Eden Alene has won the final of The Next Star in Israel, and will sing for her country at the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in Rotterdam. Eden will reveal her song on the 3rd of March.
Alene’s victory was a big surprise. She lost her first duel in the Grand Final and was on the brink of elimination. Through a jury wildcard, she came back into the race, and ended up winning the superfinal with both jury and televote support.
A total of 4 artists competed in The Next Star 2020. Eden Alene, Ellalee Lahav, Gaya Shaki and Orr Amrami Brockman. The show is Israel’s most-watched singing competition and has served as the country’s selection method for some years now. Eurovision 2018 winner Netta also became Israel’s representative through the format.
Eden Alene: from Israeli and Ethiopian descent
Born and raised in Jerusalem, 19-year-old Eden won Israel over. Characteristics are her powerful voice and electrifying performances in The Next Star. With her parents both hailing from Ethiopia, Eden will bring a fresh and contemporary combination of sounds and influences to the Eurovision Song Contest.
In the coming weeks, Eden will select her entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 during The Next Song For Eurovision. The show will be live on Israeli public broadcaster KAN’s channels and feature 4 potential songs for Eden. A team of professional judges and viewers will together judge these 4 tracks. The winning song will then become Eden’s participating song in Rotterdam.
Check out Israel’s winning Eurovision entry from 2018: Netta Barzilai – Toy