Israel's public broadcaster Kan 11 announced Monday that Israel's 2025 Eurovision entry will be titled "New Day Will Rise." The song, which will be performed by "Rising Star" winner Yuval Raphael, will make its public debut on Sunday, March 9, during a special broadcast.
Setting itself apart with international appeal, the entry will feature lyrics in three languages: English, Hebrew, and French. Renowned Israeli songwriter Keren Peles crafted both the lyrics and melody, while Tomer Biran handled the arrangement and musical production. The French translation was provided by Tamir Hitman.
This year's 24-year-old representative grew up in Switzerland and is fluent in French. Raphael is an Oct. 7 survivor, having attended the Nova festival when Hamas brutally attacked Israel in 2023. When the assault began in the early hours of that Saturday, she entered a small concrete shelter alongside other people to hide from the incoming rockets. She remained hidden for seven hours, pretending to be dead on the advice of her father – whom she had called during the attack, a conversation that was later published on social networks. Bodies of murdered victims lay on top of her throughout the ordeal. Of the 40 young people who entered this shelter at the beginning of that day, only ten emerged alive.
The competition's opening events will take place on May 13 and 15, when the semi-finals will determine which countries advance to the final scheduled for May 17 in Basel, Switzerland. Last year, "Rising Star" winner Eden Golan represented Israel at Eurovision during the ongoing war in Gaza. Golan endured booing during rehearsals, the semi-final, and even during the final itself, where she ultimately achieved fifth place.
Israel provided Golan with comprehensive security protection, while the Eurovision production team in Malmö, Sweden prepared for potential escalation due to pro-Palestinian demonstrators protesting Israel's participation. Similar to last year, calls to boycott Israel from this year's competition have emerged, with protesters demanding treatment similar to Russia's exclusion from the contest. Despite these protests, Israel is expected to maintain its participation in this year's Eurovision competition.
