Israel: Yuval Raphael releases "New Day Will Rise" for Eurovision 2025

Yuval Raphael was selected at HaKokhav HaBa back in January to represent Israel at this year's Eurovision.

Today Yuval Raphael released the song she'll perform on the Eurovision stage in Basel this May: "New Day Will Rise." The song was selected internally by a committee.

"New Day Will Rise" was written by Keren Peles.

Yuval Raphael

Yuval, 24, had never performed or sung professionally before HaKokhav HaBa as she was very shy and avoided singing for many years. She lives in the Israeli city of Ra’anana, same as the Israeli artist for Eurovision 2023, Noa Kirel. Growing up Yuval and her family lived in Geneva, Switzerland for three years, which made her fluent in French.

Yuval Raphael survived the Nova Music Festival massacre on 7 October 2023 after hiding from Hamas in a small bomb shelter together with 50 other people. The terrorists found the shelter and strafed it with bullets multiple times. Only 11 out of the 50 people in the shelter survived. Yuval had to play dead under dead bodies for eight hours.

Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest

Israel has participated in Eurovision 46 times since their debut in 1973. They have won the contest four times:

• 1978: Izhar Cohen and the Alphabeta - Abanibi
• 1979: Milk and Honey - Hallelujah
• 1998: Dana International - Diva
• 2018: Netta Barzilai - Toy

Israel has never finished last in the contest! Since the introduction of the Semi-finals in 2004, Israel has qualified for the Grand Final 13 out of 20 times.