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Yuval Raphael
Israeli singer (born 2000) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Yuval Raphael (Hebrew: יובל רפאל; born 5 November 2000)[2] is an Israeli singer and songwriter. Having won the eleventh season of the singing competition HaKokhav HaBa, she represented Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 with the song "New Day Will Rise", finishing in second place overall with 357 points and winning the televote.
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Biography
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Raphael is the daughter of Liat and Zvika Raphael, and the niece of businesswoman Ronit Raphael,[3] and comes from Ra'anana in the Central District of Israel. She was born in Tel Aviv and grew up in Pedaya. She spent three years of her childhood in Geneva, Switzerland.[4][5][6][7] As a child, she listened to rock bands such as Led Zeppelin and the Scorpions, and singers such as Beyoncé and Céline Dion.[8] During her school years, Raphael pursued theater and Arabic studies. After finishing high school, Raphael served as a checkpoint combat soldier in the Jerusalem area with the Military Police Corps of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).[9] She began singing professionally in 2024.[10]
Raphael was attending the Supernova Sukkot Gathering, an open-air music festival near Re'im on October 7 2023, when Hamas militants attacked the festival. She hid inside a Death Shelter near Be'eri with 50 other people, while sustaining shrapnel injuries from grenades thrown into the shelter. Raphael was one of 11 survivors, having hid under dead bodies for eight hours.[11][12][13] In a speech before the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in March 2024, she described what she witnessed during the massacre.[14][15]
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Career
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HaKokhav HaBa 2025
On 19 November 2024, Raphael's audition for the eleventh season of HaKokhav HaBa which served as the Israeli artist selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, aired, where she performed "Anyone" and advanced to the next round with a score of 98%. She eventually progressed to the final on 22 January 2025, where she performed "Dancing Queen" and "Writing's on the Wall". She dedicated her performance of the former to those killed by the Nova music festival massacre. She ranked first and was chosen to represent Israel at Eurovision Song Contest 2025,[16] succeeding Eden Golan, whose appearance on the previous edition had attracted controversy as a result of her country's involvement in the Gaza war.[11] At the time of her announcement, she was living in Ra'anana.[17]
Eurovision Song Contest 2025
Raphael represented Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 with the song "New Day Will Rise", written and composed by Keren Peles and produced by Tomer Biran.[18] The entry was presented on 9 March 2025 together with its official music video, released by the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (IPBC/Kan).[19] The song was described by media as a multilingual orchestral pop ballad featuring lyrics in English, French, and Hebrew and incorporating Hebrew Bible verse from the Song of Songs, symbolising hope, unity, and renewal.[20][21][22]
Israel was drawn to compete in the second semi-final, held on 15 May 2025 in Basel, Switzerland.[23] Raphael performed fourteenth out of sixteen entries and qualified for the grand final after winning the semi-final with a total of 203 points from the televote.[24][25]
In the grand final on 17 May 2025, Raphael performed fourth in the running order.[26] Israel placed second overall with a total of 357 points, earning 297 points from the televote, winning the televote segment, and 60 points from the professional juries, placing fourteenth with them.[27][28] "New Day Will Rise" achieved commercial success, debuting at number one on the Israeli Airplay Chart and entering the top 50 in Austria, Lithuania, Sweden, and Switzerland.[29][30][31][32]
Post-Eurovision
Following the contest, Raphael gained wider public exposure in Israel and abroad. On 22 May 2025, she performed alongside Keren Peles at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv during a public event held in solidarity with the hostages.[33]
Her first post-Eurovision single, "Amber Skies", was released on 16 October 2025 as part of the soundtrack for the HBO Max series One Day in October.[34] On 19 October 2025, Raphael released her debut EP titled 22:22, described by Raphael as a deeply personal project reflecting themes of inner peace and emotional recovery. In an interview with Mako, she stated that the recurring number "22:22" symbolizes calm and spiritual balance in her life.[35]
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Personal life
During the eleventh season of HaKokhav HaBa, Raphael worked closely with fellow contestant Ido Malka. The two later announced their relationship in March 2025.[36] Malka accompanied Raphael as part of the Israeli delegation for Eurovision Song Contest 2025.[37]
Discography
Extended plays
Singles
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References
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