Twenty years after Dana International’s win with “Diva” in 1998, Netta Barzilai has tonight held high the Eurovision Grand Prix for Israel.
With her pink-haired backing singers and dancers and their trademark chicken moves, Israel stormed to the top of the leaderboard, winning a grand total of 529 points from the national juries and the European televote. Netta beat out for the top position Cyprus’ Eleni Foureira who finished second, and Austria’s César Sampson who came third.
The (un)official New Zealand Eurovision jury gave Israel six points, noting that Netta maintained a fierce energy in her performance combined with powerful vocals.
Netta won this year’s Rising Star reality music show, HaKokhav HaBa L’Eurovizion (‘The Next Star For Eurovision’) and the ticket to represent Israel in the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest. She is a very ambitious and determined 25-year-old, but despite her young age, Netta has an extensive background in music. She finished high school with excellence merit in extended music studies and went on to study in the renowned Rimon School of Music in the Electronic Studies Department.
Her song, Toy, was written and composed by Doron Medalie & Stav Beger.