Earlier this week, KAN made a surprise announcement that Israeli popstar Noa Kirel would represent the country at the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest. The announcement created intense excitement from the Eurovision community and Israeli citizens, and it appears that the star has been riding the wave of publicity all week. But it also appears that the announcement came as a complete shock to both her and her team.
Her team spoke to Israel Hayom Tuesday stating that: “We were surprised and delighted to learn of the decision. We are thankful that Noa was chosen and we are proud to represent Israel.” The singer also has confirmed in a few interviews that the committee’s offer came out of nowhere, and she just as suprised as we were Monday morning.
Noa Kirel still considering KAN’s offer
When asked about her first reaction to the news, Kirel candidly replied: “I’m still taking the whole thing in. First of all, it’s a great honour that they chose me. It’s really exciting, and as a kid I always watched Eurovision. So there’s something very grand about it, a lot of responsibility on my shoulders. I’m not taking this whole thing in yet. I’m taking a few days off to understand what’s happening. It’s a really big deal.” The interview illustrated her excitement, but also her concerns.
The next day Kirel spoke with newspaper Maariv, she indicated that participation in the contest has it’s advantages, disadvantages, and it’s fair share of politics. Therefore, she needs time to “brainstorm her approach to this thing”. Her interview with 103 FM on Tuesday continued to signal her indecision regarding the opportunity. When asked if she would be the 2023 Eurovision artist by the interviewer she responded only with “Maybe, maybe.”
She does highlight that Eurovision would be a massive stage for her to perform on and would gain her international exposure, despite already having great success on streaming platforms. She goes on to say that she wants to represent Israel in the best way possible, and that is why she is carefully considering the opportunity to go to Euroivsion. She will need “a few days to think about it” and do some research before signing the contract.
Did KAN even approach the artists in the selection?
According to Israel Hoyan and Maariv, Israeli Pop singer Mergui was ranked second in the internal selection, but this is not confirmed by KAN. Some Eurovision fans may remember Merugi from the 2018 selection show Next Star for Eurovision, where he placed second to Netta. But did Merugi even know he was being considered for the contest?
It seems that the simple answer is no – the internal selection committee ranked the list of 78 artists without knowing if any of them were interested in Eurovision. When asked about the selection by Frogi, Mergui confirmed he was considered without being consulted – “I did not know there was a committee at all.”
Even if the offer had come his way, he stated that he’s not ready for Eurovision – “I do not see myself in the Eurovision Song Contest at the moment, at least not in the next two years, but it’s a huge honor to represent the country”. He went on to joke about coming second in a Eurovision selection once again in the same interview, “The last time we won, so maybe it’s actually good to leave it like that.”
Doron Medalie to join the Israeli delegation?
Additional news coming from Euromix reports that Doron Medalie (songwriter of Israel’s 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2020 entries) could be tapped to join the delegation for Eurovision 2023. If Kirel is to represent Israel next year, it would make sense to have him on the team since the two have worked together previously on prior music. If Medalie is actually brought into the delegation, it will likely be to oversee the song selection or writing process for Kirel’s Eurovision entry.
However, during his talk with Israel Hoyan, Medalie suggested that some changes will need to be made for next year. “We need to devote enormous resources to Noa and a professional team made up of the best talents and professionals we have” he stated.
These plans may be in jeopardy given that Israel’s funding for Eurovision 2023 is up in the air. In prior years the broadcaster has allocated advertising revenue from national finals to cover participation costs, but given the lack of interest to host a national final, that revenue option is no longer on the table.
Are #YOU hoping Noa Kirel accepts the offer to go to Eurovision? Let us know on social media @ESCUnited, on our discord, or on our forum page!
