Israel: These will be the next 'X-factor Israel' judges; Simon Cowell will not take part

Israel: These will be the next 'X-factor Israel' judges; Simon Cowell will not take part
Thursday, 03 June 2021

  • The Israeli local media are reporting on the names that we are going to see serving as the X- Factor Israel judges, the show through which the country will determine its Eurovision 2022 hopeful. 

    The X-Factor show will be Israel's national selection format, in order to determine the country's Eurovision 2022 representative. While initial information wanted Simon Cowell , who sits on the panel of judges in the British version and also creates the format taking part in the show this seems not be the case anymore. The exact reason for this will likely remain unknown, but it may be a health cause, as Simon recently underwent back surgery. Some say that the security situation and the existence of the ongoing conflict in the region played are major role. 

    However, Euromix is giving us the names of the X-factor judges that will feature the Israeli national selection for Eurovision 2022. Who will form the panel of judges in this year's edition? 

    According to Euromix's report  Neta Barzilai , Aviv Geffen , Margalit Tsanani , Ran Danker and Miri Mesika will for the jury panel. Let go and check them out one by one. 

     

    1. Neta Barzilai

    Netta

    No need to introduce this female act! Who doesn't remember her victorious participation in Eurovision 2018 with her song "Toy" which brought the Eurovision trophy back in Israel after 20 years. 

     

    2. Aviv Geffen

    Aviv Geffen

    Aviv Geffen  is an Israeli rock musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, keyboardist, and guitarist and the son of writer and poet Yehonatan Geffen and Nurit Makover, brother of actress Shira Geffen, and an alumnus of Rimon School of Jazz and Contemporary Music. In addition to his solo career, Geffen is a founding member of the band Blackfield , he was also the global music director for WeWork.

     

    3. Margalit Tsanani

    Margalit Tsanani

    Margalit "Margol" Tzan'ani , is an Israeli singer and television personality. Tzan'ani is famous for her repertoire of Israeli oriental music style with soul influences, as well as jazz, blues, rock, and pop. Back in 2006  she was chosen to be a judge in Kokhav Nolad, the Israeli version of American Idol. She continued in this capacity for four seasons.

     

     4. Miri Mesika

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    Miri Mesika  is an Israeli singer and actress. She won several Israeli Female Singer of the Year awards. She has sold more than 200,000 copies of her albums in Israel. In 2012, Mesika was a judge on Kokhav Nolad, the Israeli version of American Idol, and in 2016, she is a coach on the fourth season of "The Voice Israel". In 2019 she starred in the lead role in Israel's channel 12 TV network's "it's got nothing to do with age"

     

    5.Ran Danker

    Ran Danker

    Ran Danker  is an Israeli actor, singer and model. He starred in hit Israeli series such as HaShir Shelanu (2004–2007), The Gordin Cell (2012–2015), Miguel (2018) and more. Danker received an Ophir Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Eyes Wide Open (2009). Danker was also nominated for an Ophir Award for Best Actor for his role in Doubtful (2017). As well as acting and singing, Danker is a fashion model in Israel and has appeared in campaigns for Diadora. His latest hit 'Crazy House" has brought Ran in the center of attention once more with million of views on Youtube and climbing in the charts. 

    With Simon Cowell's participation reportedly cancelled he has imerged as the person replacing him in the show. 

     

    The X-Factor Host

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    The first three seasons were hosted by model Bar Refaeli , who also hosted the 2019 Eurovision held in Israel. Now a new facilitator has been chosen and she is none other than Liron Weizmann . Weizmann has already hosted "Big Brother" alongside Guy Zoarz on Network 13 , and has also worked for a long time on the daily entertainment program "Guy Pines" where she served as editor and presenter alongside Guy Pines.

     

    The Story so far

    IBA began collaborating with Keshet in 2015, when Nadav Gueji was chosen to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest as part of the "Next Star" program. The collaboration also continued with the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation after the closure of the the Broadcasting Cooperation and among the selected acts was the ESC 2018 winner, Netta. In December 2019, the corporation decided to end its collaboration with Keshet and hold a pre-Eurovision show on Channel 11  The cancellation of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2020 led to the continuation of the collaboration with the singer Eden Alene , who had won "The next star for the Eurovision 2020".

    On the other hand X-factor premiered on Israeli television in 2013 and continued for several seasons up to 2018. Now it will return on screen to select the country's Eurovision 2022 hopeful, marking the second country that will be using the same show as their national selection method after Malta which selected its ESC acts in 2019 and 2020 through X-factor. 

     

    Israel in Eurovision 

    Israel has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 42 times since making its debut in 1973. Israel’s first appearance at the contest in 1973 was successful, with Ilanit finishing fourth. Israel has achieved 4  victories, in 1978 and 1979, with first two wins for Izhar Cohen and the Alphabeta, with the song “A-Ba-Ni-Bi” and Gali Atari and Milk and Honey, with “Hallelujah” .

    Its third victory came in 1998, with Dana International and “Diva”  and its fourth in ESC 2018 with Netta’s song Toy. The country’s best results apart from  its victories  were the second-place finishes for Avi Toledano in 1982 and Ofra Haza in 1983. Former winner Izhar Cohen returned to place fifth in 1985. Duo Datz finished third in 1991, before Israel achieved . Eden then finished fifth in 1999. Israel has hosted the contest three times, in 1979 and 1999, both in Jerusalem and in 2019 in Tel Aviv. 

    After the introduction of the semi-finals in 2004, Israel has failed to reach the final six times. In 2014, the country failed to qualify for the fourth consecutive year, when Mei Feingold finished 14th (out of 15) in the second semi final, despite being one of the favorites to qualify. In 2015, Israel reached the final for the first time in five years, with Nadav Guedj finishing ninth. The only Israeli entrant to achieve a better result in the 21st century before their 2018 win was Shiri Maimon in 2005, who gave the country its tenth top five result in the contest, finishing fourth. In 2019 Kobi Marimi winner of the Rising Star, rerpesented Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest on home soil  with his entry Home.

    Last year Eden Alene  won the talent show “The next Star” and the ticket to Rotterdam where she was going to perform the nationally selected song Feker Libi. Due to the covid-19 pandemic the contest was cancelled interrupting Eden's Eurovision journey. 

    However Eden was invited back for Eurovision 2021 in Rotterdam where she performed "Set Me Free" in the 12 position of the first semi final achieving to qualify. In the Grand final the Israeli act finished in the 17th place with 93 points in total, 73 of which came from the national juries who placed her 12th. 

     

     

    News Source: Euromix/ Eurovoix/ deadline.com