In 2020, Israel became one of the first countries to bring us national final news, giving us demo versions of songs for Eden Alene as early as December. This time, we’re getting a list of potential artists as early as July. Its artist selection, titled X Factor for Eurovision, won’t start airing until December. But Israeli Eurovision site EuroMix has already published the names of the first 18 acts.

Israel’s X Factor for Eurovision 2022 — potential artists

These are the first 18 names from the first days of filming, according to sources on the ground. If you were an avid follower of Kdam Eurovision back in the day, some names on this list may ring a bell.

  • Adi Cohen & Liron LevKdam 2011 second runner-up; A Star Is Born 4th-placer.
  • Amit Ben Zaken – Footballer, brother of the famous singer (and X Factor Israel runner-up) Eden Ben Zaken.
  • Ana Spitz – Indie pop musician, 33.
  • Anna RF – Israeli-Indian ethno-folk ensemble (below: “Weeping Eyes”).
  • Ataliyah Pierce – American-Israeli, The Voice of Israel semi-finalist, performed the hook of “Roots” by Eden Alene on HaShir HaBa 2020 (below).
  • Dafna Reuveni – 18, granddaughter of the late Ehud Manor, writer of Eurovision winner “A-Ba-Ni-Bi” and runner-up “Chai” (as well as six other entries).
  • Gaydaa – Syrian-born Druze singer, runner-up on the singing show Eyal Golan Kore Lakh.
  • Ido B Zooki – MTV Award-nominated rap-EDM duo, had several Israel #1’s in the mid-’10s (below: “Ten li levad”).
  • Inbal Bibi – Semi-finalist in the first season of X Factor Israel, seen as a fan favourite.
  • Linet Menaşi – Award-winning Turkish fantezi pop singer, participated in Kdam in 1993, finishing 10th.
  • Maor Titun – Successful songwriter, The Voice of Israel participant.
  • Maya Simantov – 39, singer for Ofer Nissim, successful songwriter (below: “If You Only Knew”).
  • Or Cohen Akad – Winner of Band Project, teen actress.
  • Sapir Saban – Winner of the fourth season of The Voice Israel, sings in Hebrew and Turkish.
  • Shalva Berti – Participated in Kdam Eurovision 1985, 1992, and 1995, coming 11th, 4th, and 9th. Reportedly sang the demo of “Can’t Stop a Hurricane” (Israel NF 2021).
  • Shimi Tavori – 68, one of the most celebrated Israeli artists of all time, released 31 albums, participated in Kdam Eurovision 1991 and 1993 (below: “Khai et ma sheyesh”)
  • Shira Atias – Soul singer, participated in The Four in 2018.
  • Yiftah Deri – Soul singer, cousin of Israeli MP Ariye Deri (below: “Avir”)

Which of those would you like to see representing Israel? Who are you still hoping to see audition?

Follow all of our Israel Eurovision 2022 news.

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Rob
Rob
2 years ago

There isn’t going to be a separate one artist final following the announcement of the X-factor winner and the song itself will be internally selected. The reason is that the show only goes on air in December and assuming it will last about three months, the winner and the selected song will have to be announced close to the EBU submission deadline. It’s likely there will be an open call for song submissions, but some songwriters may be separately invited and skip the earlier round of eliminations. One can’t tell what happens behind close doors as if listening to a… Read more »

Patrick Pastor
Patrick Pastor
2 years ago

Who’s the singer in the center of the collage at the top of the article? She looks familiar.

Rebeccalibur
Rebeccalibur
2 years ago

Just some random guesses: either Gaydaa, Linet or Inbal Bibi will win X Factor Israel.

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
2 years ago

welp so they’re all more or less music professionals with a career… gone are the times of leona lewis where a waitress with no proper vocal training but amazing talent could audition for the x factor and be catapulted into stardom overnight

Azaad
Azaad
2 years ago

It’s now explicitly a Eurovision selection so established artists who want to go to Italy will participate.

Nils
Nils
2 years ago

Never heard of any of them (of course), but with everyone having some merits to their name, it surely looks intriguing. Apparently Israel is in it to win it, again. I applaud that ambition … for now. Will be interesting to see what it’ll lead to.

Frisian esc
Frisian esc
2 years ago

If the x factor doesn’t have any amateur singers why not just continue the next star format?

Alo
Alo
2 years ago
Reply to  Frisian esc

Ofcours there will be unknown singers! Honestly as an Israeli I don’t recognize like 90% of the list above anyway.
The x factor is the chosen format as they offered more money than the people behind the next star(there was a tender).

Sot
Sot
2 years ago

Idk why but “Ana Spitz” sounds like a really promising name and fsr I can already see her competing… Oh, and I have a question: Does Adi Cohen have any relationship with Izar? Y’ know, the Israeli winner

Alo
Alo
2 years ago
Reply to  Sot

No.. Cohen is the most common family name for jews(or second most)

Sot
Sot
2 years ago
Reply to  Alo

Ok, thanks!

Erasmus
Erasmus
2 years ago

I also read somewhere that the winner will get signed with an international record label (am I correct or just imagining something?)

Alo
Alo
2 years ago
Reply to  Erasmus

Yes. The prizes are eurovision ticket and contract with syco(Simon Cowell company).

Nils
Nils
2 years ago
Reply to  Alo

But … why would you aim for that contract? That bloke hasn’t produced any noteworthy stars in the new millennium, has he?

Alo
Alo
2 years ago
Reply to  Nils

One direction, little mix.
But I agree about the contract and I do think they will cancel this prize at the end.

ROXELANA
ROXELANA
2 years ago

Wow, Linet is quite well known in Turkey. She has even recorded an album with Orhan Gencebay, one of the most famous singers in Turkey. The younger generation does not probably know much about her, but yeah, she is quite a well established artist in Turkey. She mostly singst in Arabesque and has recorded songs in Turkish, Hebrew, Arabic and English. I would definitely want to see her at Eurovision. All I can say is that if she gets to represent Israel at Eurovision, she would get huge support from the Turkish fandom, and by a lot of famous Turkish… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by ROXELANA
Red X
Red X
2 years ago
Reply to  ROXELANA

would she have an even larger Turkish support than Efendi did?

DutchTurk
DutchTurk
2 years ago
Reply to  Red X

Yes I think she would. I think that most of the Turkish people would see as someone who also represents Turkey (in a way), because she has recorded lots of Turkish songs and she speaks Turkish fluently (as far as I know). Also, her live vocals are flawless, I would definitely love to see her at Eurovision.

ROXELANA
ROXELANA
2 years ago
Reply to  DutchTurk

Her mother is Turkish.

Delilah
Delilah
2 years ago
Reply to  ROXELANA

Well yeah, serhat wasn’t popular and well known in Turkey but Linet? Wow! Like many people in Turkey do know her and her voice is out of world! Well experienced singer as well. I’m sure she will really do great at esc if chosen

Alex
Alex
2 years ago

I don’t get why they are using X Factor, a show that used to be big in the late 00s.

Maya G
Maya G
2 years ago
Reply to  Alex

The show itself is meaningless, the advantage here where it comes to Eurovision is that whoever is selected to represent Israel has a financial back to go all out, and a very motivated team behind it, because they want to do well in order to keep the ESC related to their show. This is how the Israeli renaissance came about in 2015, the big money of commercial TV brought results, because doing well wasn’t just an interest of the individual artist, it was an interest for an entire commercial broadcast channel.

Teeks
Teeks
2 years ago

I’m actually relieved to see/hear the mix of ages, genders and ethnicities in the line-up. I worry that Eurovision is becoming a reality show about the next top young singer. But even though this a reality show, this gives hope to 37yo me 😀

Last edited 2 years ago by Teeks