Yuval Raphael
Yuval Raphael | |
|---|---|
 Yuval in 2024 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | 5 November 2000 |
| Origin | Ra'anana, Israel |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Years active | 2024–present |
Yuval Raphael (Hebrew: יובל רפאל; born 5 November 2000[1]) is an Israeli singer. She is set to represent Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Basel, Switzerland.[2]
Biography
Raphael is the niece of businesswoman Ronit Raphael[3] and comes from Ra'anana, Israel. She spent three years of her childhood living in Geneva, Switzerland.[4][5][2] As a youngster, she listened to rock bands such as Led Zeppelin and Scorpions and singers such as Beyoncé and Celine Dion.[6] She began singing professionally in 2023.[7] Raphael was attending the Supernova Sukkot Gathering music festival in Re'im on 7 October 2023, when Hamas-led Palestinian militants attacked the festival, killed 364 attendees, and took 40 people hostage. She hid inside a Death Shelter near kibbutz Be'eri with 50 other people, while sustaining shrapnel injuries from grenades thrown into the shelter by Hamas militants, and was one of 11 survivors, having hid under dead bodies for eight hours.[7][8][9] In a speech before the United Nations Human Rights Council, she described what she witnessed during the attack.[10][11]
On 19 November 2024, Raphael's audition for the eleventh season of HaKokhav HaBa, which served as the Israeli artist selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, aired, where she performed "Anyone" and advanced to the next round with a score of 98%. She eventually progressed to the final on 22 January 2025, where she performed "Dancing Queen" and "Writing's on the Wall".[12] She dedicated her performance of the former to those killed by the Supernova attack. She ranked first and was chosen to represent Israel at Eurovision,[12] succeeding Eden Golan, whose appearance on the previous series had attracted massive controversy as a result of her country's participation in the Israel–Hamas war.[7] At the time of her announcement, she was living in Ra'anana.[13]
References
- ^ @yuvalraphael (5 November 2024). "24k magic🎂שום דבר לא מובן מאליו. תודה ענקית בואו נגשים חלומות השנה" [24k magic. Nothing is taken for granted. A huge thank you. Let's make dreams come true this year.] (in Hebrew) – via Instagram.
- ^ a b Klein, Sagi (22 January 2025). "Israel: Yuval Raphael selected for Eurovision 2025". Eurovisionworld. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
- ^ Smith, David (22 January 2025). "Yuval Raphael to represent Israel at Eurovision 2025". Wiwibloggs. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
- ^ Yehuda, Hila (13 December 2024). "הכירו את יובל רפאל". Mako (in Hebrew). Keshet Media Group. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
- ^ Dahan, Tal (11 December 2024). "יובל רפאל: "החלטתי לחשוף את הנפש שלי עד הסוף"". Euromix (in Hebrew). Retrieved 24 January 2025.
- ^ "Yuval Raphael will represent Israel in Basel". eurovision.tv. 22 January 2025. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
- ^ a b c Rackham, Annabel (23 January 2025). "Hamas attack survivor to represent Israel at Eurovision". BBC News. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
- ^ Perets, Shir (22 January 2025). "Nova survivor Yuval Raphael to represent Israel in 2025 Eurovision Song Contest". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
- ^ Hadad, Ofer; Duek, Amalya (11 October 2023). ""אמרתי לכולם לשחק פני מתים": שלוש בנות שיצאו בחיים מהמסיבה ברעים משחזרות". N12 (in Hebrew). Keshet Media Group. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
- ^ "Survivor of Nova Festival massacre to represent Israel at Eurovision". Israel National News. 22 January 2025. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
- ^ Eurovoix Team (22 January 2025). "🇮🇱 Israel: Yuval Raphael to Eurovision 2025". Eurovoix. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
- ^ a b "יובל רפאל ניצחה בגמר "הכוכב הבא" - ותייצג את ישראל באירוויזיון - וואלה תרבות". Walla (in Hebrew). 22 January 2025. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
- ^ אונליין, שרון (23 January 2025). "מהמיגונית לבמת האירוויזיון: סיפורה של יובל רפאל מרעננה". Sharon Online | sharonline.co.il (in Hebrew). Retrieved 23 January 2025.