Friday, June 17, 2022

Reminiscing Back to Israel and Watching Eurovision's Entries

 Nadene Goldfoot                                             


The Eurovision Song Contest (FrenchConcours Eurovision de la chanson), sometimes abbreviated to ESC and often known simply as Eurovision, is an international songwriting competition organized annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), featuring participants representing primarily European countries. Each participating country submits an original song to be performed on live television and radio, transmitted to national broadcasters via the EBU's Eurovision and Euroradio networks, with competing countries then casting votes for the other countries' songs to determine a winner.

Since I lived in Israel from 1980 to the tail end of 1985, I listened with joy to the Eurovision contest, rooting for Israel's entries. That's where I discovered Oprah Haza.  

Here's my favorite from 1982-better than any, with Avi Toledano:  Hora:  Hora https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ2_fKq7PKo&t=32s      The big overview through the years.               

                                                  

Avi with his same dance team as in Hora.  No wonder I love it.  

He won my vote again in 1985 with Ole  Ole https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQ7dpXL1LJ4.  I can listen to this all day.  

 Israel has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 44 times since making its debut in 1973. Israel has won the contest four times, and has hosted the contest in Jerusalem twice in 1979 and 1999. Israel hosted the contest for the third time in Tel Aviv in 2019.

Israel's first appearance at the contest in 1973 was successful, with Ilanit finishing fourth. Israel then achieved victories in 1978 and 1979, with wins for Izhar Cohen and the Alphabeta with the song "A-Ba-Ni-Bi", and Milk and Honey with "Hallelujah".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvZS6tnZKMU  Izhar Cohen and Alphabeta

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKbvuYRR35E  Milk and Honey's Hallelujah

                                              

Oprah Haza's Chai was in 1983.  This is positively my very favorite!!!  Wow!  Chai means LIFE.  Israel lives.   lives.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XMZJYxb5XU  Keep on listening, I love the next song, too, Jerusalem of Gold.  


The Eurovision Song Contest 2022 was the 66th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in TurinItaly, following the country's victory at the 2021 contest with the song "Zitti e buoni" by Måneskin. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster Radiotelevisione italiana (RAI), the contest was held at the PalaOlimpico, and consisted of two semi-finals on 10 and 12 May, and a final on 14 May 2022. The three live shows were presented by Italian television presenter Alessandro Cattelan, Italian singer Laura Pausini and Lebanese-British singer Mika.

This is Israel's entry, Michael Ben David.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNFeohWlA20

Born in the city of Akshelon, Michael has studied singing and performing since he was 13 years of age, having enrolled in the Beit Zvi School of the Performing Arts.

Upon graduation he successfully auditioned for The X Factor Israel, where one of the judges was none other than 2018 Eurovision Song Contest winner Netta. Michael’s emotional openness won him more and more fans as he went on a journey of self-affirmation that’s thoroughly explored in his Eurovision entry: I.M.  When he’s not singing or acting, Michael loves to cook and bake in his free time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CziHrYYSyPc

Netta Barzilai, also known mononymously as Netta, is an Israeli singer-songwriter, musician and looping artist. After winning the fifth season of HaKokhav HaBa, she earned the right to represent her country at the Eurovision Song Contest 2018. Wikipedia

I love my period of living in Israel's music much better.  These contestants are great, but too American.  I want the minor key, that sound of the Middle East in it because it's from Israel; unique.  I'm so sad that Ofra Haza died so young.  She had Israeli music down pat, coming from Yemen.  She had that quality in her voice.  

Resource:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurovision_Song_Contest

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurovision_Song_Contest_2022


No comments:

Post a Comment