Israel is moving one step closer to finding their representative for Malmö 2024, as the broadcaster of “The Next Star”, Keshet, announces more details regarding the preliminary audition.
On September 10th, Keshet will hold the main and last open preliminary audition day at the Tel Aviv Expo Center. Applicants are required to be over the minimum age required to participate in Eurovision which is 16 years old, and need to prepare two audition songs. No backing track is allowed to be used during the auditions, except for singing with personal instruments that do not require any electricity.
These auditions are not televised, and successful applicants will be shortlisted alongside other applicants who have been scouted in the previous audition days to come back for a filmed live audition in front of judges: Shiri Maimon, Itay Levy, Assaf Amdorsky, Ran Dankar, Keren Peles, and for the first time as well Eden Hason. Although, some footage will be filmed during this audition day including the opening sequence for the show, panning shots of the queue, etc.
The show will be hosted by Assi Azar and Rotem Sela who have been hosting the show even since before it became a Eurovision national selection, back in 2014. The premiere date of the show remains unknown for now, with the expectation being at some point around early November.
This is the seventh time “The Rising Star” is being used as the national selection method for Israel. It was used for six consecutive years, from 2015 to 2020, and has resulted in Israel’s longest qualification streak to the final, as well as two top 10 results, including the 2018 win by Netta.
In 2023, Noa Kirel, one of the biggest pop stars in Israel, was internally selected to represent Israel with her song “Unicorn”. She has led Israel to their second-best result in 25 years with a notable 362 points finishing overall in 3rd place. Despite the successful attempt with internal selection, KAN handed back the selection format to Keshet, due to financial issues.
Who would #YOU want to represent Israel in Eurovision in the upcoming year? How do #YOU think Israel will do in Eurovision with changing back their selection process? Let us know on social media @ESCUnited, on our Discord, or on our forum page!
Source: Euromix
