This year, Israel delivered the Eurovision hype early in the season when Israeli broadcaster KAN confirmed that Eden Alene will return to represent Israel in Rotterdam 2021. But things are moving along and the broadcaster has now opened applications for Eden’s song — and we should know the 16 shortlisted songs as early as November.

In July, local media reported that KAN will be using a 16-song national final to select Eden’s song for Rotterdam. And now the broadcaster is at the stage of selecting that shortlist of 16 songs.

KAN opens submissions for Israel’s Eurovision 2021 selection

In the early hours of Wednesday morning, KAN launched the official open call for song entries. The site now has legal documents, terms of entry and the link to the song submission form. Interested songwriters may send their song to the committee between 16 September and 5 October at 11:00 am, Israel time.

According to Israel Eurovision website Euromix, the contest regulations allow non-Israeli songwriters to apply. A change from previous years, the songwriters do not have to be Israeli nor members of the Society of Authors, Composers and Music Publishers in Israel (ACUM). However, if a non-ACUM writer does get a song into the 16-song competition, they would have to become a member.

But there’s an unusual limit — each songwriter may only submit one song to the selection. However, the song can be in any language (so pentalingual songs are still welcome).

Song selection to start November, final in February

Euromix also reported some dates for the upcoming national final. The Israeli selection might end up giving us the very first songs of the 2021 national final season because KAN will make the 16 shortlisted songs available to the public this November.

As previously reported, the public will shortlist eight of the 16 songs, and those songs will go on to compete in the live shows. There will be two semi-finals of four songs each, and a grand final where the four best tunes will battle it out to be Eden’s pick for Rotterdam. All shows are expected to be around 52 minutes long and will take place in February.

Resolving earlier confusion on social media, the songs that qualify to the semi-finals will not be performed by Eden Alene herself. Instead, the performing artists in the semis will be either the songwriters or a different artist.

Then, in the final, Eden will perform the four finalist songs to the public for the first time. It is likely to be a similar experience to the grand final of this year’s The Next Song for Eurovision where Eden performed four songs, with “Feker Libi” ending up as the winning entry.

Will you send a song to Israel this year? What do you think of Eden not performing in the semi-final? Let us know what you think!

Read more Israel Eurovision news here

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James
James
3 years ago

Now this sounds a little less convoluted than we we first heard about Israel’s plan to select its song.

It does sound like a little reality talent show-ish in terms of presentation though, which leads me to one question: Is it all confirmed that KAN will use Songland as its selection format?

Last edited 3 years ago by James
Ashton
Ashton
3 years ago
Reply to  James

what no, its just a normal national selection. they literally said it in this article

Neil
Neil
3 years ago

Such a positive energy she has!
I loved feker libi and i hope they can do something like that or
basically any song from last year that Eden sang.
My personal favorite was Savior in the Sound but Feker
Libi was a close second

Esc addict
Esc addict
3 years ago

Unexpectedly the first songs of the season will come from Israël, I thought it would have come from Greece but they have changed their minds. I thought Israël would use the Tv format which focuses on the songwriting process, but unfortunately they won’t it seems. It’s a pretty classical selection, online pre selection, two semi finals, and a final. The thing I find weird is Eden no singing in the semis, even if it’s a good song, it doesn’t mean it would fit her automatically, so voting people in the semis have to have that in their minds. It’s risky… Read more »

Last edited 3 years ago by Esc addict