago
Reply to  HarpyDarper

I seem to recall on the night of the UK win in ’97 that Manchester was announced as the most likely host city in ’98.

Paul
Paul
3 years ago

Cyprus 98 is still one of my favourites of all time!

Idan Cohen
Idan Cohen
3 years ago

OK, a perfect time to correct a misconception

In the corus, she says “Diva Nari’a” , not “Diva Maria”. “Nari’a” means “Let’s applaud/hail”

Diva – Nari’a
Diva Victoria
Cleopatra

In the released English version, it is Maria. in the winning performance – Nari’a.

(I will go and listen to “Maria Maria” by Santana now. good ol’ times)

Idan Cohen
Idan Cohen
3 years ago
Reply to  Idan Cohen

Fun fact – the writer and the composer of the song is Tzvika Peek.
His daughter is married to Tarantino and they have a son.

Roy Moreno
Roy Moreno
3 years ago
Reply to  Idan Cohen

Pretty sure she says Viva Nari’a, Viva Victoria

Idan Cohen
Idan Cohen
3 years ago
Reply to  Roy Moreno

Haha ouch.
My point is still valid – it’s not Maria.

HarpyDarper
HarpyDarper
3 years ago

1998 is perhaps my biggest favorite. I know it probably looks too dated for most but that’s one reason I love it! Whist I don’t remember this from the time (I was 8) the whole thing really reflects what Britain was like in the 1990s, especially the postcard music, which features many of many favorites (Supergrass, Pulp, Suede, Beautiful South etc.). That it took place in the same place as Gladiators (my best show as a kid) is a happy bonus! Of course the song quality is excellent, with Slovakia being my underrated choice. Netherlands should have won thought. Imaani… Read more »

Richard
Richard
3 years ago

Guildo Horn was my winner again last night, never before or since have we seen anyone give such a seemingly spontaneous performance, it was a riot and very funny. Dana deserved her victory but there were plenty of other contenders; Chiara was charming, Imaani very polished, Melanie very sweet, Jill cool and gorgeous.

Conor K
Conor K
3 years ago

My winner Hungary coming last is no surprise. It’s a lovely song but the blues style was not popular in Eurovision back then and that is the same now.