Israel: The Next Star begins tonight

The Israeli broadcaster, IBA, has announced the format for selecting their representative for Eurovision Song Contest 2016 in Stockholm. Just like last year, they will use the talent show "The Next Star" (הכוכב הבא לאירוויזיון) also known as "Rising Star". It all starts tonight and will continue the next couple of months until the winner is found.

The jury will be the same as last year:

• Assaf Etedgi
• Keren Peles
• Mookie
• Harel Skaat (Israel 2010)

The Next Star for Eurovision · הכוכב הבא לאירוויזיון

The talent show The Next Star for Eurovision (הכוכב הבא לאירוויזיון) in Israel, or known as "Rising Star" international, is an interactive song contest. The winner of the show will represent Israel in Eurovision Song Contest 2016 in Stockholm.

• Aspiring artists are invited to perform in front of a jury and the audience watching.
• After the song, the jury decides if the song will go to the next level.
• Contestant who do move forward to the next level then sings in front of an audience.
• Through an app the viewers votes for the song in real time, if it will pass or fail.
• If more than 70% of the voters decides the song to pass, it goes to the next level of the competition and the process continues until it has found a the winner.

Israel in Eurovision Song Contest

Israel has participated 37 times in Eurovision since debut in 1973. They have won the contest three times:
• 1978: Izhar Cohen and the Alphabeta - "Abanibi"
• 1979: Milk and Honey - "Hallelujah"
• 1998: Dana International - "Diva"

Israel has never ended last in the contest! Since the introduction of semi-finals in 2004, Israel qualified for the Grand Final 6 out of 12 times.