Israel on Monday became the first country to announce its representative for the 2023 Eurovision song contest, tapping pop sensation Noa Kirel to take center stage.
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It is unclear where next year's Eurovision will take place. The show is traditionally hosted by the winner of the previous year, but as the 2022 title went to Ukraine, where war with Russia is raging, the matter has yet to be decided.
Kirel was selected by a nine-member professional committee named by Kan, Israel's public broadcaster, in the first such selection process in eight years.
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Between 2015 and 2022, Israel's representatives were the winners of a designated reality show, but with the exception of Netta Barzilai, who won in 2018 and later also took that year's Eurovision by storm, they failed to perform well on the international stage.
A statement by Kan said that the panel considered 78 singers "with robust experience and a proven track record of performing in front of a large audience."
Kirel's agent issued a statement saying, "We were surprised and delighted to learn of the decision. We are thankful that Noa was chosen and we are proud to represent Israel."
Culture and Sports Minister Chili Tropper congratulated the singer, saying, "Noa Kirel is a talented singer and creator and I congratulate her on representing Israel at the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest. Noa is a role model for thousands of girls and boys who see her willpower, creativity, and determination. I'm sure she will represent Israel well."
First airing in 1956, the Eurovision song contest is a global entertainment phenomenon. The show has amassed a global following, with an annual audience of over 100 million. Israel has participated in 44 editions of the Eurovision so far, winning four times, in 1978, 1979, 1998, and 2018.
Kirel, 21, rose to fame as a teenager in 2015 and has since emerged as a sought-after singer, actress, and television host. She won the MTV Europe Music Awards for best Israeli act for 2017. In June 2020, it was announced that she signed a contract with iconic American label Atlantic Records. In December of that year, Kirel signed with the Beverly Hills-based WME talent agency.
The 2023 Eurovision will not be Kirel's first time performing before a global audience: last year, she performed at the Miss Universe pageant, which was hosted by Israel for the first time in the contest's history. The Miss Universe pageant is one of the most popular televised events in the world and is broadcast live to over 170 countries.
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