In a historic moment for Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest, Yuval Raphael not only advanced to the grand final but also shattered national viewership records, surpassing the milestone previously held by Netta Barzilai, who won the contest in 2018.
A New Peak for Eurovision in Israel
Raphael’s performance of “New Day Will Rise” during Thursday night’s semifinal in Basel, Switzerland, drew an astounding 26.7% national share on Israeli broadcaster Kan 11—the highest ever for a Eurovision semifinal in Israel. For context, Barzilai’s semifinal performance in 2018 drew a then-record 23.8%. Other recent competitors trailed slightly behind: Noa Kirel drew 23.7%, and Eden Golan posted 25.9% last year. The broadcast peaked during Raphael’s performance, reaching 38.8% viewership—a figure widely described by industry analysts as “unprecedented.”
יום חדש יזרח הביצוע המלא של יובל רפאל בחצי גמר האירוויזיון 2025 pic.twitter.com/HwtBbA9vrZ
— כאן (@kann) May 15, 2025
Yuval Already Won—Whatever Happens Next
Israeli singer-songwriter Keren Peles, who co-wrote Raphael’s song, expressed her deep emotion following the win: “I’ve dreamed of this moment. Thank you for the incredible honor of writing the song that represents my country to the world. Yuval already won—whatever happens next. The trophy is yours, my dear.”
Odds Rising Ahead of the Final
After the first semifinal—where Israel did not compete—betting markets had dipped slightly, with Israel slipping from 4th to 5th place. However, following the overwhelming semifinal success, industry insiders now expect Raphael’s odds to rise significantly ahead of the grand final on Saturday, May 17.
