Noam Bettan, 27, a singer-songwriter from the central Israeli city of Ra’anana, is set to represent the Jewish state at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, which will be held from May 12-16 in Vienna.
The son of French immigrant parents, he was nominated as Israel’s contestant after winning the finale of “HaKokhav HaBa” (“The Next Star”), the televised singing competition, on Tuesday evening.
He began his music career during his compulsory Israel Defense Forces military service and first gained national attention in 2018 after coming in third in the musical reality TV competition “Aviv or Eyal.”
In 2024, Bettan released “Pokeach Einayim,” based on lyrics by IDF Staff Sgt. Yaron Oree Shay, a soldier from the Nahal Brigade who was killed fighting Palestinian terrorists during the Hamas-led terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
“It’s entering the lion’s den,” Bettan told the Kan Gimel radio station on Wednesday in reference to anti-Israel protests expected at the contest.
“But I can say that seeing those few Israeli flags in the audience—look at that, and know that there’s a whole nation behind you, and you’re their voice. It’s truly a privilege,” he added.
The song Bettan will perform at Eurovision is set to be announced in March, after being chosen by Israel’s Kan public broadcaster, which organizes the country’s participation.
Israel was cleared to compete in Eurovision after other broadcasters abandoned a proposed vote to bar its participation, following reforms intended to enhance the event’s “transparency and neutrality.”
The decision was made during a Dec. 4 meeting held at the European Broadcasting Union’s Geneva headquarters to consider new rules aimed at reducing disproportionate influence over voting by governments and third parties.
The annual musical extravaganza is organized by the EBU, with the host nation’s national broadcaster producing the three live television shows.
The broadcasters of Spain, Iceland, Ireland and the Netherlands have announced that their countries would skip the event in protest of the EBU’s decision to allow Israel to participate.
